268 Mathematical Theories of the Earth. — Woodward. 
"but, in his mature strength of mind, had harmonized the facts 
of science with the truths of religion." 
Colonel Whittlesey in his life was simple, honest, earnest, 
positive and patriotic. In his later years he suffered much 
from bodily ills ; but he never remitted his intellectual labors. 
A stranger would never have suspected the infirmities under 
which he sent forth during 1885 and 1886, his rapid succession 
of papers on scientific and theological themes. When the 
present writer had congratulated him in the long preservation 
of sufficient vigor to endure such arduous labors, he was quite 
astonished when his venerable friend wrote in reply — at the 
suggestion of his watchful and helpful wife, as he said — a cat- 
alogue of the distressing bodily ailments from which he suf- 
fered. "Ah, sir," he said, "you would not suspect that all these 
productions have come from the hand of an infirm old man, 
prostrate and helpless in his bed and on his back. 
The completion of the seven theological essays referred to 
brought him the assurance that his work was now complete. 
In a few days after he had penned his last line he breathed his 
last breath. The faithful partner of his long and useful life 
did not long survive him. Honor to the memory of both. 
THE MATHEMATICAL THEORIES OF THE EARTH.* 
By R. S. Woodward. 
The name of this section, which, by your courtesy, it is my duty to 
address to-day, implies a community of interest among astronomers and 
mathematicians This community of interest it is not difficult to 
explain. We can of course imagine a considerable body of astronomi- 
cal facts quite independent of mathematics. We can also imagine a 
much larger body of mathematical facts quite independent of and iso- 
lated from astronomy. But we never think of astronomy in the large 
sense without recognizing its dependence on mathematics, and we 
never think of mathematics as a whole without considering its capital 
applications in astronomy. 
^Mn the list of colonel Whittlesey's writings are fourteen titles 
touching religious themes— one each in 1871, 1874, 1875, 1879, 1880, 
two in 1878, and seven in 1886, the last year of his life, which have 
been republished in a pamphlet of 89 pages, entitled, "Theism and 
Atheism in Science." It may be added that the full list of Colonel 
Whittlesey's publications embraces: Historical, 56; archseological, 
23; geological, 72; biographical, 7 ; scientific and miscellaneous, 22 ; 
religious, 14; total, 194. 
* Vice-presidential address before the Section of Mathematics and Astrnomy of 
the American Association for the Advancement of Science, at Toronto, O t., Aug. 
28-Sept. 3. 
