SIMON NEWCOMB. 
165 
for the reading of a passage from the Bible and to repeat 
the Lord’s prayer. He looked forward with confidence to a 
future life, and not long before his death spoke of his antici- 
pated pleasure in meeting those he had never seen on earth, 
but whose characters lie had admired. 
In his “Side-lights on Astronomy,” speaking of the work 
of an astronomer who died long before he was born, Professor 
Newcomb says: 
“He was a lover of science and an indefatigable worker, 
and he did what in him lay to advance our knowledge of 
the stars. I love to fancy that in some other sphere, either 
within this universe of ours or outside of it, all who have 
successfully done this may some time gather and exchange 
greetings. Should this come about there will be a few — 
Hipparchus and Ptolemy, Copernicus and Newton, Gallileo 
and Herschel — to be surrounded by admiring crowds. But 
these men will have as warm a grasp and as kind a word for 
the humblest of their followers, who has merely discovered 
a comet or catalogued a nebula, as for the more brilliant of 
their brethren.” 
Professor Newcomb loved poetry and memorized it easily. 
Often when driving with his wife he would recite long poems 
which he had read years before. He was devoted to the 
works of Milton and especially fond of the “Hymn on the 
Nativity.” 
Addison’s ode, “The Spacious Firmament on High,” was 
a favorite he often recited, dwelling with emphatic earnest- 
ness on the closing lines: 
“In reason’s ear they all rejoice. 
And utter forth a glorious voice, 
Forever singing as they shine, 
The hand that made us is divine.” 
We are here this evening to do honor to the memory of 
one who in the language of common usage is said to have 
died. May we, not assure ourselves that this is only a small 
part of the truth concerning our friend. That part of him 
w*hic.h died rests in the sacred ground at Arlington. But 
that other part, which for so many years communed with 
22-Bull. Phil. Soc., Wash., Vol. 15. 
