My recollection of the late Dr Frost date from 1850, from which time when I became his pupil, the warmest friendship subsisted between us. This I hope, gives me some claim to add a few word, to the notices of his death which is so deeply lamented by a host of friends including former pupils. Naturally, in a short. paper, it is only possible to allude very briefly to the several accomplishments in which his brilliant intellectual powers found scope and pleasure.

His mathematical attainments were of a very high order. He was Second Wrangler and Senior Smith's Prizeman in 1839, was duly elected to a Fellowship at St John's College, and settled down in Cambridge as a mathematical tutor. In those days, owing to the monastic regulations which bygone ages had bequeathed to us, Fellowships were forfeited by marriage, and thus the College Tuition lost an invaluable aid which Dr Frost was so pre-eminently fitted to have rendered. Still, we well know how great was the gain in the happiness of his life. Subsequently he became Mathematical Lecturer of Jesus and later on of King's College, each of which appointments he held for many years. He was also elected a Fellow of King's College. Of his many mathematical works an eminent mathematician writes to me, "Dr Frost has written three books in addition to many papers in the mathematical journals. The edition of the first three sections of Newton's 'Principia' and the 'Solid Geometry' are well-known textbooks, and have been used continuously in the University since their appearance. The former by its clear and interesting illustrations showed how powerful were Newton's methods and gave an impetus to a study of the 'Principia'. The treatise on Curve Tracing is less well known, but contains many beautiful examples discussing the real branches of functions and their graphs. All three books are written in a most clear and lucid style."

But it was his power of rendering the study of Mathematics interesting and attractive to his pupils which made his teaching so valued and prized. In former days we spent many a weary hour in pondering over the dry and sometimes obscure pages of books then in vogue, and copying reams of manuscript, occasionally puzzling both as regards writing and matter. In these days circumstances it was delightful to find the haziness dispelled in the bright sunlight of his knowledge and brilliant abilities. One perceived in a moment how completely he had mastered and was conversant with every difficulty which could hinder his pupil's advancement. He would illustrate his explanation by some pretty little example, perhaps made on the spot, for he had a true genius in constructing elegant problems.

Whilst many of his pupils gained very high distinctions in the Tripos, as Lord Justice Rigby, Professor Wolstenholme, the Hadleys, and others, there is no doubt that many more of the ablest students would have sought the advantage of his tuition had he remained in Cambridge during the reading period of the Long Vacation, which at that time extended over twelve weeks. For many years it was his custom to take reading parties to various places of interest during the summer, a plan which did not commend itself to many on the ground that it was not so inducive of hard study as when the time was spent in Cambridge. On this point I will only say that whilst Dr Frost was unremitting in the attention he bestowed on his pupils during these summer months, they, so far as my experience went, worked well, and probably laid up valuable stock of health for their winter campaigns.

But it was not only in Mathematics that Dr Frost's talents lay. On the contrary he was a many sided man. He found pleasure in music and painting, and had read widely. I remember when at Heidelberg he said he was ready to challenge any German there to a match in playing Bach's music at sight. His pretty water colour sketching was also an unceasing source of delight in his vacations spent on the Continent and elsewhere. He was also a very skilful billiard player with a thorough knowledge of the science of the game, an accomplished chess player, and before he was troubled by lameness brought on by sciatica, the result probably of sitting on damp ground, he took much active exercise and was proficient as a tennis player, in cricket, in running and swimming. I recollect once when walking with him along the King's Parade, how he told me he had run a mile in five minutes, a less common feat in those days than now, and my asking him what the pace was like, he replied, "I will show you," and immediately dashed off at full speed though hampered by a cap and gown and weighed by the books he had been using at lectures. I mention this as an illustration of his buoyant spirits and vitality which seemed never to desert him: indeed he possessed the happiest and most joyous of natures so that he was always a delightful companion. On one occasion he told me he would like to live the last ten years of his life over again, unaltered in all respects. He despised idleness in every form, whilst the spirit of work was very precious in his eyes. His want of sympathy with n inactive life is perhaps best shown by a remark he made to me when told that the prayers of the monks were offered for all, himself included: he said, "I don't want their prayers, I would far rather have the prayers of the labourer who follows the plough."

Some who read these pages will recall with great pleasure how seven years ago hundreds of Dr Frost's friends met together in the beautiful gardens of King's College to congratulate him and his devoted wife on their golden wedding, and how deep and sincere was the feeling of affection then displayed towards them. The memory of that sunny afternoon will now ever be cherished by those who were privileged to be present.

