The North Star (Rochester)/1847/12/03/Deshong, the Mathematician
Deshong, the Mathematician.
The following letter from this famous "cypherer" has been sent to the papers:
Perhaps you have noticed in some of the New York papers, a statement concerning "the remarkable powers of a mathematician" in that city, who adds, subtracts, multiplies, divides, and performs all other mathematical operations with a rapidity that seems almost miraculous. As I am that person, I will endeavor to give you a correct statement of the facts;
First, let a column of figures, 5000 in length, and 10 or 2O in breadth, be set before me, and in less than five seconds of time, I will give the sum total, always commencing on the left hand side to place the answers down. It matters not what length the column is, or what breadth, I will give the sumtotal as fast as the figures can he written down.
Second, let a sum be written in multiplication, with 1000 figures in the multiplier, and as many in the multiplicand, and I will commence on the left hand, and write the product underneath, and in one line, as fast as the figures can be written down.
Third, let a sum be written in division, with any large amount for a divisor, and I commence writing down the remainder first, then the quotient. Interest at any per cent, can also be performed in the same manner, without any extra figures. Fractions of every denomination, can be summed up instantly, without reducing them to a common denominator.
These rules can he learned in one half hour, by any person having the printed instructions. Any person wishing these rules, will enclose ten dollars through the New York post-office.—Please forward me one paper which contains this, and on the receipt thereof, I will forward you a full set of these rules, gratis, by which you can become as expert in figures, as I am.
Your obedient servant,
PETER M. DESHONG,
P. S. Editors copying the above, and forwarding to Mr. Deshong the paper which contains it, will be furnished with a full set of rules.