212 [Assembly 



last half century that philosophy has descended from lofty college 

 halls to dwell with the poor mechanic. A few years since her ines- 

 timable treasures were locked up in high priced books, or more ef- 

 fectually shut out from the common scholar by being written in the 

 Latin and Greek languages. It is within our day that that great 

 dictionary of nature, Newton's Principia, was first translated from 

 its original Latin into English. When Nathaniel Bowditch, one of 

 the greatest men in this country, was a poor boy, he got hold of a 

 long desired copy of the Principia. To his great disappointment, it 

 was written in Latin, of which he \\-as perfectly ignorant. Undis- 

 mayed by the gloomy prospect, he procured a Latin dictionary and, 

 without grammar or lessons, labored through the whole of Newton's 

 work; read understandingly the immutable laws of nature there laid 

 down; and after that he could read any Latin book. Thus did our 

 indomitable American boy toil up the hill of science, and as an as- 

 tronomer ranked before his death next the great La Place. When 

 La Place began to publish his remarkable work ' Mechanique Ce- 

 leste,' the Edinburgh professors said there were not more than nine 

 men in England who could read it understanding-ly. What did our 

 Bowditch do ? He not only read it, but translated it into English, 

 and gave us, pari passu with the author, a complete version of that 

 voluminous work. He corresponded with La Place and other learn- 

 ed men of Europe continually, and the last work that he performed 

 on his sick bed, was to correct the last proof sheets of La Place's 

 mighty work, to Avhich he had added several thousand valuable notes 

 and illustrations. He went to his grave the first astronomer in 

 America, almost the first in the world. This was but one specimen 

 of the versatility of his talent; this was what a poor boy could do, 

 and what many a boy of this city can do by the aid of such libra- 

 ries and halls as they have here. I therefore, feel proud to stand in 

 Mechanics Hall, devoted as it is to the mechanic and scientific in- 

 terests. But this is a Convention of farmers, gardeners and silk cul- 

 turists, each interest represented by men prominent in their respect- 

 ive vocations." General D. rapidly sketched the early history of ag- 

 riculture, spoke of the quadrupeds, birds and insects made subject to 

 man, of which the dog only had become his friend; of the settlement 

 of new lands, the importance of corn and wine, the value of silks, 

 &c., &c. 



The committee to nominate officers, returned and reported as fol- 

 lows: For President, H. A. S. Dearborn, of Roxbury, Mass.; for 

 Vice Presidents, John Ogden, of Newark, N. J., and A. P. Byram, 



