Alexis Caswell

Alexis Seaver Caswell (January 29, 1799 – January 8, 1877) was an American Baptist minister, mathematician, astronomer, natural philosopher, and professor at Brown University. He was, from 1868 to 1872, president of Brown University and, in 1857, president of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). In 1875 he was elected a Fellow of the AAAS.

Quotes

There are in astronomy refinements of method, both practical and theoretical, which can be appreciated only by rare gifts and profound study. But the elementary methods are quite within the reach of ordinary minds. The law, which it was difficult to discover, may be very easily understood and its results readily traced. It might require a Newton or a La Place to unveil the mechanism of the heavens, but when that is once done every beholder may watch the wonderful evolutions.
- Lectures on Astronomy. 1860. pp. 85–137. (quote from p. 85; from Four Lectures on Astronomy, delivered in 1858 at the Smithsonian Institution)

The scientist, no less than the severest utilitarian, rejoices in every contribution of science to the arts, but he does not admit that the whole value of science is to be measured by any present applications. He puts in a demurrer to the conclusion that those portions of it are useless of which we do not see the utility. The use may be beyond our present sphere of vision, or, if coming within our cognizance, it may not admit of comparison with any standard of measure. Unlike the precious gem, which has an exchangeable but no intrinsic value, science bears no price in the market. It transcends all ideas of comparison and exchange. Its high utility lies in the breadth and dignity and sublime grandeur which it gives to the human mind.
- Address Before the American Association for the Advancement of Science (address delivered in August 1859 by Professor Alexis Caswell, on retiring from the duties of president of the AAAS). 1859. p. 8.

Dr. Caswell’s predilection was for meteorology and astronomy. During the period of twenty-eight and a half years (from December, 1831, to May, 1860) he made, with few interruptions, a regular series of meteorological observations at the same spot on College Hill, in Providence. These observations, precise as regards temperature and pressure, and including also much information on winds, clouds, moisture, rain, storms, the aurora, &c, have been published in detail in Vol. XII of the "Smithsonian Contributions to Knowledge," and fill 179 quarto pages. Dr. Caswell continued his observations in meteorology with unabated zeal to the end of 1876, covering, in all, the long period of forty-five years.
- Joseph Lovering, Biographical Memoir of Alexis Caswell, 1799-1877. vol. VI. Washington, D.C: National Academy of Sciences. 1909. pp. 365–372. (quote from p. 368; reprinted from ‘’Proceedings of the Academy of Arts and Sciences’’, Philadelphia, 1877, vol. XII, 307–313; pdf from biographicalmemoirs.org)