192 Rhodora [Jut 
—who came to his study to inquire if he was ready for supper. In 
ten minutes she returned to announce that it was on the table. 
The letter to his friend was unfinished, — he was dead! 
Dr. Porter was a man of remarkably broad education. He was 
well acquainted with both modern and classical languages. A poet 
of no mean power, he was especially fond of translating German 
hymns into English verse, and many of his own poems are of high 
worth. He was by no means a specialist, but was an adept in the 
leading branches of physical as well as natural science. His chief 
love, however, was for botany, in which mainly his distinguished 
reputation was so well earned. Early in his career he planned the 
preparation and publication of a complete Flora of Pennsylvania. 
It was hoped that this would appear in the reports of State Geolog- 
ical Survey, but he was not satisfied with the conditions of publica- 
tion. His great desire to have everything as complete as possible 
kept him continually thinking that more was yet to be done. His 
journeyings to and fro through the State, and his voluminous corre- 
spondence with those who showed any disposition to assist him in 
securing exact information in regard to the plants of the region, 
was remarkable. Indeed the earnestness and completeness with 
which he answered inquiries from his correspondents was a rare 
feature in his character. He rarely complained of the inroads on 
his time, but on one occasion thought he might exposulate a little. 
As the question discussed is still a mooted one, it may not be out 
of place to quote : — 
* Because I am a Professor of Botany, does it follow that I must 
know everything about plants? Must I be exposed to a perpetual 
fire of questions and cross-questions? Can I take my 'davy that 
the fronds of Asplenium pinnatifidum never root at the tips? All 
I can say is that I have never seen them do it, and I have seen 
a goodly number in their native haunts. Perhaps they fail in the 
same manner that some men are virtuous for lack of opportunity. 
Protruded from the crevices or pockets on faces of cliffs, they en- 
counter the dry rock only, and get no encouragement to go walking 
further as Camptosorus does, which grows in less dry places. If the 
conditions were changed, the Asf/enium might behave as the Camp- 
tosorus, who can tell?” 
Although he died before his Flora of Pennsylvania appeared in 
print, it is a satisfaction for the sake of his memory, and for bot- 
