Edired by Emilia P. Belserene

20

A Reminiscence of Maria Mitchell

edited by Emilia Pisani Belserene, Director Maria Mitchell Observatory

ONE OF THE scrapbooks in the Maria Mitchell Library contains a long letter about Maria Mitchell, written shortly after her death1 . The writer was Graceanna Lewis, best known today for her extensive activities on behalf of abolition. In her own time she was perhaps better known as a scientist and lecturer on natural history. Miss Mitchell has been called America's second woman scientist2 . Miss Lewis deserves the place of third. What she had to say about her distinguished friend deserves attention because she was in a unique position to appreciate the special qualities and influence of this famous daughter of Nantucket.

Media, Delaware Co. Penn, Aug. 18, 1889 Joseph Swain,

Dear Cousin:

In reply to thy note of the 15 inst. my first thought was that my memory was too full of material for a paper intended for one reading. Were I to be brief, I should have to omit details; and every thing, however slight, connected with the distinguished woman, thee queries after, is of interest.

I first saw Maria Mitchell about the year 1874, at Vassar College, whither I had gone to deliver a course of three lectures, by the invitation of President Raymond. I was there about a week I think, and saw her every day at the table. In addition to this, President Raymond gave a special dinner to which she was of course invited, and she gave a tea in her own apartments at the Observatory.

Maria Mitchell was Professor of Astronomy at Vassar and Director of the Observatory from 1865 to 1888. She came to this post at the age of 47 after having first won fame by her discovery of a comet with a small telescope on the roof of the Pacific Bank on Nantucket. She was not college-trained herself but had been introduced to astronomy by her self-taught father, William Mitchell, and had continued her education on her own while she was librarian at the Nantucket Atheneum. The letter continues:

After my return, I wrote an article entitled "A Day with Maria Mitchell." I am sorry I have no copy of that article, or that if I have it is packed away in some place now inaccessible to me. As you must have seen photographs of her, I will not describe her personal ap-

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pearance, but no photograph which I have met with, gives the cordial good will which seemed to emanate from her face, and beam on those around her. She was bright, winning, and full of conversation. At that period "Spelling Bees" had just been revived and I remember how she told with merriment of the mistakes she had made, and her willingness to give the young folks something to laugh at, in seeing her go down, and I also remember thinking that she could well afford any laugh at her expense. President Raymond also owned to not being able to spell every word in the Dictionary, and thought that he, or almost any one else, might be caught on some unusual word, when taken unawares. They both seemed to enjoy the fun of such mistakes, in themselves, and other highly educated persons.

Prof. Mitchell invited me to visit in her own apartments, and as I wished very much to have her opinions on some questions of study which had claimed my attention, I was glad to go. She met me with the most cordial simplicity - asked me to pardon her resting on the sofa, while she talked, as she had been up the night before making observations until two o'clock. When she had settled herself comfortably she said, "Now I want to know about your parents and brothers and sisters and your family and the circumstances which led you to be a naturalist." - thus seeking for a common bond of family affection in which we could meet at my own level, instead of hers. After I had given the desired information she told me that her love of astronomy was not derived from her father but was encouraged by her uncle.

This last sentence is partially crossed off but not so that it becomes hard to read. In the margin of the scrapbook, in which the letter is pasted, there appear the words "Mrs. Kendall thinks this a mistake as well as considerable which followed here about her work in the home for the family."

Mrs. Kendall was Maria Mitchell's sister Phebe, first female member of the School Committee in Cambridge, Mass. She was extremely proud of her professor sister and we are indebted to her for preserving the journals and correspondence. She edited them, also, for publication.3 Unfortunately, however, she preserved only those parts she considered proper for the public to share.4 We can learn who wrote the marginal note with the help of a scrapbook of Phebe Kendall's own papers at the Maria Mitchell library. In it we recognize the handwiriting, Mrs. Ken-

A REMINISCENCE OF MARIA MITCHELL

dall's own. 23

As to the uncle we must agree. Graceanna Lewis was simply mistaken. William Mitchell's children were all very close to his brother, Peleg, but nowhere is there indication that Peleg had any interest or expertise in science. Her mistake gets one to wondering, however. Just what was it that had she misunderstood? The Mitchells were related to the Folgers, and the famous Walter Folger, whose many interests included scientific matters, was cousin to Maria and a member of her parents' generation. It is very tempting to assume that Maria had spoken of his influence on her development as a scientist.5

The next half-page of Graceanna Lewis' letter is crossed off much more thoroughly than the sentence about the uncle; it is almost obliterated, and it is clear that Mrs. Kendall's intention was that it not be read at all. Under high magnification, however, it is possible to make out these words:

She was one of a large family of children and she and her sisters ed to do the washing for the family she remembered one morning when they finished a wash for 15 persons before nine o'clock in the morning that they might go to a lecture in the afternoon. I asked the priviledge of publishing this fact for the benefit of American girls rather ashamed of the knowledge of house cleaning, or indifferent to the want of knowledge. She freely gave me the liberty, and I like to make it known.

