46 



world, with a defiant "I think thus and so," but deign to offer no 

 reason for what tliey feel assured will eventually be accepted ; or was 

 he less a genius, and more a logical reasoner, arriving at his own con- 

 clusions only after patient investigation, and then always able to 

 assign a reason for his belief ? Personal friendship may in a measure 

 disqualify the writer for passing judgment, but the latter of these two 

 views is perhaps the more correct one. If he did dazzle us less fre- 

 quently, there was, in a corresponding degree, a certainty that he 

 would rarely lead us astray. Genius seldom improves much by age. 

 Its first flight may be its loftiest. The philosophic mind grows, and 

 comes, in time, to reach an elevation high as that gained by genius, 

 perliaps, and does it by a method infinitely more sure. His capacity 

 for development was large, and his efforts to reach tlic fullest growth 

 unceasing, hence it is but fair to register the belief that the higliest 

 botanical interests of the country would never have suffered in his 

 hands. All advances made were substantial and likely to need but 

 little subsequent change or qualification. 



It is the testimony of those who saw most of him in his latter days 

 that they were often surprised by his knowledge of topics which 

 came more directly into their paths of study tlian his own. As the 

 bodily frame wore out the expansion of his mind became more rapid, 

 and his ideas clearer; the very expression of his face was noted as 

 more brilliant than ever before. His plans of future study were laid 

 out upon a broader scale than ever, comprising more historical re- 

 search, for which he had a growing taste, and more metaphysical read- 

 ing. 



In reference to these latter pursuits he realized anew the loss he 

 had sustained in his father, who would have taken such a profound 

 interest in the farther unfolding of the mind to Avhich he had first in- 

 troduced the wonders and glories of the universe. 



Mr. Mann's intimate friends were chicfiy persons older than himself. 

 One of these, who lias taken much interest in his botanical pur- 

 suits, and has given him many facilities of i-esearch, remarked of him, 

 that "he was singularly impersonal — that he never seemed to think 

 of Horace Mann." Indeed his modesty was such that he probably did 

 not estimate himself at anything approaching his own value. His 

 eye was ever on the standard that receded before him, and he never 

 measured himself by results achieved. 



Sincerity was naturally another trait of such a character. It often 

 expressed itself bluntly, when in opposition to what he felt to be a 

 want of it. 



In his impatience at the inaccurate statements so often made by idle 

 talkers, he was once heard to wish tluit no one could ever speak unless 

 they bad something to commuuicate which they knew perfectly and 



