Biographical Sketch 31 



beard and square, thoughtful brow, very slow of speech, 

 lacking in all superficial conversational art, content with 

 his own thoughts and the worship of his college com- 

 panion and long most faithful friend, his great St. Ber- 

 nard dog, "Tige." 



To many he is known only from Corner's portrait, 

 which recalls to his older students his characteristic, 

 Buddha-like, quiet and peaceful absorption in thought, 

 till some inner conclusion or strong outer compulsion 

 caused the peculiar rising glance of the eyes that saw so 

 much and seemed to question so strangely one's inner 

 self. 



Born with a physical heart that failed to become com- 

 pleted as in the average man, he learned to conduct his 

 life within the limits set by his peculiar physical organ- 

 ization and avoided all intense muscular efforts and sud- 

 den movements. Owing to these habits he was often mis- 

 understood. Yet on right occasion he could exchange his 

 slow rate of living for strong effort. With sympathy for 

 all suffering he once lifted his great St. Bernard dog, 

 "Jupiter," when too tired to longer follow the carriage, 

 and thus he received a severe strain that cost him weeks 

 of pain. Knowing both the physical and the financial 

 handicaps of life's race we can appreciate his saying : 



"The only necessary law of progress that I can discover 

 is that it is necessary to fight pretty hard for everything 

 worth the getting, and that it is no light or easy task to 

 keep what has been won."* 



Brooks was no friend of conventionalities, and at times 

 might extend his absorption in the essentials of thought- 

 life to some neglect of many superficialities that others 

 highly prized. In the stress that comes, at times, to those 

 who live in the country and journey daily, some factors 

 of his dress, such as a necktie, might at times be forgot- 

 ten, but if the loss were discovered, replaced by quick pur- 

 chase through the faithful laboratory janitor, who 



*Address at Western Reserve University, 1899. 