I make no apology for going against Mrs. Kendall's wishes. Having decifered all but one word, I remain puzzled as to her purpose. There seems to be nothing too personal to share. Before reading the crossedoff section, I had expected it to contain complaints about having to do housework, complaints that would have been unacceptable in Mrs. Kendall's time. Did she instead think that her sister would not have encouraged the knowledge of housecleaning?

Among Maria's writings we find conflicting attitudes about housework. There is a journal entry dated Feb. 15,1853, quoted by Mrs. Kendall, which complains bitterly that girls must learn "all kinds of any woman's work, and the consequence is that life is passed in learning these only, while the universe of truth beyond remains unentered."6 In journal entries for Oct. 21-23,1854, however, also quoted by her sister, she wrote with pride about the efficiency with which she had performed household chores in addition to her work at the Atheneum and some laborious astronomical computations that were occupying her attention. She expressed the opinion that servant girls had an easy time.7

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I conclude that the story about the big wash was, like the sentence about the uncle, simply a mistake, at least in its implication that it was a usual occurrence for the Mitchell girls to do the washing. The daughters may have done more than just lend an occasional hand - Julia Ward Howe quotes Maria Mitchell as having described her childhood as "an endless washing of dishes"8 - but the family usually had the help of a servant.

Another puzzle connected with this page of the letter is a notation, "see page 13," in the top margin, in what seems to be Graceanna Lewis' handwriting. But the letter ends in the middle of page 12. No page 13 is to be found in the scrapbook.

Fortunately the rest of the letter is intact:

This reminds me of an occasion when my dear friend, Prof. Rachael L. Bodley and myself met at the Academy of Nat. Sci. Philadelphia to attend a meeting together. I remembered afterward that our conversation before the meeting was not upon any scientific subject, but that we were both congratulating ourselves that we had excellent mothers who taught us to be good housekeepers. Maria Mitchell, like all the distinguished women I have known, was eminently practical, as well as profound, and truly womanly in every fibre of her being.

Prof. Mitchell took me into the observatory and spoke of the necessity of making her observations without artificial warmth from the danger of the expansion of the instruments which might cause inaccuracy. If I remember rightly her telescope was uncovered,- open to the sky and she wished very much for improvements which would lessen her exposure to the cold. She remarked that she was sometimes afraid of paralysis from exposure alone. Whether she ever succeeded in getting the improvements she desired I do not know, but I presume that from her remarkable influence at the college, and the wealth of the institution that she did. At that period it seemed to require great physical courage to endure both the cold of winter, and the loss of sleep which her profession demanded, but she looked like a remarkably vigorous, cheerful and healthful woman bodily and spiritually.

Her furniture was plain and simple and there was a frank sincerity corresponding therewith which make

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HISTORIC NANTUCKET me believe she chose to have it so. It looked natural for her. I think I should have been disappointed had I found her rooms fitted up with undue elegance. She was strong and looked as though made to wear herself, yet I was drawn irresistibly to her as one of the most motherly of women. I truly and deeply loved her. At another time she took me into the rooms her father used to occupy. It seemed to be a great comfort to her that she could have had him with her, and to have ministered to him before his departure. She was feeling the loneliness of this loss, and from what she said, I could not help feeling that she had been equally good as a daughter and as an astronomer. The plain rooms, I could well understand, were hallowed to her because of his former presence.

William ended his days living with his daughter in the Observatory apartments at Vassar, where he enjoyed his role as a sort of honorary grandfather to the young women students. The daughter had also cared for her ill mother, giving up her work at the Atheneum when the mother required her constant presence. At the tea which I mentioned previously she was assisted by two of her young lady pupils, and there seemed to be a delightful spirit of comradeship between them. One of the young ladies had dressed a salad with small green cucumber pickles, and red cherries in a tasteful pattern. A plate of oranges served for dessert, and she herself toasted brown bread over the coals of the stove which warmed the room. It was one of the most informal and delightful teas which I can remember, and you can understand how much I appreciated it from the fact that she usually took her meals at the college, but this was a special occasion. Prof. Raymond came in after tea and we had a very pleasant evening. It was easy to perceive the deference paid to Prof. Mitchell by Prof. Raymond and the other officers of the college. When I left Vassar for Boston she sent a most kind and encouraging letter of introduction to ladies whom she thought I ought to know, including Julia Ward Howe, Mrs. Livermore9 and their associates. I already knew and loved Lucy Stone and this letter from Maria Mitchell placed me at once in communication with the very best of Boston women.

REMINISCENCE OF MARIA MITCHELL 27

I next met Maria Mitchell as President of the "Association for the Advancement of Women" at the fourth meeting of that association in Philadelphia in 1876. She had previously asked me to prepare a paper on Science, and I took for my subject "The Development of the Animal Kingdom." She had this paper published in pamphlet form, and circulated widely amongst naturalists. She wrote me she was thankful to have anything so solid to mark the Congress of which she was president. Many years of advance make a wide difference in opinion and I would not write as I did then, but I do not know that I could improve on the underlying principles of development as set forth in that paper. At a later date, Prof. Mitchell wrote asking whether or not I would be willing to present myself as a candidate to the vacant chair of Natural History, knowing that I would not be elected. She said there was not the shadow of a chance for election, since no woman would be chosen for the most remunerative position in the college, to know how well one woman was prepared for it. I did make the application backed by any amount of first class testimonials. President Raymond wrote me a very handsome letter, saying the choice had narrowed down to three of which I was one. It ended, of course, as Prof. Mitchell knew it would, but it showed her constant watchfulness to aid the cause of woman, (although it was a sacrifice to me).

