Everyday Life

McCormmach, Russell

doi:10.1007/978-3-319-02438-7_3

Russell McCormmach¹

Part of the book series: Archimedes ((ARIM,volume 36))

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Abstract

Wilson and other writers about Cavendish deal principally with his scientific work, and given his “eventless” life, this is entirely understandable. What they have to say about his “character” is drawn from his undeviating attention to scientific problems and from accounts of his everyday activities by his contemporaries. They find his behaviors strange; the consensus is that he was no ordinary man. In this chapter, reports of his behaviors are grouped under headings: appearance; speech and silence; feelings; strangers, shyness, and solitude; women, regularity and routine; house and servants; wealth, religion, and death. A typical report is: “My eye caught that of Cavendish, and he instantly became silent: he did not say a word.”

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Notes

1.
Manuel, Newton, 2.
2.
Playfair, quoted in Wilson, Cavendish, 165.
3.
J.-B. Biot, “Cavendish (Henri),” Biographie Universelle, vol. 7 (Paris, 1813), 272–73, on 273.
4.
Young, “Cavendish,” 444.
5.
Wilson, Cavendish, 188.
6.
“Extracts from Valuations of Furniture &c.,” Devonshire Collections, Chatsworth.
7.
W. H. Pepys, quoted in Wilson, Cavendish, 168. Brougham, Lives 1: 259. Anon., “Wig,” http://www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wig. Anon., “Colonial Wigs,” http://www.stitchnsave.com/wigs/Colonial_Wigs.asp.
8.
Biot, “Cavendish,” 273.
9.
Anon., “Tricorne,” http://www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tricorne. Anon., “1750–1795 in Fashion,” http://www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1750. The hatter’s bill for hats for the servants at Cavendish’s townhouse on Bedford Square in one year listed four silver laced livery cocked hats and one extra fine beaver hat. 29 February, 29 June, 1 August, 22 September, 14 December, 1809, “Bedford Square. James Fuller’s Account with the Exec. of Hen: Cavendish Esq. Balance 37.6.4. Settled 30 August 1810,” Devonshire Collections, Chatsworth.
10.
Anon., “1795–1820 in Fashion,” http://www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1795. Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, “A Colonial Gentleman’s Clothing: A Glossary of Terms,” http://www.history.org/history/clothing/men/mglossary.cfm.
11.
John Davy, quoted in Wilson, Cavendish, 168.
12.
Brougham, Lives 1: 259.
13.
A chemist, quoted in Wilson, Cavendish, 168.
14.
Thomson, History of Chemistry 1: 339.
15.
John Playfair, The Works of John Playfair, ed. J. G. Playfair, 4 vols. (Edinburgh, 1822) 1: appendix, lxxxiv.
16.
John Davy, quoted in Wilson, Cavendish, 168.
17.
Thomson, History of Chemistry 1: 339.
18.
Young, “Cavendish,” 444.
19.
Brougham, Lives 1: 258. Barrow, Royal Society, 144.
20.
Pepys, quoted in Wilson, Cavendish, 168. Brougham, Lives 1: 258. Barrow, Royal Society, 144. Thomson, History of Chemistry 1: 339. Barrow, Royal Society, 144. Playfair, Works 1: appendix, lxxxiv.
21.
Barrow, Royal Society, 144–45.
22.
Brougham, Lives 1: 258.
23.
A fellow of the Royal Society, quoted in Wilson, Cavendish, 182.
24.
Bickley, Cavendish Family, 198–99.
25.
Henry Holland, quoted in Gwendy Caroe, The Royal Institution: An Informal History (London: John Murray, 1985), 39.
26.
Brougham, Lives 1: 258–59.
27.
Children, quoted in Wilson, Cavendish, 169.
28.
A chemist, quoted, ibid.
29.
Pepys, quoted, ibid., 168.
30.
Brougham, Lives 1: 259.
31.
Lidbetter suggests that Cavendish had no control over his silences because he was autistic. Elsewhere in his article says that intelligence has great importance for an autistic person’s ability to adapt. “Henry Cavendish,” 786. Cavendish was intelligent, and speech can be adapted. As mentioned before, Cavendish’s colleague John Barrow thought that Cavendish controlled his speech: he attributed Cavendish’s “aversion from conversation” to his self-consciousness about his unpleasant voice. Royal Society, 144–45.
