Wood.] J 34 [June. 



But it was more in his moral than in his intellectual character that 

 his peculiarities lay. Dr. Bache was apparently, rather by nature 

 than by education, eminently conscientious. To believe that any- 

 thing was right was, with him, as a matter of course, to act accord- 

 ingly. The idea of doing what he believed to be wrong would seem 

 not to have occurred to him ; and the attractive appeared to lose its 

 character when dissociated from the right, and to be no longer even 

 tempting. 



He had, moreover, a natural love of truth, justice, and method, 

 perhaps essentially the same mental quality, differing only in appli- 

 cation, as all are resolvable into the simple love of order; truth being 

 the due relation of things in regard to fact, justice in regard to 

 compensation or reward, and method in regard to position; so that 

 one who by nature is very fond of order, will be apt to be true and 

 just as well as methodical, unless perverted by accidental counter- 

 influence. At all events, our deceased friend had all these qualities 

 in an eminent degree. I never knew him to tell or even hint an 

 untruth, to do an unjust act, or knowingly cherish an unjust thought; 

 and every one acquainted with him, ever so slightly, must have been 

 struck with the remarkable method and precision which pervaded all 

 that he said or did. 



A natural consequence of his truthfulness was a remarkable de- 

 gree of candor, which, though perhaps not obvious to strangers, be- 

 cause both his good sense and a becoming modesty withheld him from 

 intruding his personal concerns upon those of whose interest in him- 

 self he was not confident, and with whom, therefore, he may have 

 sometimes had the reputation of reserve, yet to his friends was well 

 known, and was among the most attaching features of his character. 

 In relation, however, to the concerns of others, he was as reticent as 

 he was open in reference to his own ; and I do not believe that 

 he ever violated, even accidentally or carelessly, any confidence re- 

 posed in him. 



Another conspicuous moral trait was a placidity of temper that 

 was proof against almost any provocation; not that he did not feel 

 an injury or injustice done, whether to himself or others, and ex- 

 press himself accordingly; but the feeling provoked was rather 

 that of regret than of anger, and the offence was readily forgiven 

 when not attended with some moral obliquity. 



Taking him altogether, I never knew a man with a better balanced 

 mind, or one who more nearly approached to my notions of perfec- 

 tion in all that concerns the moral character. As a consequence of 



