WILLIAM HARKNESS 383 



Philosophical Society of Washington in 1887. Lafayette Col- 

 lege conferred on him the degree of A.M. in 1865. The 

 University of Rochester conferred upon him the degree of 

 A.M. in 1861 and that of LL.D. in 1874. ^^ ^^^^ retirement 

 in the navy, for age, in 1899, he was promoted to the rank of 

 rear-admiral. 



Personally Professor Harkness was a striking figure. Openly 

 frank, always deeply in earnest, he took life very seriously. His 

 frankness was sometimes mistaken for bluntness or rudeness, 

 and being strong in argument on all debatable questions, he 

 seemed occasionally to show little quarter for his opponents. 

 But to those who knew him well he was one of the most genial 

 and kindly of men. Only a few friends were admitted to the 

 privacy of his celibate life. Those who have sat with him in 

 the quiet of his study and have drawn from his store of knowl- 

 edge and good counsel will remember him as much for his 

 sane and manly friendship as for his conspicuous fidelity in the 



public service. 



R. S. Woodward. 



