1892.] -'■'-'• I Ruschouberger. 



Dr. Leid}'' was elected Director of the Museum June 3, 1890, aad spent 

 some of his last days ia planning a synoptical arrangement of it. 



He was authorized by the Trustees to expend $3000, while in Europe 

 in 1889, in the purchase of specimens for the museum, and on his return 

 $1000 more were placed in his hands to be spent in the United States for 

 objects of the same kind. His interest in the growth of the museum and 

 library was constant. He presented many books and specimens collected 

 by himself. 



At its summer commencement of 1886, Harvard University conferred 

 upon him its honorary degree of Legum Doctor — LL.D.; and the Insti- 

 tute of France awarded to him, December 18, 1888, the Cuvier prize 

 medal. 



He had now reached the sixty-fifth year of his age. Unremitting routine 

 and other labors, and the enjoyment of many social meetings with friends, 

 had somewhat abated both his physical and mental energies. Rest 

 was desirable. Accompanied by his wife and daughter he visited 

 Europe in the summer of 1889, but his first letters from London 

 indicate that the sojourn there was much less cheering to him than 

 it ever had been. And then the serious illness of j\Irs. Leidy, soon after 

 reaching England, greatly augmented his depression, although the sym- 

 pathy and attention of his English friends were unstinted. After her 

 recovery the projected tour was completed, and in September all returned 

 in better health and spirits than when they started on their trip to Europe. 



Soon after reaching home a rumor from the University was a source of 

 much distress to Dr. Leidy. It was said that the professorships were to be 

 rearranged, and to realize the plan he would be asked to relinquish the 

 Chair of Anatomy and retain his position in the Biological Department. 

 A city newspaper reported substantially that Dr. Leidy had been requested 

 to resign. The statement was at once authoritatively contradicted. 

 Nevertheless, subsequently he, who was pronounced by one of the Faculty 

 to be the "most consummate teacher that ever held the Chair of Anatomy," 

 was requested to relinquish it, but he declined. 



During the year 1890, in compliance with the wish of a valued friend, 

 he visited several times the establishment of Mr. Keely, who claims that 

 he had long ago discovered a new motor of extraordinary force. Diligent 

 study during many years has failed to ascertain a practical method of 

 applying this power to any use. With this aim Mr. Keely has con- 

 btructed costly and ingenious machinery which is set in motion by this 

 occult power. Many prominent scientists, engineers and others have 

 been invited at difiierent times to inspect it, hoping probably that their 

 opinions would encourage his continuous research. It seems, however — 

 if the public be rightly informed in the premises — that, in their judgment, 

 the nature of this new force, whatever it may be in fact, is not yet appa- 

 rent. But Dr. Leidy w^rote, December 18, on his card to a friend, 

 "Keely appeared to me to have command of some power previously 

 unknown." 



