THOMAS RAYNESFOKD LOUNSBURY. 831 



wrecked and the funds, exhausted. Langley said, "P^aihu-c in the 

 aerodrome itself, in its engines there had been none: and it is beheved 

 that it is at the moment of success, and when the engineering jiroblems 

 have been solved, a lack of means has prevented a continuance of 

 the work." If he had only thought of mounting his aeroplane on 

 bicycle wheels! what a small thing prevented his success. One recalls 

 the canoe episode on the Maine lake. I know of no more touching 

 episode in the history of in^•ention. He had success in his grasp. A 

 critic has said that he ought to ha\'e stopped with his mechanical 

 model; for he had not the engineering skill to perfect his invention. 

 It seems to me that this is not true. Langley combined with his 

 theoretical knowledge of mechanics a remarkable practical skill. His 

 aeroplane afterwards flew. Perhaps he underated the necessity of 

 practical experience in balancing even after a successful launching. 

 With what exultation of spirit he would survey today the progress of 

 aviation. It is one of the unintelligible things in this life that this 

 exultation was denied him ; for he was a man especially fond of distinc- 

 tion. He failed for the want of a few thousand dollars; and the 

 United States GoNernment is now appropriating millions for aero- 

 planes. In the Smithsonian Miscellaneous Collections for 1907, will 

 be found a complete bibliography of Langley's papers. It contains 

 284 references. 



John Trowbridge. 



THOMAS RAYXESFORD LOUNSBURY (1838-191.5) 



Fellow in Class III, Section 2. 1896. 

 I 



Thomas Raynesford Lounsbury, son of Thomas and Mary Janette 

 (Woodward) Lounsbury, was born on January 1st, 1838, at Ovid, 

 New York, where his father was pastor of the Presbyterian Church. 

 At the age of seventeen he entered Yale College; he took his degree in 

 1859. His undergraduate career was distinguished by sundry prizes 

 and other such recognitions of literary propensities. After gradua- 

 tion he was for some time employed on the not too mature staff 

 engaged in preparing Appleton's New American Cyclopaedia. From 

 1862 to 1865 he served as an infantry officer in the Civil War, 