In closing these few remarks on a loss which, in my case, leaves an almost irreparable blank, I will quote two extracts from letters, the writers of which, after very many years of friendship, may well add their tribute of affectionate esteem for one who was singularly pure, highly gifted and loveable. They are Sir John Gorst and the Bishop of Gloucester. The former writes:- "He was as you know accomplished in almost every kind of pursuit of learning and leisure: but the superiority, which might have depressed his associates, was mixed with such a genial kindness and appreciation of excellence in others, that everybody with whom he was brought in contact, boys and girls as well as men and women, loved his society. His spirit never seemed to grow old, as the infirmities of age lessened his physical powers. Last time I met him in Cambridge, a month or two ago, he talked as freshly and as genially as in the old days when he was in full vigour of manhood. I should think that no one can have come across him in life who was not happier and better for having known him."

The Bishop says:- "Always bright and singularly attractive, wise and of the happiest intellectual power, and yet simple as a child, happy, joyous, warm-hearted - to have known such a one is a happy retrospect - of such is the Kingdom of Heaven."

Percival Frost was born at Kingston-upon-Hull on 1 September 1817. He was the second son of Mr Charles Frost, F.S.A., who practised as a solicitor in that town. Percival Frost's earlier school-life was spent at Beverley. From Beverley he was removed in the year 1833 to Oakham School, which was then presided over by Dr Doncaster, and here he remained until October, 1835, when he proceeded to St John's College, Cambridge.

As an undergraduate, Frost devoted most of his energies to the study of mathematics. The competition which Frost met with at St John's College is sufficiently apparent from the fact that in his year, 1839, the first four places in the Mathematical Tripos were won by men of his own college; a unique example of one college obtaining the first four places in that Tripos. Frost's chief rival was B M Cowie, the present Dean of Exeter. In the Mathematical Tripos, in January, 1839, Cowie was Senior Wrangler, and Frost was Second Wrangler; but immediately afterwards this order was reversed by the examiners for the Smith's Prizes. Both were elected to fellowships in their College on the same day, 18th March, 1839.

After his degree, Frost was urged by friends, and especially by Dr Hymers, his college tutor, to read for the Bar, and he commenced to do so; but his great success in obtaining private pupils when he returned to Cambridge for the Long Vacation, induced him to abandon all idea of the legal profession. In 1841 Frost was ordained by the Bishop of Ely, and in the same year vacated his fellowship on his marriage with Jennett Louise, daughter of Mr Dixon, of Oak Lodge, Finchley, the commencement of a happy union which lasted 57 years. Frost held a mathematical lectureship in Jesus College from 1847 to 1859, and one in King's College from 1859 to 1889; but his chief work consisted in the tuition of private pupils.

In this work he was eminently successful; many of his pupils took high degrees. As examples of those who rose to distinction at the Bar and in Science, may be mentioned the names of Lord Justice Rigby and the late W K Clifford.

The first book which Frost wrote was an edition of Newton's 'Principia,' Book I, sections 1-3 (with notes and illustrations, and a collection of Problems); it was published in 1854. Subsequent editions appeared in 1863, 1878, and 1883. His next work he published in 1863, in conjunction with the late Joseph Wolstenholme. It was entitled 'A Treatise on Solid Geometry.' Second and third editions of this work were published by Frost alone in 1875 and 1886, and 'Hints for Solution of Problems in the Third Edition of Solid Geometry,' in 1887. In 1872 he published his third work, 'A Treatise on Curve-tracing.' In addition to these books, he wrote a considerable number of minor papers relating to Algebra, Analytical Geometry, the Lunar and Planetary Theories, and Electricity and Magnetism, more than twenty of which appear in this Society's 'Catalogue of Scientific Papers.'

In 1882 Frost was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society, and in the same year he was elected by King's College, Cambridge, to a terminable Fellowship, to which he was re-elected three times, and which he held at the time of his death. By new University Statutes, which came into force in 1882, two new degrees were established at Cambridge, those of Doctor of Science and Doctor of Letters. Shortly afterwards, Frost proceeded to the degree of Sc.D.

Frost was no mere mathematician; he was a man of wide interests and varied attainments. He had an extensive acquaintance with the works of musical composers, and his execution on the pianoforte was of a high order. His drawings in water colours were very successful. Moreover, he had a Yorkshireman's instinctive love for games and sports.

Frost possessed a strong constitution, and enjoyed excellent health. If we make an exception of the lameness of his later years, against which he courageously fought, he scarcely knew, until he had passed his 80th birthday, what a day's illness was. Towards the end of last April, he was attacked by a painful disorder, which in six weeks' time proved fatal to a frame exhausted by prolonged suffering. Frost died on Trinity Sunday, 5 June 1898, and his remains were laid to rest on the following Friday in the Mill Road Cemetery, Cambridge.

