Thomas Andrews, Henry Smith 141 



over every subject he touched. The reader is referred to 

 the excellent obituary notice from the pen of Dr. J. W. L. 

 Glaisher for an account of the extent and value of his 

 researches. 1 With regard to his teaching capacity, those 

 who remember him will agree with Dr. Glaisher that : "As 

 an expounder of mathematics before an audience he was 

 unsurpassed for clearness, and his singular charm of manner 

 gave him a remarkable power for fixing the attention of those 

 present." 



His sound judgment was often called upon by others; 

 he was a member of the Royal Commission on Scientific 

 Instruction (1870), and of the Oxford University Commission 

 (1877). During the last sixteen years of his life he acted as 

 Chairman of the Meteorological Council and devoted much 

 time to the work. Quoting again from Glaisher 's obituary 

 notice : " It is difficult to give an idea of the position 

 Professor Smith held in Oxford and in society generally, 

 so brilliant were his attainments and so great and varied 

 his personal and social gifts." 



Though Henry Smith was the greatest of the scientific 

 men who taught at Oxford, mention should be made of 

 Odling, the Professor of Chemistry, and Vernon Harcourt, 

 inventor of the pentane lamp as a standard of light. The 

 optical work of Baden Powell has already been referred to, 

 and it will be remembered that Sylvester for a time taught 

 at the same University, succeeding to the Professorship 

 vacated by the death of Henry Smith. The revival of 

 astronomical research at Oxford owes much to the efforts of 

 Charles Pritchard (1808-1893), who, on his appointment to the 

 Savilian Professorship, succeeded in persuading the authori- 

 ties to erect a new observatory, and to provide an adequate 

 equipment. Pritchard, after graduating as fourth wrangler 

 at Cambridge, had spent nearly thirty years as Headmaster 

 of Clapham Grammar School. After his retirement in 1862, 

 he undertook some clerical duties, began to take an active 

 interest in astronomy, and rilled the office of Hon. Secretary, 

 and subsequently of President, of the Royal Astronomical 

 Society. When he was appointed to the Chair of Astronomy 



1 "Monthly Notices," Roy. Ast. Soc., Vol. XLIV., 1884. 



