47 



could swear to. It was siiggested that society would be rather dull 

 in the present state of knowledge ; but he still preferred the silence 

 to the conjecture. When asked a question himself, he invariably said 

 "I don't know," unless he had either examined the subject himself or 

 felt unquestionable reliance upon the authority he quoted. He was, 

 therefore, far from loquacious, but once launched upon a subject that 

 he understood he was a most agreeable and entertaining companion . 



We should not convey an accurate impression of the balance of his 

 character without recording that with all his gravity he had a keen 

 sense of the ludicrous, and no one enjoyed true wit with a greater 

 relish. It Avould elicit a smile in his weariest hours, and a well 

 executed caricature would throw him into convulsions of laughter. 

 He was also keenly susceptible to music, and a good judge of it. He 

 once made some proficiency upon the piano, but it required too much 

 time out of his busy life to be followed up to the degree of perfec- 

 tion that alone would have satisfied him. 



In 1867, after several years of study in botany, he received from 

 Harvard University his degree of Bachelor of Science. The examina- 

 tion was no mere form, but was thorough and searching ; and resulted 

 in a high grade being specified on his diploma. 



The gentlemen present, and conducting the examination, were Dr. 

 Torrey of New York, Profs. Gray and Agassiz of Cambridge — a fit trio 

 to welcome to the field of authorized, oricjinal investigation, one who 

 had already given so many promises of future distinction. May they 

 long live to regret the untimely fate of our late friend; to direct 

 others in his path ; and to farther enrich the science they have so well 

 loved. 



We are not left to guess at the estimate placed upon him by com- 

 petent judges. He was appointed, in the spring of 1868, to deliver a 

 course of lectures in the rooms of the Boston Society of Natural 

 History. This privilege was accorded only to decided merit, and 

 although it was his first public attempt he evidently spoke out of 

 a mine ; for all his lectures but the first were extempore. Dr. Gray 

 left him in charge of his herbarium, of the botanic garden, and of his 

 College classes, and started for a prolonged trij) to Europe, doubtless 

 feeling assured that nothing would go wrong during his absence. He 

 might well have wished that when the time came for his resigning the 

 chair to a younger person, Mr. Mann would succeed him. He could 

 not have found a successor more worthy, but let us hope that the need 

 will long be postponed. 



Excessive labor at length told seriously on his delicate constitution. 

 Nothing could make him swerve from his allegiance to his friend 

 and preceptor, Dr. Gray. And in anxiety to aid the latter in prepar- 

 ing for his protracted visit to Europe he concealed how weak and 



ESSEX INST. BULLETIN. 7 



