644 WILLIAM SUMNER APPLETON. 



dollars. I also give them all works of art, such as paintings, 

 which are in my possession, and which are not family memo- 

 rials, and my wish and hope is, that such action should be 

 taken by them as that the collection of works of art belonging 

 to the Boston Athenaeum should be permanentl} r placed in 

 the building to be erected by them. And my object in this 

 bequest is to contribute as far as possible to the improvement 

 and development of the Fine Arts in this country, to which 

 end I earnestly desire the above-named trustees to labor in 

 the exercise of this trust which I give to them, confiding in 

 their ability and readiness to perform the same so that it may 

 be a means of great benefit." * Before leaving this subject it 

 may be proper to add that by his last will, dated April 25, 

 1902, Mr. Appleton gave in a certain remote contingency a 

 very valuable and important part of his collection of medals 

 and coins to the Historical Society ; and in another more re- 

 mote contingency he directed the. trustees under his will to 

 pay over specified sums to numerous literaiy, scientific, and 

 charitable societies or institutions, among which were the 

 Massachusetts Historical Society, the American Academy of 

 Arts and Sciences, and the New England Historic-Genealogical 

 Society. 



Mr. Appleton's investigations in numismatics, heraldry, and 

 genealogy, the studies which earliest and longest engaged his 

 attention, were thorough, exact, and methodical. He was 

 never satisfied until he had reached the final result ; and in 

 the case of the Sumner Genealogy he printed ten supplements. 

 He never allowed himself to be deceived by pretentious claims 

 to family antiquity and high descent based on no sufficient 

 foundations ; and he remorselessly pricked many bubble repu- 

 tations. Besides his numerous contributions to the various 

 periodicals of which he was either an editor or contributor, 

 Mr. Appleton printed separately at least ten genealogies and 

 other works. The earliest of these was an account, printed 



* The will from which this is an extract was drawn up before the first move- 

 ment for establishing the Museum of Fine Arts. That institution was not 

 incorporated until February, 1870. 



