1873.] -Lo7 [LeConte. 



tion of his scholars awake to the subjects in hand, but to imbue their 

 imaginations with that perfect fairness of judgment and complete colla- 

 tion of the knowledge of men of the past with that of men of the present, 

 by which alone a philosophical character of mind can be formed. This 

 made him a distinguished teacher, and won the confidence as well as ex- 

 cited the admiration of students." * 



As lecturer at the Franklin Institute he was equally fortunate in the 

 lower, though perhaps nearly as useful sphere of popularizing the different 

 departments of physical science, and rendering them comprehensible to 

 persons who had not the preliminary academic training of college 

 students. 



During years of laborious teaching he found opportunity to accumulate, 

 and leisure to read (in addition to his special library of 2o00 vols.), a 

 large miscellaneous library, which rilled one of the most extensive rooms 

 in his house ; and I may freely say that I have known few men who could 

 recall, when occasion required, the material derived from such varied 

 and extensive reading. To him could not be applied the ancient and 

 frequently correct text, "Some there are who possess books, and others 

 that understand them," \ and on many occasions, when enjoying, with 

 other students of science, a discussion on some obscure point of ancient 

 lore, scientific, religious, historical or metaphysical, it mattered not 

 which, I have been amazed with the readiness with which he would define 

 the vague impressions of our somewhat treacherous memories, by turning 

 to the exact page of works rarely referred to, and give us the precise in- 

 formation desired. 



He could most happily combine the severe labors of academic teaching 

 with industrious study, and with entire relaxation in the hours taken for 

 social or domestic enjoyment, a power rarely found here, though not un- 

 frequent in older communities. 



It was by this happy union of qualities that he was enabled not only to 

 keep himself well informed in the progress of nearly every branch of 

 science, but also to retain the results of the classical instruction he 

 received in his youth from Dr. Wylie. 



Quickness of thought, great power of conversation, courtliness of bear- 

 ing towards women, and brilliancy of wit, made him a most attractive mem- 

 ber of society ; while the genial manner in which his house was open to 

 his friends on one evening of the week, brought around him a circle of 

 laborers in intellectual pursuits. It was seldom that men of science 

 from other States or countries visited Philadelphia without having a wel- 

 come in those weekly gatherings, giving and receiving instruction and 

 sympathy in their respective investigations. 



"While the country suffered from the unhappy struggle which so nearly 

 produced either its disruption or its entire destruction, Prof. Frazer's 

 adherence to the cause of the Government was most strenuous. Though 



* Lesley, Penn Monthly, 1. c. sup. p. 681. 



t Mahabharata, Book I. Section 1. (Annals of Oriental Literature,!, p. 69.) 



