SKETCH OF SAMUEL LATHAM MIT CHILL. 697 



the United States, and wrote largely on the subject. . . . He 

 largely seconded the views of Judge Peters on gypsum as a fer- 

 tilizer. . . . His letters to Tilloch, of London, on the progress of 

 his mind in the investigation of septic acid oxygenated azote 

 is curious as a physiological document. . . . He was associated 

 with Griscom, Eddy, Colden, Gerard, and Wood in the establish- 

 ment of the Institution for the Deaf and Dumb ; and, with Eddy 

 and Hosack, may be classed with the first in this city, in respect to 

 time, who held converse with the afflicted mute by means of signs." 



It would be difficult, says an article in Harper's Magazine for 

 April, 1879, for those who never saw Dr. Mitchill, " to conceive 

 the deference paid to his learning and judgment. His knowledge 

 of the physical sciences, his varied and intimate acquaintance 

 with classical literature, both ancient and modern, his attain- 

 ments in history and political science, his practical acquaintance 

 with public affairs, and his remarkable affinity with the common 

 and useful arts, caused him to be looked upon as a fountain of 

 learning always ready to pour forth abundant streams of knowl- 

 edge to every thirsty applicant. A witty friend once said of him, 

 'Tap the doctor at any time, he will flow/ Accordingly, the 

 merits of all inventions, discoveries, projects, arts, sciences, liter- 

 ary subjects and schemes, new books and publications, profes- 

 sional cases, acts of charity or public spirit, and a multitude of 

 other things, used to be submitted to his critical opinion. If he 

 had not been one of the most polite and amiable of men, he could 

 hardly have borne the demands thus made upon his time and 

 patience." Dr. Francis relates that, being present at his funeral, 

 he stayed till all but the sexton had gone, and then asked, unrec- 

 ognized by him, whom he had just buried. " A great character," 

 the man answered, " one who knew all things on the earth and in 

 the waters of the great deep." Dr. Francis is also authority for 

 the story that when the purchase of the Elgin Botanic Garden by 

 the constituted authorities was argued at the Capitol, " he won the 

 attention of the members by a speech of several hours' length, in 

 which he gave a history of gardens and the necessity for them. 

 . . . With his botanical Latinity occasionally interspersed, he 

 probably appeared more learned than ever. Van Home, a west- 

 ern member, was dumfounded at the Linnsean phraseology, and 

 declared such knowledge to be too deep for human powers to 

 fathom." 



As described by Dr. Francis, Dr. Mitchill's appearance before 

 his class in the instruction-room was that of an earnest instructor, 

 ready to impart the stores of his accumulated wisdom for the 

 benefit of his pupils, while his oral disquisitions were perpetually 

 enlivened with novel and ingenious observations. Chemistry, 

 which first engaged his capacious mind, was rendered the more 



