1 1\9 



Ruschenberger.] xkj^ [April 1, 



In a letter, dated February 28, 1879, addressed to liis friend, the Rev. 

 Dr. Henry C. McCook, he said : "I mark what you say in reference to 

 quoting from the Cosmic Philosophy of Prof. Fiske, instead of expressing 

 my opinions in my own language. I preferred doing so because my relig- 

 ious views so fully accord with those he so clearly presents to the reader. 

 I have always had an antipathy to enter into a discussion of religious 

 opinions, and when persons, curious to know mine, have questioned me, 

 to avoid discussion, I have the last few years referred them to the admir- 

 able work of John Fiske. 



"While I am disposed to avoid public notice, I feel some recompense in 

 your having read my note to your audience, as it may tend to remove the 

 reproach of atheism, which you know is so unreasonably and freely im- 

 puted to all naturalists and philosophers. 



"Through life I have been conscious of having been a devoted wor- 

 shiper (again to quote Mr. Fiske) 'of an ever-present God, without whom 

 not a sparrow falls to the ground;' and I have often felt annoyed at the 

 implied reproach of infidelity from the self-sufficient who consider tliat 

 they fulfill all religious duty in lip-service to the same Deity." 



Thougli not a regular attendant of any church, he was pleased to listen 

 occasionally to sermons of the Rev. Drs. Phillips Brooks (Episcopalian), 

 Ed. R. Beadle (Presbyterian) and "William 11. Furness (Unitarian). The 

 teaching of the last was in accordance with his own religious views. 



The genius of Dr. Leidy — an innate force that seems to dominate tlie 

 exercise of the natural aptitudes or talents — a force none of his ancestors 

 possessed, and is therefore not ascribable to heredity — impelled him to 

 investigate natural objects and portray those which had not been previ- 

 ously described. His strong egoism was more gratified in this occupation 

 than in any other. Some of his contemporaries, who wrought in the same 

 field, possibly may have done more, but in the accuracy of their work 

 none surpassed him. 



Prof. Cesare Lombroso, of Turin, forcibly argues that genius of every 

 kind is always associated with abnormal conditions of the organism, and 

 for such reason its presence is significant of some degree or kind of degen- 

 eration.* Dr. Leidy was, as geniuses generally are said to be, precocious 

 and sterile ; also, emotional and so far, neuropathic. During his visits to 

 Europe, too long and too eager quest of whatever he sought was some- 

 times followed by a feverish state and an unpleasant degree of nervous 

 depression ; but perfect rest for a day, as his diaries show, enabled him to 

 resume his pursuits. 



Dr. Leidy had a rare experience of living nearly sixty eight years with- 

 out provoking personal hostility, without making an enemy. Troops of 

 friends encouraged his pursuits, and among them some were ever ready to 

 give him, when needed, substantial help to publish his works. No votary 

 of natural history was helped more or more favored or more popular. 



*Tlie Man of Ocniim. By Cesare Lombroso, Professor of Legal Medicine at the Univer- 

 sity of Turin ; with illustrations. Walter Scott, 24 Warwick Lane, Loudon, and Charles 

 Scribner's Sous, New York, 1891. 



