nt to Germany,
then the only country in which astronomy was pursued in its most
advanced form, studied under Gauss and Argelander, and took his
degree at Goettingen in 1848. Soon after his return he founded the
"Astronomical Journal," and also took a position as Chief of the
Longitude Department in the Coast Survey.

The great misfortune of his life, and temporarily at least, a severe
blow to American astronomy, were associated with his directorship of
the Dudley Observatory at Albany. This institution was founded by
the munificence of a wealthy widow of Albany. The men to whom she
intrusted the administration of her gift were among the most prominent
and highly respected citizens of the place. The trustees went wisely
to work. They began by forming an advisory scientific council,
consisting of Bache, Henry, and Peirce. Under the direction of this
council the observatory was built and equipped with instruments.
When ready for active work in 1857, Gould moved thither and took
personal charge. Very soon rumors of dissension were heard.
The affair gradually grew into a contest between the director and
the trustees, exceeding in bitterness any I have ever known in the
world of learning or even of politics. It doubtless had its origin
in very small beginnings. The policy of the director recognized no
end but scientific efficiency. The trustees, as the responsible
administrators of the trust, felt that they had certain rights in
the matter, especially that of introducing visitors to inspect the
institution and look through the telescope. How fatal the granting
of such courtesies is to continuous work with an instrument only
astronomers know; and one of the most embarrassing difficulties the
director of such an institution meets with is to effect a prudent
compromise between the scientific efficiency of his institution and
the wishes of the public. But Gould knew no such word as compromise.
It was humiliating to one in the position of a trustee to send some
visitor with a permit to see the observatory, and have the visitor
return with the report that he had not been received with the most
distinguished courtesy, and, perhaps, had not seen the director at
all, but had only been informed by an assistant of the rules of the
place and the impossibility of securing admission.

This spark was enough to kindle a fire. When the fire gathered
strength, the director, instead of yielding, called on the scientific
council