328 PROCEEDINGS OF THE AMERICAN ACADEMY 



A collection of his works in tea volumes, prejiared under his own 

 supervision, has been made, and is still in process of publication. 

 Although largely composed of vehement political controversy, the 

 interest of which passes away with, the progress of time, and the cessa- 

 tion of the causes that gave rise to it, they will always bear witness 

 to the nobler qualities of the man, to the power of his eloquence, to 

 his indefatigable industry, and to the extent of his literary and moral 

 as well as his oratorical attainments. 



Henry James Clark was born at Easton, Mass., June 22, 1826, 

 and died July 1, 1873. He received a collegiate education at the 

 University of New York, graduating in the year 1848. From thence 

 he went as a teacher to White Plains, N.Y. ; and while engasfed in 

 his favorite study, botany, made observations upon the structure of 

 Mimulus, which he communicated to Professor Gray. This and subse- 

 quent observations upon the flora of the neighborhood attracted to him 

 the favorable notice of the latter. Becomintj dissatisfied with teachinof, 

 and obtaining the necessary encouragement and assistance from Pro- 

 fessor Gray, Mr. Clark came to Cambridge. Here he enjoyed for some 

 time the advantages of a pupil and private assistant at the Botanical 

 Garden. Later, however, a taste for zoological studies, developed by 

 the lectures of Professor Agassiz and frequent visits to the zoological 

 laboratory, led him, in the foil of 1850, to abandon botany for what 

 appeared to him the more fascinating study of animal life. Graduating 

 from the Lawrence Scientific School as Bachelor of Science in 1854, 

 he became immediately after the private assistant of Professor Agassiz, 

 who ever accorded him the highest character as an observer and faith- 

 ful student. 



The writer's personal acquaintance with Mr. Clark began in the fall 

 of 1858. He was then engaged, as assistant to Professor Agassiz, in 

 working out of many of the most important anatomical details of the 

 great work entitled " Contributions to the Natural History of North 

 America," of which two volumes had already been published. The 

 plates bearing his name in the second and subsequent volumes of these 

 contributions attest the great fidelity and thoroughness of the works 

 which he has done, and the masterly command of the microscope which 

 distinguished his subsequent labors. In conjunction with Professor 

 Agassiz, he exercised an influence in developing the genius of Spencer, 

 the eminent microscope-maker, and of his j^upil, IMj-. R. B. Tolles ; 

 and his success with tlieir objectives largely added to the reputation 

 of these skilful opticians. 