Frost's character endeared him to all who knew him. He was admired and esteemed by his pupils; and between him and them many a life-long friendship was established. His kindness of heart and consideration for others could not be exceeded. If there was anything that he abhorred, it was what seemed to be self-conceit and pretentiousness. He was always bright and cheerful, and ready to see fun in any situation which might occur

The writer of these lines takes this opportunity of recording his own deep debt of gratitude to Dr Frost. Some four years ago, when the writer ceased to be able to read, Dr Frost with characteristic kindness and generosity volunteered to act as reader. His readings, which took place three or four times a week, and lasted about an hour and a half each, were continued until Dr Frost was attacked by his fatal illness.

In that period something like thirty octavo volumes, on subjects of diverse interest, were read, as well as a sprinkling of special articles from the 'Times,' or papers in 'Nature' and other scientific periodicals.

The memory of such a friend cannot easily fade.

Percival Frost made one in that Cambridge paradox, Second Wranglers greater than their Seniors.

In 1837 the great Sylvester was second to Wm N Griffin, both of St John's College; in 1839 Frost was second to B M Cowie, where the first four places in the Mathematical Tripos were all won by men of St John's College. Of other great seconds we recall Dr Whewell, Clerk Maxwell, Lord Kelvin, Clifford, J J Thomson, truly a goodly company!

But Frost was First Smith's Prizeman, a contest at which nearly all these great seconds beat their firsts, though Sylvester, being unwilling to sign the Thirty-nine Articles, was debarred from entering this competition.

Percival Frost, second son of Charles Frost, F. S. A., a solicitor practicing in the town of Kingston-upon-Hull, was there born on 1 September 1817. He died 5 June 1898. Frost's earlier schooling was at Beverley, whence in 1833 he went to Oakham School, remaining until October, 1835, when he entered St John's College, Cambridge.

The Senior and Second Wrangler in 1839 were both elected to fellowships in their College on the same day, 18 March 1839. Frost illustrated another Cambridge peculiarity, great men choosing as a career to Tutor to private pupils, for example Hopkins, Frost, Routh. It is especially mentioned in the notice of him written for the Royal Society by his friend H M Taylor that his great success in obtaining private pupils when he returned to Cambridge in the Long Vacation succeeding his graduation induced him to abandon all idea of the legal profession, though urged by friends to read for the Bar, which indeed he had actually commenced to do. So settled and confident was he in this Cambridge profession of Private Tutor, that in 1841 he vacated his fellowship to marry Jennett Louise Dixon, of Oak Lodge, Finchley, with whom he "lived happy ever after" for 57 years!

Frost held a mathematical lectureship from 1847 to 1859 in Jesus College, from 1859 to 1889 in King's College; but his chief work still consisted in the tuition of private pupils. As Frost himself was pupil of a Second Wrangler, Dr John Hymers (1826), so his own greatest pupil was a Second Wrangler, W K Clifford, in 1867.

Frost edited Newton's Principia, Book I, sections 1-3, with notes, illustrations, and a collection of problems. First published in 1854, new editions appeared in 1863, 1878, and 1883. In 1863, with Joseph Wolstenholme, the noted problem maker, Frost published 'A Treatise on Solid Geometry.' When it was to be reissued, Wolstenholme withdrew, and the second edition 1875 and third edition 1886 were published by Frost alone, as also 'Hints for Solution of Problems in the Third Edition of Solid Geometry' in 1887. On this essential subject, this is one of the two great standard works in English.

In 1872 he published his famous 'Treatise on Curve-tracing.' In this treatise he presumed on the part of the reader no knowledge of the Differential Calculus, and restricted his field in other wise ways, until he humorously says, "In cutting off so many vital parts of a complete treatise I have to show that I do not fall to the ground by sawing on the wrong side the branch on which I am sitting." In using the device of the Analytical Triangle, adopting Cramer's method of representing the possible terms by points, Frost was the first one regard them merely as points referred to the sides of the triangle as coordinate axes, instead of regarding them with Cramer as marking the centres of the squares in which, in Newton's parallelogram, the values of the terms were to be inscribed.

This treatise cannot be too highly praised, and is still likely long to remain the greatest on the subject.

More than twenty papers by Frost on Algebra, Analytic Geometry, Lunar and Planetary Theories, and Electricity and Magnetism are mentioned in the Royal Society's 'Catalogue of Scientific Papers.'

Frost was made a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1882, and the same year was elected by King's College, Cambridge, to a terminable Fellowship; to which he was re-elected three times, holding it at his death. Like Sylvester, Frost was devoted to music with a fine execution on the piano and a penetrating appreciation of the masters.

Think of a man living 80 years scarcely knowing a day's illness! This seems to an American as if he had never really tried his powers to the utmost.

Frost was, as R Tucker writes, a great favourite at Cambridge, a sure concomitant of his brightness, cheerfulness, kindness of heart and consideration for others. His exceptional life-long experience gives tremendous weight to his testimony in favour of the early cultivation of a talent for mathematics. He explicitly says: "To attempt after a certain age to acquire ease in mathematical operations is like a grown man trying to learn the violin."

