OF ARTS AND SCIENCES : MAY 29, 1866. Ill 



intensest interest in the war against the rebellion. The delicacy and 

 feebleness of his body alone prevented his becoming a soldier, but his 

 pen and purse, his zeal and practical effort, were devotedly given 

 to filling the ranks of our army, promoting enlistments, gathering re- 

 cruits, providing for the welfare and comfort of soldiers on the march, 

 in the camp, on the battle-field and in the hospital, and even to furnish- 

 ing them with copies of a reprint of the famous " Soldiers' Bible" of 

 the Cromwellian troopers. It was with a view of meeting one of the 

 most exciting of the issues which the war incidentally opened, that he 

 was led to the investigations that resulted in the most elaborate pro- 

 duction of his pen. His " Historical Research respecting the Opinions 

 of the Founders of the Republic on Negroes as Slaves, as Citizens, and 

 as Soldiers," an epitome of which he read before the Massachusetts 

 Historical Society, in August, 1862, is one of the most thorough, com- 

 prehensive, and exhaustive productions to be found in our historical 

 literature. After his searching investigations had made him master of 

 the whole field covered by his subject, he published the result, at his 

 own cost, in very many forms, some of them elegant and expensive, 

 and distributed them far and wide. Senator Sumner asserts, as of his 

 own personal knowledge, that President Lincoln made use of this valu- 

 able " Research," while preparing his own final Proclamation of Eman- 

 cipation. 



Mr. Livermore had in his early years only those means of education 

 which Massachusetts offers to all her youth ; and as soon as his school 

 training was completed, he entered upon the mercantile and business 

 occupations which he pursued for the remainder of his life. In these 

 he was so far successful as to possess himself of ample means for grati- 

 fying his fine literary taste and his strong desire for studious culture. 

 The library which he gathered, at great cost, was in itself a remark- 

 able collection, and indicative of the qualities of his mind and char- 

 acter. A visit to Europe had afforded him facilities which he dili- 

 gently and wisely improved. Without yielding to the mere fancies of 

 the bibliomaniac, he availed himself of them for uses of wisdom. His 

 collection of Bibles, among which was one that had belonged to Me- 

 lancthon, and of works illustrating the Scriptures by art, was unique 

 and extremely rich. He was a diligent student of American history, 

 seeking for rare tracts and original materials. He had a conscience 

 for accuracy and thoroughness in his researches, and several of the 

 pieces which he published prove a very wide and curious knowledge, 



