160 BOARD OF REGENTS. 



and founded on the established laws of physics and upon ingenious and well-directed 

 original experiments, this theory drew general attention to itself, especially in the 

 United States. A memoir submitted anonymously to the American Philosophical 

 Society of Philadelphia gained for Mr. Espy the award of the Magellanic premium 

 in the year 1836, after a discussion remarkable for ingenuity and closeness in its prog- 

 ress, and for the almost unanimity of its result. 



Mr. Espy was eminently social in his mental habits, full of bonhommie and of 

 enthusiasm, easily kindling into a glow by social mental action. In the meetings and 

 free discussions in a club formed for promoting research, and especially for scrutiniz- 

 ing the labors of its members — and of which Sears C. Walker, Professor Henry, 

 Henry D. Rogers, and myself were members — Mr. Espy found the mental stimulus 

 that he needed, and the criticism which he courted, the best aids and checks on his 

 observations, speculations, and experiments. But there was one person who had more 

 influence upon him than all others besides, stimulating him to progress, and urging 

 him forward in each step with a zeal which never flagged — this was his wife. Hav- 

 ing no children to occupy her care, and being of high mental endowment and of 

 enthusiastic temperament, she found a never-failing source of interest and gratification 

 in watching the development of Mr. Espy's scientific ideas, the progress of his experi- 

 ments, and the results of his reading and studies ; the collection and collation of 

 observations of natural phenomena in the poetical region of the storm, the tornado, 

 and of the aurora. Mrs. Espy's mind was essentially literary, and she could not aid 

 her husband in his scientific inquiries or experiments ; her health was delicate, and 

 she could not assist him in his out-door observations ; but she supplied what was of 

 more importance than these aids — a genial and loving interest ever manifested in his 

 pursuits and successes, and in his very failures. Alere flammam was the office of her 

 delicate and poetical temperament. Younger than Mr. Espy, she nevertheless died 

 several years before him, (in 1850,) leaving him to struggle alone in the decline of 

 life without the sustaining power of her. devoted and enthusiastic nature. 



Having in a great degree matured his theory of storms ; having made numerous 

 inductions from observations, and having written a great deal in regard to it, Mr. 

 Espy took the bold resolution, though past middle age, to throw himself into a new 

 career, laying aside all ordinary employments, and devoting himself to the diffusion 

 of the knowledge which he had collected and increased, by lecturing in the towns, 

 villages, and cities of the United States. This proved a successful undertaking, and 

 by its originality attracted more attention to his views than could have been obtained, 

 probably, in any other way. He soon showed remarkable power in explaining his 

 ideas. His simplicity and clearness enabled his hearers to follow him without too 

 great effort, and the earnestness with which he spoke out his convictions carried them 

 away in favor of his theory. The same power which enabled him to succeed in his 

 lecturing career procured subsequently for Mr. Espy the support and encouragement 

 of some of the leading men in Congress, and especially in the Senate, and also in the 

 executive departments. Their attention was arrested by the originality of his views 

 and his warmth in presenting them, and he imparted so much of his conviction of 

 their truth as to induce many of our statesmen and official persons to exert themselves 

 to procure for him, under the patronage of the Government, continued opportunities 

 for study, research, and the comparison of observations. To the consistent support 

 of his scientific friends, and particularly of the Secretary of this Institution, Mr. 

 Espy owed also much in obtaining the opportunities of keeping in a scientific career. 

 His reports to the Surgeon General of the army, to Congress, and to the Secretary of 

 the Navy, are among his latest efforts in this direction. 



The earnest and deep convictions of the truth of his theory in all its parts, and his 

 glowing enthusiasm in regard to it; perhaps, also, the age which he had reached, 

 prevented Mr. Espy from passing beyond a certain point in the development of his 

 theory. The same constitution of mind rendered his inductions from observation 

 often unsafe. His views were positive and his conclusions absolute, and so was the 

 expression of them. He was not prone to examine and re-examine premises and con- 

 clusions, but considered what had once been passed upon by his judgment as finally 

 settled. Hence his views did not make that impression upon cooler temperaments 

 among men of science to which they were entitled — obtaining more credit among 

 scholars and men of general reading in our country than among scientific men, and 

 making but little progress abroad. 



Feeling that his bodily vigor was failing, and that his life must soon close, the 

 Secretary of the SmithsonianTnstitution induced him to re-examine the various parts 

 of his meteorological theories of storms, tornados, and water-spouts, and to insert in 

 his last report, while it was going through the press, an account of his most mature 

 views. I trust that the Secretary will, in one of his reports, give us a thorough and 



