Boltsani Joseph Antonovich

Born in Berlin, 18 (6) September 1818, died in Kazan, 24 (12) February 1876) - Professor of physics at Kazan University. His father was an Italian, who settled in Berlin, where he started a confectionery; it was intended his son Joseph, Fortunata to trading activity and a very early age gave him a trading office in the service. It was soon discovered the ability to quickly learn languages, moving from one house to another trade, . Joseph Boltsani, . reaching the age of 20, . able to speak French, . German, . English and Italian, he later learned the Russian language and, . and who owned almost like Russian,
. Trading house Datsiaro sent him to Russia, where he attributed to the Nizhny Novgorod petty-bourgeois society and traded in various cities along the Volga notes and pictures. Young Boltsani without head learned arithmetic, but he did not know math is nothing more, when he turned 23 years. One former professor at the University of Kazan, then a young, п?.пє. Popov caught Boltsani reading course mechanics Poisson, which, however, he could not quite understand because he did not know the other parts of mathematics except arithmetic, elementary algebra, and, perhaps, the geometry. Popov interested in the famous mathematician, Professor NI. Lobachevsky, a story about a young clerk, in which there were clear makings of mathematical talent. Lobachevsky visited Boltsani and, convinced that Popov was not mistaken, he decided to help in every way Boltsani to reach its present path. In late 1842, Mr.. Boltsani was identified in the first warden of Kazan Gymnasium, . and less than 2 years he has successfully tested on gymnasium course, . and after that, and on a university degree candidate of mathematical sciences; for approval in the first degree required the usual thesis, . which was presented to young Boltsani in faculty and approved by the last,
. Thesis title: "On the integration of linear differential equations" shows about any items at the time the clerk was able to write a recent picture and music-shop. In late 1844, before the approval Boltsani in the degree of the candidate, he enrolled as a mathematics teacher in Rodionovskaya Institute, and in 1846, Mr.. teacher of mathematics and physics in the IV-S Kazan Gymnasium. Then place a relatively long period of time before held in 1852,. his examination of master's degree, and in 1853, Mr.. He defended his thesis entitled: "Mathematical studies on the distribution of galvanic current in the bodies of this kind". In the following, 1854, Mr.. Professor Popov suggested Boltsani be adjunct to pure mathematics, "as it is a worthy assistant professor of the department". Boltsani approaching 36 years of age when he began to read at university, but a year later circumstances forced him to finally move from the study of pure mathematics to physics lessons. Department of Mathematics, was occupied by Popov and was not expected soon opening a vacancy for Boltsani. While increasing the number of departments in universities was a matter of unusual and therefore, as in 1853, Mr.. vacant chair of physics, then Boltsani, already a family man, accepted the offer of the faculty and decided to surrender to studies in physics, to which he, however, felt this calling. He has already managed to prepare for publication his great and important essay: "The theory of Jacobi functions and elliptic integrals", which appeared in the light in 1857. Although Boltsani began to read physics since 1853, but he remained an associate until 1859, only this year he would have chosen extraordinary professor. For the same degree of doctor at that time had not only to present and defend his thesis at the debate, as now, but to take the examination, subsequently repealed. The examination Boltsani passed in St. Petersburg in 1858; dissertation on electrolysis of salt, though it was protected, but remained inconclusive for its treatment in the form of manuscripts in the archives of St. Petersburg. University. In 1860, Mr.. Boltsani was made full professor, and in 1863. Dean of the Faculty of Physics and Mathematics in Kazan. Boltsani zealously studied physics, . improvement of the physical cabinet and Meteorological Observatory, . repeatedly been abroad, . surveyed where the best rooms and observatory, . acquired for the Kazan University the necessary tools, . calibrate meteorological instruments, . arranged in a physical office equipment for new experiments, and in general showed greater activity,
. However, . the results of its few matched his abilities and work; possessing intelligence primarily mathematical, . Boltsani demanded from experience and observation indeed, . that they could give, . constantly reworked and re-equipment and never dared to publish the results of their observations,
. Past his disciples recognize, . that lectures physics, . them to read, . were not many of them are useful and he too was hoping for their strength, . trying to tell them the last word of science, . not prepare them for understanding of the word preliminary systematic exposition of science, . as a,
. The foregoing is known in part because of the verbal feedback of his former students, partly because estimates for its activities described in his obituary, written by one of his students very highly of him tsenivshim, professor of Kazan F. Suvorov (Izvestia and memoirs of the Kazan University, Kazan, 1876, N 1, p. 208). In addition, the teaching of physics prevent him develop as an independent scientist. His biographer says: "An honest attitude on the execution of the Agency's work teaching physics made it impossible for Joseph Antonovich reach the same height in the science of physics, which he achieved in mathematics". Indeed, with usually up to 9 lectures, and sometimes up to 16 per week - lectures, accompanied by experiments, which require a very long time to cook, it is difficult to give the movement its own science desk work. Yet when it came right at the meteorological observatory observations, . Yet his professorship left traces among some, . especially gifted students, and his extraordinarily wide knowledge was particularly useful to young scientists, . who had already specialize,
. Mathematicians, physicists, naturalists, doctors - all appealed to Boltsani questions, inquiries and advice, he was a general consultant. Boltsani repeatedly visited St. Petersburg and left a very favorable impression of himself in the scientific community, has not yet been erased, his erudition was inexhaustible. However, in conclusion, one can not help regretting that Boltsani failed to give all their power of pure mathematics, in which he would certainly go a long way. The history of the former regime Russian universities shows that many young scientists of the time, prepared to the same profession, were compelled to take up another, sometimes very distant from the first. Kazan University, helped Boltsani how it was then possible, and it mainly represented by Lobachevsky, and Popov is credited with bringing the former trader Boltsani to academic life, which should be remembered as the East of Russia. Boltsani left behind, according to his biographer, the precious library of scientific books, the acquisition of which he used half of his, always scarce, money. Boltsani than learning in the sciences, delivered his own labor and philosophical education, but "until the end of life, - says Professor V. Suvorov, - remained an idealist with a deep sincere belief in the afterlife ". F. Petrushevsky.