32.
Ibid., 258–59.
33.
Pepys, quoted in Wilson, Cavendish, 174.
34.
Ibid., 175–76.
35.
Banks’s advice to Pepys, quoted in Wilson, Cavendish, 168.
36.
Pepys, quoted in Wilson, Cavendish, 168.
37.
John Davy, quoted in Wilson, Cavendish, 168.
38.
Humphry Davy, quoted in John Davy, Memoirs of the Life of Sir Humphry Davy, Bart., 2 vols. (London, 1836), 222.
39.
Playfair, quoted in Wilson, Cavendish, 165–66.
40.
In our biography of Cavendish, Christa Jungnickel and I wrote that “on the subjects he cared to speak about, Cavendish spoke precisely and sparingly as a point of conscience.” Lidbetter calls this statement “hyperbole.” I do not know what he means. We use the word “conscience,” if that is his point, because of the high value Cavendish placed on truth, accuracy, and simplicity; these values are discussed in our biography, as they are in this book. Persons from Cavendish’s time who wrote about him said in various ways much the same thing about his speech.
41.
Henry Cavendish to John Michell, 27 May 1783, draft; in Jungnickel and McCormmach, Cavendish (1999), 567–69, on 567.
42.
Quote from one of his informants, Wilson, Cavendish, 173.
43.
15 September 1794, Charles Blagden Diary, Royal Society 3: 16(back).
44.
Oxford Universal Dictionary on Historical Principles, 3d ed. (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1955), 31.
45.
Henry Cavendish to Charles Blagden, n.d. [after 16 September 1787], draft; in Jungnickel and McCormmach, Cavendish (1996), 638–39.
46.
Christopher Baldwin to Henry Cavendish, 7 July, 19 September 1785; 8, 22, 27 February, 3 March, Saturday 1786. Henry Cavendish to Christopher Baldwin, six undated draft letters. Thomas Dunn to Henry Cavendish, 6 September 1785; 6 February 1786, Devonshire Collections, Chatsworth, 86/comp. 1. The slip of land was part of a larger piece of land, of roughly one half acre. See Fig. 14.1 showing the slip of land. Soon after the end of the exchange of letters, Baldwin deeded to Cavendish the one half acre of land “abutting or bounding” Balam Lane. On the same day, Baldwin released all claim on the 15 acres he sold to Cavendish, for a consideration of £80. 5 April 1786, Christopher Baldwin to Henry Cavendish, “Lease” for the one half acre. 6 April 1786, Christopher Baldwin to Henry Cavendish, “Release of a Piece of Land on Clapham Common.” 6 April 1786, Christopher Baldwin to Henry Cavendish, “General Release,” for a consideration of £80, of all claims by Baldwin on the fifteen acres he sold to Cavendish. Devonshire Collections, Chatsworth, 38/78.
47.
Henry Cavendish to Christopher Baldwin, n.d., draft, ibid.
48.
Henry Cavendish to Christopher Baldwin, n.d., draft, ibid.
49.
A fellow of the Royal Society, quoted in Wilson, Cavendish, 169.
50.
Charles Blagden to Richard Kirwan, 20 March 1790, draft, Blagden Letters, Royal Society 7: 322.
51.
Henry Cavendish to Joseph Priestley, n.d. [May or June 1784] and 20 December 1784, drafts; in Jungnickel and McCormmach, Cavendish (1999), 594, 598–99.
52.
Charles Blagden to Joseph Banks, 5 April 1784, British Museum (NH), DTC 3: 20–21.
53.
12 March 1804, Charles Blagden Diary 5: 210 (back).
54.
Children, quoted in Wilson, Cavendish, 169.
55.
Pepys, quoted in Wilson, Cavendish, 168.
56.
Thomson, History of Chemistry 1: 337.
57.
Family obituary of Henry Cavendish.
58.
Brougham, Lives 1: 258.
59.
Barrow, Royal Society, 144.
60.
Thomson, History of Chemistry 1: 337.
61.
Dr. Sylvester, quoted in Wilson, Cavendish, 170.
62.
Thomson, History of Chemistry 1: 337–38.
63.
Wilson, Cavendish, 171.
64.
Young, “Cavendish,” 445.
65.
