132 PROCEEDINGS OF THE AMERICAN ACADEMY 



constantly presenting in his journal, by his able advocacy of them, in 

 both houses of the Legislature, and by the confidence reposed in his 

 prudence, his extensive knowledge, his calm judgment, and his spotless 

 integrity. Although, from his scrupulous delicacy, he derived no pe- 

 cuniary advantage from his severe and long-continued labors in these 

 works for the public good, and died poor, he had the pure satisfac- 

 tion, in his last years, of having contributed at least as largely as any 

 one individual to the health and welfore of his adopted city, and to 

 the unexampled prosperity of his native State. 



As a writer, Mr. Hale commanded attention and secured confidence 

 by the purity of his style, by the clearness and exactness of his state- 

 ments, by the fulness of his knowledge, and by his entire sincerity. 

 He was always interested in the advancement of literature, and was 

 one of the founders of the North American Review and of the 

 Christian Examiner. He was for many years an active member of 

 the Massachusetts Historical Society. He was a member both of the 

 Convention of 1820, and of that of 1853, for the amendment of the 

 Constitution of this Commonwealth. 



Benjamin D. Greene, whom we have lost from our botanical sec- 

 tion, died on the 14th of October last. He was born in Demarara, 

 dui'ing the temporary sojourn of his parents there, in the year 1793, 

 and was graduated at Harvard College in 1812. He first pursued 

 legal studies, for a time in the then celebrated law-school at Litchfield, 

 Connecticut, and was duly admitted to the bar in Boston. He then 

 studied medicine, mainly in the schools of Paris and Scotland, and 

 took the degree of M. D. at Edinburgh in the year 1821. While 

 pursuing these studies abroad, his scientific tastes were strongly devel- 

 oped, especially for Botany, which, on his return home to the enjoy- 

 ment of an ample fortune, now became the favorite pursuit of his life. 

 His retiring, contemplative, and unambitious disposition rendered him 

 averse to the toils, and wholly indifferent to the fame, of authorship. 

 Of him it may especially be said, that he pursued his scientific studies 

 for the pure gratification which they afforded him ; but those who 

 knew him are well aware that no small part of that gratification came 

 from the pleasure which he took in freely placing his observations and 

 his collections in the hands of those who could turn them to best 

 account for the advancement of science. Perceiving that the great 

 obstacles encountered by the naturalist here were the want of books, 

 and of authentic collections, he early and steadily endeavored to sup- 



