SPENCER FULLERTON BAIRD 79 



house of facts on every subject where any desired datum lay ready to his hand. 7 

 He knew every specialist in the country. Not only did he hold amicable rela- 

 tions with scientists actually at work, but one might think there was not a 

 schoolboy of extraordinary genius for bird's-nesting or fishing whom he could 

 not lay his hands on ... If he guided the activity of others as one 

 would use impersonal agencies in the pursuance of a definite end, he was 

 not less exacting with himself. He not only offered freely to others, some- 

 times constructive rivals, the raw material of research which he collected, but 

 in many cases he put in the hands of those whom he thought worthy, his 

 own more or less elaborated manuscripts, to use in their investigations, thus 

 waiving his own priority in the field. His insistence on giving full credit to 

 collaborators of every degree, both in publication and in records, labels, and 

 reports, was proverbial. To the tyro treading with uncertain step the entrance 

 ways of science he was ever cordial; always a friend, guide and helper. While 

 Professor Henry lived, the affectionate loyalty of Baird to his venerable chief 

 was an inspiration to those about him. . . . 



It may be imagined that in his home life Professor Baird was altogether 

 lovable, and we can not feel that we are laying sacrilegious hands upon the 

 veil in saying that not the least of the benefits conferred upon American science 

 was embodied in the influence which extended from that home upon a host of 

 boyish students gathered from year to year under the brown towers of the 

 Smithsonian Institution, slender as to their resources, half Bohemian as to their 

 living, let loose with little restraint in that great disjointed village, the Wash- 

 ington of twenty years ago. 



Dr. Jordan writes in the same strain, of — 



the splendid benevolent personality that made Professor Baird the ' grand- 

 father of us all,' — always interested in the scientific work of young men, and 

 always ready to give them any help possible in that direction. 



Every Sunday evening from eight onwards Baird's house was open 

 to scientists young and old, and these informal receptions engendered 

 a spirit of comradeship which must have done much to make lives happy 

 and work run smoothly. The modern Cosmos Club, serviceable as it is, 

 can not quite take the place of that nameless association of friendly 

 spirits. 



As an example of Baird's attitude toward young men, I am per- 

 mitted to relate the circumstances of Dr. 0. T. Mason's first meeting 

 with him. The Smithsonian had received some Semitic inscriptions 

 which had lain without being unpacked for some time, nobody taking 

 much interest in them. Mr. Mason, hearing of their arrival, went to the 

 museum to examine them ; for he had already become much interested in 

 Semitic ethnology, and expected to make it the chief study of his life. 

 Professor Baird received him most cordially, and placing his hand on his 

 shoulder said, ' these things have been waiting for you for six months.' 

 So they were unpacked and set out where they could be seen ; Professor 

 Henry came in, and the three went over them carefully, the young 



7 Solomon Brown said to me, that he never heard him say he forgot anything. 

 — T. D. A. C. 



