ARILD STUBHAUG. Niels Henrik Abel and his Times

Transcription

1 ARILD STUBHAUG Niels Henrik Abel and his Times

2 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg GmbH

3 Arild Stubhaug NIELS HENRIK ABEL and his Times Called Too Soon by Flames Afar Translated from the Norwegian by Richard H. Daly With 51 Figures, 13in Colour Springer

4 ARILD STUBHAUG Grimsrudveien Hyggen, Norway Translator: RICHARD H. DALY Sternsrudlia Oslo, Norway Original publication (in Norwegian): Et foranskutt lyn: Niels Henrik Abel og hans tid, second edition H. Aschehoug & Co. (W. Nygaard), Oslo Publisher's note: Springer-Verlag thanks Elisabet Middelthon of MUNIN, Oslo, for the excellent collaboration and financial support for the translation, which made the publication of this book possible. Thanks go also to Cathrine Janicke, Asta Brenna and Harald Engelstad of H. Aschehoug & Co., Oslo. The background illustration on the endpapers shows a part of the wallpaper pattern from Abel's death room at Froland (modified after a photo by Dannevig, Arendal). Moreover, the aforementioned photo is completely reproduced and printed as a color figure (Fig. 51) on p. 568 with a more detailed description. ISBN I0-6 ISBN (ebook) DOI / Cataloging-in-Publication Data applied for. Die Deutsche Bibliothek - CIP-Einheitsaufnahme Stubhaug, Arild: Niels Henrik Abel and his times: called too soon by flames afar / Arild Stubhaug. Trans\. by R. Daly. - Berlin; Heidelberg; New York; Barcelon a; Hongkong; London; Mailand ; Paris; Singapur; Tokio: Springer, 2000 This work is subject to copyright. All rights are reserved, whether the whole or part of the material is concerned, specifically the rights of translation, reprinting, reuse of illustration s, recitation, broadcasting, reproduction on microfilms or in any other way, and storage in data banks. Duplication of this publication or parts thereof is perm itted only unde r the provisions of the German Copyright Law of September 9, 1965, in its current version, and perm ission for use must always be obtained from Springer-Verlag. Violations are liable for pros ecution under the Germ an Copyright Law. Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2000 Originally published by Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg New York in Softcover reprint ofthe hardcover Ist edition 2000 The use of general descriptive name s, registered names, trademarks, etc. in this publication does not imply, even in the absence of a specific statement, that such names are exempt from the relevant protective laws and regulations and therefore free for general use. Cover Design: Erich Kirchner, Heidelberg. Germany Production: PRO EDIT GmbH, D-69126Heidelberg, Germany Printed on acid-free paper SPIN: /3143Re

5 Contents PART I Introduction A Short Life PART II Family Background The Abel Family Tree Father's Period of Schooling and Study in Denmark Vicar and Curate Abel and the Simonsen Family in Riser PART III Childhood at Gjerstad 6. Priest at Pinney, Church Affairs in the Kristiansand Diocese Niels Henrik's First Years Childhood Learning, Childhood Faith Everyday Life in the Shadow of War Ground Swells from Offshore New Sounds in City and Hamlet Home and Abroad, Crises and Turning Points S. G. Abel Steps into Politics The Times During Which Niels Henrik Grew Up Niels Henrik Leaves Home

6 VI Contents PART IV Disciple in Christiania, Meeting A New Era School Life, Money Worries, and the Joys of the Theatre Everyday Life in Christiania. S. G. Abel Enters the Public Spotlight Confirmation and Direction in Life The Fateful Year, Christiania, Fall, Into Mathematical History School Days and Many More Stories To the Examen artium and Further Studies Student and Homeless PART V Student Life, Free Room and Board at "Regentsen" Examen Philosophicum: The Course ofstudies and the Teachers Student Life and Circle of Friends Spring and Early Summer, Summer, Autumn, Winter, Spring Copenhagen - Travel, Summer, The Quintic Equation and Future Plans Betrothal and Preparations PART VI Europe-Travel Through Copenhagen and Hamburg to Berlin Berlin, October 1825 to March Via Leipzig to Freiberg Through Dresden to Prague To Vienna From Vienna to Graz and Trieste Onward to Venice, via Bologna to Bolzano In the Dolomites, over to Innsbruck and on to Mount Rigi Paris, July roth to December zoth, The Homeward Journey via Berlin and Copenhagen

