THURSDAY, APRIL 29, 1897. 
THE LIFE AND WORK OF CHARLES 
PRITCHARD. 
Charles Pritchard, D.D., F.R.S.. F.R.A.S., F.R.G.S., 
late Savilian Professor of Astronomy in the University 
of Oxford. Memoirs of his Life. Compiled by his 
daughter, Ada Pritchard. With an account of his 
theological work by the Right Rev. the Lord Bishop 
of Worcester ; and of his astronomical work by his 
successor, Prof. H. H. Turner, F.R.A.S. Pp. viii+ 322. 
(London : Seeley & Co., 1897.) 
HE mere fact that the name of the late Prof. 
Pritchard is most widely known in connection with 
his astronomical researches, is in itself no uncertain sign 
of the energy and capacity of the man, for, as he himself 
stated, he did not really begin his astronomical work until 
he was seventy years of age. There are, however, other 
sides of his career for which he is little less worthy of 
grateful remembrance, exhibiting him, as they do, in the 
light of a pioneer in more than one important movement. 
We therefore welcome the present volume, compiled by 
those who knew him best, giving a brief and interesting 
account of his life and work, which, it may be remarked, 
extended over nearly the whole of the century (1808-. 
1893). 
In a charming bit of autobiography, Prof. Pritchard 
tells the story of his schooldays, and of his struggles, 
ambition, and success as a schoolmaster. So far as one 
can judge, his early education was of the type then com- 
mon, save for a short period during which he attended a 
private school kept by one John Stock, of Poplar, whose 
methods appear to have been far ahead of his time. The 
instruction of schoolboys in geometrical drawing, prac- 
tical surveying, and the use of physical apparatus, was 
then (1822) no common undertaking, and this practical 
work seems to have influenced Pritchard very largely. It 
is at least certain that his mind was first seriously turned 
towards astronomy by a collection of Ferguson’s models 
and astronomical instruments, which he had the privilege 
of studying at this “stirring school.” 
After a brilliant career at Cambridge, he entered a 
wider field as an educationist. Having been appointed 
to the mastership of the newly-founded Stockwell Pro- 
prietary Grammar School, he expounded his plans at the 
opening of the school, and only a few years ago he stated 
that “with the experience of half-a-century superadded, I 
can say with sincerity that had I now to form a scheme 
of education for a large school, it would be on the very 
same lines as those enunciated in my inaugural address.” 
Suffice it to say that the main intention of his methods 
was the development of the Aadzt of thinking, and as a 
step to its proper cultivation he proposed to introduce a 
well-furnished laboratory for the serious study of natural 
phenomena. He therefore claims to have been a successful 
pioneer in a most important branch of education. The 
sincerity of his convictions was afterwards proved when 
his energies were transferred to the Clapham Grammar 
School, which eventually passed entirely into his own 
management and proprietorship ; not only did he actually 
establish the proposed laboratories, but he even went so 
NO. 1435, VOL. 55 | 
NATURE 
orey 
| far as to provide a swimming-bath and an observatory. 
While submitting to the system of examinations, Pritchard 
remained unconvinced of their utility, and he stated in 
1886 that “ the time will come when the competitives will 
be found to be intellectually and educationally suicidal.” 
Many of the pupils of the Clapham School have since 
become famous in various walks of life, and, among 
others, Dr. Bradley, the present Dean of Westminster, 
speaks of the great originality and success of the master’s 
methods. Sir George Grove, another distinguished pupil, 
tells us in this volume how “ geography became a reality,” 
and the origin of the Palestine Exploration enterprise 
may be traced to the special attention given to that 
country at the Clapham School. One of the late Pro- 
fessor’s favourite maxims, reiterated during his career as a 
schoolmaster, was ‘‘ Whatever you do, do it as well as you 
can,” and his whole life is a witness of his endeavour to 
act as he preached. 
Pritchard’s interest in astronomy took no practical turn 
until he had the means to add an observatory to his 
school, the most important part of the equipment being a 
fine transit instrument purchased at the close of the Exhi- 
bition of 1851. For private reasons the school was given 
up in 1862, and the observatory was removed to the new 
home at Freshwater, Isle of Wight. At this time Prit- 
chard’s repute as an amateur astronomer was so well 
established that he was elected Secretary to the Royal 
Astronomical Society, and within a few years he occupied 
the presidential chair. He took a very active part in the 
proceedings of the Society, and we have it on the authority 
of Prof. Turner, one of the present Secretaries, that his 
official connection with the Society has left lasting 
impressions on the conduct of its affairs. 
The comparative retirement of the life at Freshwater 
ended in 1870, when Pritchard was appointed to the 
Savilian professorship. As Prof. Turner points out, he 
received this appointment rather on account of the man 
he was than for any conspicuous astronomical work which 
he had previously done, though, as subsequent events 
proved, he had only lacked the opportunity of doing 
justice to his observational ability. His association with 
the Astronomical Society here stood him in good stead, 
for he had given little evidence of his power except in 
ways of which the Society alone could take note, and his 
appointment was largely due to the representations of 
some of the more prominent Fellows. 
The observatory, which was the scene of Pritchard’s 
future triumphs, was at this time a very small one, but 
the authorities were soon persuaded to provide a 12-inch 
equatorial, and Dr. De la Rue’s gift of his splendid 
instruments being made about the same time, an entirely 
new observatory was erected. The possibility thus 
opened for photographic work induced Pritchard to style 
the establishment “The New Savilian Observatory for 
Astronomical Physics at Oxford.” As a matter of fact, 
however, the spectroscope has practically never been 
used in the observatory, so that in view of the meaning 
now attached to “astronomical physics,” the observatory 
has lost the right to the name which Pritchard proudly 
gave it. 
Practical instruction in astronomy was never greatly in 
demand at Oxford, hence nearly the whole strength of 
the small staff was available for research purposes, and 
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