​Frost, Percival (1817-1898), mathematician, born at Kingston-upon-Hull on 1 September 1817, was the second son of Charles Frost. He was educated at Beverley and Oakham, and entered St John's College, Cambridge, in October 1835, graduating B.A. as second wrangler in 1839 and M.A. in 1842. He was chosen first Smith prizeman in 1839, beating the senior wrangler, Benjamin Morgan Cowie, his fellow-collegian, and he was ​elected to a fellowship at St John's College on 19 March. In 1841 he was ordained deacon, and in the same year vacated his fellowship by marriage. He held a mathematical lectureship in Jesus College from 1847 to 1859, and in King's College from 1859 to 1889; but his chief work consisted in the tuition of private pupils, among whom were Lord-justice Rigby, William Kingdon Clifford, and Joseph Wolstenholme.

In 1854 Frost edited the first three sections of Newton's 'Principia' (Cambridge, 8vo). New editions were published in 1863, 1878, and 1883. In 1863 he prepared, in conjunction with Joseph Wolstenholme, 'A Treatise on Solid Geometry,' of which second and third editions, by Frost alone, appeared in 1875 and 1886. 'Hints for the Solution of Problems in the Third Edition of "Solid Geometry"' was published in 1887. In 1872 appeared his third work, 'An Elementary Treatise on Curve Tracing.' On 7 June 1883 Frost was admitted a fellow of the Royal Society, and in the same year he was elected by King's College, Cambridge, to a fellowship, which he retained until his death. In 1883 Frost proceeded to the recently established degree of D.Sc.

Frost died at Cambridge on 5 June 1898, at his house in Fitzwilliam Street, and was buried on 10 June in the Mill Road cemetery. He was a man of wide interests and varied attainments, an accomplished pianoforte player, and a successful painter in water-colours. On 2 June 1841 he was married at Finchley to Jennett Louisa, daughter of Richard Dixon of Oak Lodge, Finchley.

Besides the works already mentioned, Frost was the author of numerous papers in the 'Cambridge Mathematical Journal,' the 'Oxford and Cambridge Journal of Mathematics,' and the 'Quarterly Journal of Mathematics.'

Success of a Hull Lady.

We are glad to observe that another name has been added to those of the various members of a family who, during nearly half a century, have distinguished themselves at Cambridge. This time it is that of a young lady from Newnham College, daughter of the Rev A H Frost - himself 11th wrangler - and niece of the Rev Dr Frost, second wrangler and first Smith's prizeman, son of our late talented townsman, Mr Charles Frost. Miss Frost comes out between the 24th and 25th wranglers in a list of 35. Local antiquarians will hardly need reminding that the late Mr Charles Frost, whose full length portrait is in the Hull Subscription Library, was an ancestor of the lady to whose success we draw attention, and was the author of that excellent work "Early Notices of Hull." Both Mr Frost and his father were long the solicitors of the Hull Dock Company.

A Golden Wedding.

The Fellows' Gardens of King's College were the scene of no less an auspicious and almost unique event than the celebrating of the golden wedding of Dr Frost (the Senior Fellow of King's) and Mrs Frost, whose popularity has won for them a large circle of friends, in both town and University. Some 350 ladies and gentlemen, including several of the masters of the College, as well as gentry of the neighbourhood, attended the festivities, and were well received by the happy and favoured couple in a marquee, handsomely furnished in drawing room style. Many were the token of congratulation tendered to Dr and Mrs Frost, and the more valuable presents consisted of a pair of gold candlesticks, gold cup, a gold chain and truss, and a gold workbox. The pleasant proceedings were brought to an ultimate termination by a heavy rain shortly after 5.30, which necessitated a hasty retreat to some substantial shelter.

In reference to the above extract from a Cambridge paper, we may say that Dr Percival Frost was Second Wrangler and First Smith's Prizeman in 1839. He was a Fellow od St John's College, and resigned the fellowship on his marriage. He is now a fellow of King's. He is also a Fellow of the Royal Society, and a few years ago the degree of Doctor in Sciences was conferred on him. His brother - the Rev Andrew Frost - was 11th Wrangler in 1842, and has for the last nine years resided at Cambridge, where he is now lecturer for the Indian Service in the Maratti Service and Gujarati languages. His daughter - Miss Catherine Frost, was 25th Wrangler in 1886, and has since been the Resident Mathematical Lecturer at the Royal Holloway College. The father of the above two brothers was the late Mr Charles Frost, F.S.A., author of "Early Notices of Hull," solicitor to the Hull Dock Company, in which capacity he succeeded his father, Mr Thomas Frost.