7 Contents VII PART VII The Last Year in Norway 44. Back Home Christiania, Autumn, From January to July, The Final Summer The Final Round, Autumn, PART VIII 49. Deathbed ApPENDIX 1. Chronology Commentaries and Supplementary Readings. 3. Chronological Bibliography of Abel's Published Works. 4. Annotated Bibliography INDEX OF NAMES 569

8 List ofillustrations Figure 1 Figure 2 Figure 3 Figure 4 Figure 5 a.b Figure 6 a.b Figure 7 Figure 8 Figure 9 Figure 10 a.b Figure 11 Figure 12 Figure 13 Figure 14 a-d Figure 15 a-d Figure 16 Figure 17 Figure 18 Figure 19 a.b Figure 20 Figure 21 Figure 22 Figure 23 Figure 24 a-c Figure 25 a-d Figure 26 Niels Henrik Abel sculpture by Gustav Leerum Riser, Gjerstad vicarage, drawn by P. M. Tuxen. Gjerstad church, drawn by John Aas. Portraits of Hans Mathias Abel and Elisabeth Knuth Abel Seren Georg Abel's teaching book and silhouettes. Map of southern Norway in the 1820S. Christiania at Bjervika. Corner of Dronningensgate and Tollbodgaten.. Cathedral School auditorium used by Parliament and silhouette of Seren Georg Abel Keilhau's watercolour of Iotunheimen mountains Old taproom on Maridalsveien. Map of Christiania and district, by C. B. Roosen, Portraits of Holmboe, Keilhau, Maschmann and M011er Portraits of Boeck, Hansteen, Rasmussen and Treschow Market days in Christiania Drammensveien near the Arbiens estate, 1820S. Professor Michael Skjelderup's estate on Nedre Skillebeek, University Mariboe Building, the lemniscate, and Abel's elliptical integral calculations Page from Abel's workbooks. Portrait of Charite Borch. Gendarmenmarkt, Berlin, Dresden's Bruhl's Terrace, by J. C. Dahl Portraits of August Leopold Crelle, Nils Otto Tank and Jacob Steiner. Portraits ofc. F. Degen, J. J. von Littrow, C. F. Gauss, and H. C. Schumacher... The "Neue Aula" in Vienna

9 x List ofillustrations Figure 27 L'Ecole Polytechnique in Paris.... Figure 28 a-c Portraits of Iohan Gerbitz, Alexis Bouvard and J. N-P. Hachette 362 Figure 29 a-d Portraits of A. 1. Cauchy, F.-V. Raspail, G. P. 1. Dirichlet and E. Galois Figure 30 University of Berlin, Figure 31 "Blick vom Kreuzberg auf Berlin" Figure 32 The view from Mount Rigi, Figure 33 Map of Europe, Figure 34 View of Paris, by Seyfert, Figure 35 Arendal, sketched in Figure 36 Christiania as seen from Ekeberg, Figure 37 Portrait of Christine Kemp, Figure 38 Gerbitz' portrait of Abel, painted in Figure 39 Froland Ironworks, Figure 40 Rose from the wallpaper in the "buck room", at the family home of Sivert Smith, Froland Ironworks Figure 41 Bust of Abel by Brynjulf Bergslien Figure 42a,b The Vigeland monument to Abel, and an Abel portrait by Nils Gude after the Gerbitz original Figure 43 Page from Abel's Paris notebooks, showing the lemniscate. Figure 44 Partial page from Abel's Paris notebooks Figure 45 Engraving of Dokken, Christianshavn, Denmark. Figure 46a/c The spiral with which Abel concluded his works, Abel's seal with the profile ofathena, and "NHA 1810" scratched on a window at Gjerstad Figure 47 Title page of Abel's Collected Works, Volume I.. Figure 48a,b Abel's gravestone, and the memorial obelisk at Froland Works, dating from Figure 49 a-c Bas-reliefAbel profile, I. Vik's winning model for the Abel memorial sculpture, 1902, and the Brynjulf Bergslien bust at Gjerstad Parish Figure 50 a-c Abel on Norway's 500 kroner banknote ( ), Abel postage stamp, and Rue Abel, Paris.... Figure 51 Wallpaper from Abel's death room at Froland