Graceanna Lewis' biographer, Deborah Warner, believes that the Vassar decision was not entirely sexist. The authorities may have been looking for strength in geology rather than in zoology and botany.10

Later she wrote to ask my age, saying that she believed that she and I were the two oldest educators amongst the women of the U.S. I sent her my age (born in 1821). She was a few years older - some two or three I think.11 Since then I do not recall any further correspondence with her. I have always felt a warm interest in her as a woman of commanding breadth and nobility of character, independent of her great reputation as an astronomer. There has been no special call for communication between us, and I would not intrude on her studies unless there were, and unless she herself sought it. The good sense of ordinary persons ought to prevent them from using up the time and strength of the extraordinary, but I was always deeply gratified for her kind interest in me, and my work, and I think I must have

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made her feel this as fully as I intended. At least I hope so. May she know it now!

I suppose I need not inform thee that she was a relative of Lucretia Mott, and that many of her characteristics reminded me of that sweet, beautiful, brave and noble example of womankind. I should rather judge that Maria Mitchell was less harmoniously balanced, just as she was less beautiful in feature than her cousin, but for all that, she was strong grand and impressive as a woman, and she would have wielded an immense influence in any station in life. As an astronomer, and an educator at Vassar, it is simply impossible to estimate the power she possessed of building up character; or the difference she had made in the elevation of the lives of the women educated at the college*. I always felt that she was the center around which the rest revolved. What Vassar would be without her I can scarcely imagine.

Very truly thy cousin, Graceanna Lewis

* Maria Mitchell remarked that the earnestness of the Vassar girls almost frightened her.

We do not know why Joseph Swain had inquired about Maria Mitchell. His letter of inquiry to his cousin12 is not included among the extensive Graceanna Lewis papers at the Friends' Historical Library at Swarthmore College. Neither do we know how the answer that he received came to the Maria Mitchell Library. The Joseph Swain papers themselves are also housed at Swarthmore, the college of which Joseph was to become president in 1902. There was at one time the possibility of a connection between that college and Maria Mitchell. In 1872-1874 there was an exchange of letters among Mitchell and the presidents of Vassar and Swarthmore concerning the possibility that Mitchell might become a Visiting Professor at Swarthmore while retaining her position at Vassar.13 The president of Vassar vetoed the idea, pointing out that his college had acquired "with a great sum" not only her "valuable services" but also "the prestige of her name." Whatever the reason for Joseph Swain's interest, we owe him our gratitude. It is because of his interest that we have this informative view of Maria Mitchell through the eyes of a contemporary woman scientist.

It is a pleasure to thank Dr. Jane Stroup at the Maria Mitchell Library for access to the Memorabilia. To Barbara Welther I am indebted for her identification of Phebe Kendall's handwriting in the marginal note, and for showing me the possibilities of high magnification. I am grateful

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also to the Friends Historical Library at Swarthmore College for genealogies of Graceanna Lewis and Joseph Swain, and for the search, albeit negative, for the request from Joseph Swain which prompted this informative letter.

NOTES

1. Maria Mitchell Memorabilia Item 2, p. 323. A very few obvious slips of the pen have been corrected.

2. Margaret W. Rossiter, Women Scientists in America: Struggles and Strategies to 1940 (Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins University Press, 1982), p. 27. 3. Phebe Mitchell Kendall, compiler. Maria Mitchell: Life, Letters, and Journals (Boston: Lee and Shepard, 1896). Now published by Ayer Publishing Co., Salem, N.H. 4. Helen Wright. Sweeper in the Sky (New York: Macmillan, 1950), p. 241. The present publisher is the Nantucket Maria Mitchell Association. 5. ibid. p. 27. 6. Kendall, op. cit. p. 25. 7. ibid. p. 16. 8. Julia Ward Howe, "Maria Mitchell" in Our Famous Women. (Hartford: A.D. Worthington, 1884), p. 441. 9. Mary A. Livermore preceded Maria Mitchell as president of the American Association for the Advancement of Women.

10. Deborah Warner, Graceanna Lewis: Scientist and Humanitarian (City of Washington: Smithsonian Institution Press, 1979), p. 59. 11. Maria Mitchell's dates are Aug. 1, 1818 - June 28, 1889. 12. The relationship of Graceanna Lewis, 1821-1921, to Joseph Swain, 1857-1927, is that her father and his maternal grandmother were brother and sister. 13. Dorothy J. Keller, "Maria Mitchell, An Early Woman Academician," Doctoral dissertation, University of Rochester, 1974. Also, letter from Edw. H. Magill to Maria Mitchell, 12 Mo. 4,1872, Item 68, Maria Mitchell Memorabilia".