120 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN. 



use of mankind, as well as their habitat and history, to as- 

 certain the laws of their growth and being, and by the patient 

 and skilful application of those laws even to increase and 

 diversify that beauty and still further to develop that wealth. 



To such a purpose, when his life had scarcely reached its 

 noon, did Henry Shaw resolve to devote the remainder of 

 his days, consecrating to it the acquisitions of an assiduous 

 and successful industry. For that purpose, by his last 

 will, this Trust was founded, and is to be administered by 

 those to whom it will be a labor of love. 



You will gladly join with me, gentlemen, in doing honor 

 to the Founder of the School of Botany and of the Missouri 

 Botanical Garden : and to that sentiment I ask the Presi- 

 dent of the Board of Directors of Washington University, 

 Colonel Leighton, to respond. 



COLONEL LEIGHTON. 



Mr. Chairman: As the representative of Washino-ton 

 University, an institution selected by Mr. Shaw to carry 

 out a considerable and most important part of the work 

 embraced in his wise and beneficent scheme,— a part which 

 supplements and makes complete that which he has placed 

 in your hands as Trustees of the Missouri Botanical Gar- 

 den, — I cannot but take pleasure in responding' to the sen- 

 timent you have given and briefly expressing the apprecia- 

 tion of ray associates in the governing Board of Washino-ton 

 University for Mr. Shaw, who you will remember was an 

 associate for some years; and of the opportunity afforded 

 them by him to establish, under the most favorable condi- 

 tions, in connection with the garden, one of the best 

 equipped schools of botany in the world. 



But I find myself, at the very outset, embarrassed in at- 

 tempting to distinguish any especial feeling of gratitude on 

 the part of the University from the common feeling of o-rat- 



