JOURNAL OF PROCEEDINGS OF THE BOARD OF REGENTS. XV 



might seem most obviously snggesteil by tho ■\vortls of his trust, to profit exclu- 

 sively by it, for he believed that eveiy department of philosophy (using the term 

 in its widest sense) would be found to be finally connected with every ether, through 

 this common bond of union ; so that it was his particular desire to have such varied 

 investigations in the atmosphere made as would aid in the knowledge of each and 

 all of these aspects of knowledge. 



Mr. Hodgkins brought to all his studies, as to this, a A^ery retentive memory, 

 while general reading and travel had stored his mind with singularly varied infor- 

 mation. He was a good French sch<dar and loved to quote from the French classics. 

 His catholicity of mind was snfficientto include a not inconsiderable sense of hunuir, 

 and his favorite quotation from Boileau pointed to his consciousness of a perhaps 

 too imagiuative indulgence in his favorite themes. He was a punctilious corres- 

 pondent, and what it is not too much to call his real literary ability, was neversliown 

 more happily than in his letters, which were in many respects models of epistolary 

 ease, and even of charm, of diction. He was hospitable and enjoyed entertaining 

 the few friends whom he admitted to his table, where his manner, as a host of the 

 old school, was a happy one. 



Mr. Hodgkins had no family an<l no known blood relations, and, recognizing the 

 difficulties which often arise over the settlements of large estates, he chose to be 

 his own executor rather than leave the disposition of his affairs to those who might 

 either misinterpret or disregard his requests when he could no longer appear as a 

 witness in his own behalf. He therefore gave away his entire estate, amounting to 

 ab.out half a million dollars, to various public institutions. 



His funeral was unostentatious, as he requested it should be, only his intimate 

 friends attending. Among these he (the Secretary) was numbered ; for while he felt 

 it his official duty to represent this Institution at the funeral of one to whom it owed 

 so much, ho desires to say, in concluding this brief notice, thathe was there also from 

 a feeling of real friendship and regard to an old man whose singular powers, whose 

 lonely life, and whose perhaps often iinmet aft'ection had drawn the speaker to him 

 as to a personal friend. 



Mr. Wheeler remarked that the gentleman who had given the Insti- 

 tution .so much deserved some special record of liis death, and he moved 

 that the notice should be extended by the Secretary, should include a 

 statement of the gifts he had made, and should be spread upon the 

 records of the Board. The motion was carrieil. 



The Secretary then presented the portrait of Mr. Hodgkins, which 

 he stated he had wished to order under the instructions of the Board 

 during Mr. Hodgkins's lifetime, but owing to that gentleman's reluc- 

 tance to be portrayed, it was not executed until after his death, and 

 from a photograph. It was not yet finished, the artist, Mr. Robert 

 Gordon Hardie, desiring its return in order that he might elaborate it. 



The Secretary added that from his knowledge of the original he consid- 

 ered, and that the assistant secretary Dr. Goode (who was well quali- 

 fied to judge), also considered the picture a very satisfactory likeness 

 indeed. Dr. Welling remarked that it looked as if it could hardly be 

 much improved as a likeness by nuich greater elaboration. Mr. Lodge 

 said that while he could not, of course, speak of the likeness in case of 

 one he had not seen, the picture bore its own evidence that it was a 

 piece of good work. Other commendatory remarks were made. 



The secretary called the attention of the Regents to the action taken 

 "^ith regard to that portion of the Hodgkins fund which was especially 