Lord George [Augustus Henry] Cavendish to Charles Blagden, 8, 9, and 10 March 1810. Charles Blagden to Lord George Cavendish, [8 March 1810], draft, Blagden Letters, Royal Society, C.17 and C.19. Blagden wrote a draft of the word change on the bottom of Lord George’s letter to him on 10 March.
66.
It is a fine distinction. Both Young and Thomson used Blagden’s first choice of word, and they may have borrowed from it, referring to Cavendish’s “retired habits of life” and “whose habits were so retired.” Young, “Cavendish,” 444. Thomson, History of Chemistry 1: 338.
67.
Young, “Cavendish,” 445.
68.
Thomson, History of Chemistry 1: 337.
69.
Chemist, quoted in Wilson, Cavendish, 169.
70.
Charles Blagden to Thomas Beddoes, 12 March 1788, draft, Blagden Letters, Royal Society 7: 129.
71.
Barrow, Royal Society, 144. Dr. Sylvester, quoted in Wilson, Cavendish, 170.
72.
Wilson, Cavendish, 165, 173.
73.
Family obituary of Henry Cavendish.
74.
Barrow, Royal Society, 145.
75.
A fellow of the Royal Society, quoted in Wilson, Cavendish, 170. John Timbs regarded this anecdote as apocryphal, though he used it all the same. It well may be apocryphal, but we have no way of knowing, and it is consistent with less colorful reports of Cavendish’s aversion to women. English Eccentrics and Eccentricities, 2 vols. (London, 1866) 1: 143.
76.
Mrs. Herbert, quoted in Wilson, Cavendish, 178.
77.
“Wages Due to the Servants at Clapham and in Bedford Square,” 5 April 1810, Devonshire Collections, Chatsworth.
78.
“Cav. civil then to L^y A[---]sts.” 25 May 1794, Charles Blagden Diary, Royal Society, 3: 2(back).
79.
Charles Blagden to John Blagden Hale, 13 November 1789, draft, Blagden Papers, Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Yale University, box 5, folder 49. Hereafter Yale.
80.
Joseph Banks to Charles Blagden, 27 March 1790; Charles Blagden to Joseph Banks, 8 April 1790, British Library, Add Mss 33272, pp. 74, 81.
81.
1 September 1794, Charles Blagden Diary, Royal Society 3: 14. Charles Blagden, “The Diary of Sir Charles Blagden,” ed. G. De Beer, Notes and Records of the Royal Society of London 8 (1950): 65–89, on 76, 80, 83. Georgiana, duchess of Devonshire to Charles Blagden, 4 March 1794, Blagden Letters, Royal Society, D.61.
82.
A Fellow of the Royal Society, quoted in Wilson, Cavendish, 164. Like other anecdotes about Cavendish, this one may need to be qualified. From butcher and fishmonger bills at the end of his life, we find that although leg of mutton looks to be the most common meat course, his housekeeper also ordered beef, loin pork, cod, and oysters. Perhaps the variety was only for the servants, but we cannot know. “Vouchers to Mrs Stewarts household,” at Clapham Common, Devonshire Collections, Chatsworth, box 31.
83.
Dr. Sylvester, quoted in Wilson, Cavendish, 170.
84.
A chemist, quoted in Wilson, Cavendish, 169.
85.
Young, “Cavendish,” 445.
86.
Thomson, History of Chemistry 1: 338.
87.
Pepys, quoted in Wilson, Cavendish, 174.
88.
Henry Cavendish to John Dalrymple, n.d., draft, Devonshire Collections, Chatsworth, L/34/64.
89.
Charles Blagden to “My Lord” [George Augustus Henry Cavendish], n.d., draft, Blagden Collection, Royal Society, Miscellaneous matter – Unclassified.
90.
Newman, quoted in Wilson, Cavendish, 164.
91.
Wilson, Cavendish, 164.
92.
Barrow, Royal Society, 150, 154.
93.
“Account of the Number of Persons Residing in the Parish of Clapham … Dtd 18 Feb. 1788,” Greater London Record Office, P 95/TRI 1/72. “Wages Due to the Servants at Clapham and in Bedford Square,” 1810, Devonshire Collections, Chatsworth.
94.
Wilson, Cavendish, 175.
95.
Ibid., 169–70.
96.
Brougham, Lives, 258–59.
97.
Thomson, History of Chemistry 1: 337.
98.
Henry Cavendish to William Gould, 30 December, draft, Devonshire Collections, Chatsworth, L/34/7.
99.
Family obituary of Henry Cavendish.
100.
Cuvier, “Cavendish,” 229.
101.
Wilson, Cavendish, 160.
102.
Biot, “Cavendish,” 273.
103.
Barrow, Royal Society, 146–47. The ownership of Holker Hall is discussed in Chap. 15.
104.
1 March 1810, Charles Blagden Diary, Royal Society 5: 428(back).
105.
Ibid., 237.
106.
Family obituary of Henry Cavendish.
107.
Dr. Sylvester, quoted in Wilson, Cavendish, 189. Probably this was Cavendish’s usual practice, but if so he frequently gave the same amount. The porter’s account for 1806 lists charity donations: Magdalen £5.5.0. African Association £5.5.0. Asylum £5.5.0. St. George’s Hospital £5.5.0. Society of harts (sic) £2.2.0. The porter’s account for 1807 adds St. Giles Charity School £2.2.0, insolvent debtors £1.1.0. “Bedford Square. James Fuller’s Account with the Exec. of Hen: Cavendish Esq. Balance 37.6.4. Settled 30 August 1810.”
108.
Lord Burlington, quoted in Wilson, Cavendish, 181.
109.
Pepys, quoted in Wilson, Cavendish, 174.
110.
Wilson, Cavendish, 174.
111.
Young, “Cavendish,” 446.
112.
3 and 4 March 1810, Charles Blagden Diary, Royal Society 5: 429, 429(back), 430.
113.
Charles Blagden to Lady Palmerston, 7 November 1804, draft, Blagden Letters, Yale.
114.
Benjamin Vaughan to Henry Cavendish, 21 December 1799 [enclosed in a letter from his brother William]; Henry Cavendish to William Vaughan, draft, [after 27 October 1803]; in Jungnickel and McCormmach, Cavendish (1999), 721–23, 729.
115.
He left legacies to Blagden, £15,000; to another colleague, by then deceased, Alexander Dalrymple. £5,000; and to his one-time physician, also deceased, John Hunter,£5,000. Servants received £I,000. The remainder of his personal property was in the form of annuities, stocks, cash, and mortgages, excluding securities held in trust, totaling £892,254. This was the actual value at the time of Cavendish’s death, not the face value, which was considerably higher. Less 4 % legacy duty and various expenses, it together with his real property was left to various members of the Cavendish family. “The Personal Property of the Late Hon. Henry Cavendish 24 Feb. 1810,” Devonshire Collections, Chatsworth, 114/74.
116.
Biot, “Cavendish,” 273. Wilson, Cavendish, 180–81. Privately, Newton held a Unitarian view.
117.
From Lord Burlington, in Wilson, Cavendish, 181.
118.
Wilson, Cavendish, 182.
119.
From Mr. Allnutt, in Wilson, Cavendish, 181.
120.
A fellow of the Royal Society, quoted in Wilson, Cavendish, 181–82.
121.
19 February 1807, Charles Blagden Diary, Royal Society 5: 39.
122.
Wilson, Cavendish, 182, 185.
123.
Henry Cavendish, “Luctus,” in Cambridge University, Academiae Cantabrigiensis Luctus in Obitum Frederici celsissimi Walliae Principis (Cambridge, 1751).
124.
Young, “Cavendish,” 444.
125.
Humphry Davy lecture in 1810, in John Davy, Memoirs 1: 222.
126.
Cuvier, “Cavendish,” 237.
127.
Cavendish, “Luctus.”
128.
25 February 1810, Charles Blagden Diary, Royal Society 5: 426 (back), 427. Young, “Cavendish,” 445–46. Wilson, Cavendish, 182–84. In Cavendish’s time, it was thought that a person’s behavior and words at the approach of death were revealing. We find similarities in the accounts of persons’ deaths. Peter Woulfe, an accomplished chemist and member of the Royal Society, in his last hours, told his servant to leave him and shut the door. The servant returned at midnight to find him still alive. The servant came again in the morning and found him dead, in the same seat, bearing a calm and serene countenance. Timbs, English Eccentrics, 137.
129.
Lord Bessborough to Charles Blagden, 7 March 1810, Blagden Letters, Royal Society, B.149. “Mr. Swift’s Bill for Expenses Attg the Funeral of Hen: Cavendish Esq.,” 29 August 1810, Devonshire Collections, Chatsworth, L/114/74.

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McCormmach, R. (2014). Everyday Life. In: The Personality of Henry Cavendish - A Great Scientist with Extraordinary Peculiarities. Archimedes, vol 36. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-02438-7_3

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