178 BOARD OF REGENTS. 



sor Peabody, "to the last degree; no income could have made him rich, while there 

 were the needy around him ; and of time, more precious than gold, and of the wealth 

 of intellect, he was no less lavish than of the inferior goods, which he prized only as 

 the means of making others happy. The labor of hand and brain, which might have 

 been employed in building up his own fame, was freely given to all who sought it. 

 Many have been the literary works and enterprises with which his name was never 

 connected, which owed a large portion of their merit and success to materials which 

 he furnished, or to his advice, revision, or criticism." And the same friend bears 

 witness to his sympathy with "every noble and generous work for human progress 

 and well being." 



If the stranger, after an evening's acquaintance, may have been led by Mr. Felton 's 

 companionableness and flow of mirth to regard him as wanting in moral earnestness, 

 such a judgment would be pronounced hasty and superficial by the many grave and 

 good men who gave him their friendship and respect. He by no means lacked any of 

 those qualities which constitute the man of an earnest and dignified life. As has 

 been beautifully said of him, "his force of character, hidden on ordinary occasions 

 by his gentle and sunny temperament, appeared impregnable whenever it was put to 

 the test." He had firm settled convictions and well digested rules of action ; he had 

 purposes which could not be shaken by other considerations than those addressed to 

 the reason and conscience ; he had a noble, manly courage which could carry him 

 onward in the face of opposition. These qualities, with fidelity, uprightness, and 

 simplicity of character, as displayed in his college duties, and in other relations of 

 life, secured for him the esteem and respect of all. 



The union of kindness and firmness with sound judgment and perspicacity made 

 him an excellent college officer. But for his character as a ruler over students we 

 will appeal again to what Dr. Peabody says of him: " I well remember the early 

 years of his official connection with the college ; his fraternal sympathy with the 

 students ; his gentle discipline when forbearance was safe and right ; his reluctant, 

 yet uniform consent to sterner measures, when the cause of order and virtue de- 

 manded them ; his tender consideration for those who were struggling as he had 

 stru^led, bravely and honorably against adverse circumstances ; his readiness to sac- 

 rifice "his own ease in aid of those who sought to transcend the required measure of 

 study, to furnish facilities for their researches, and to contribute from the funds of 

 his own thought and learning for their growth in knowledge. Such was his course 

 durino- his entire life as a teacher ; and could we number up the youth who have been 

 animated by his example, stimulated by the genial fervor of his enthusiasm, encour- 

 aged by his patient and unselfish devotion to their welfare, and sustained in their 

 worthy ambition after they left these halls by persistent and effective friendship, we 

 should have a record of quiet, unostentatious beneficence, that would distance and be- 

 little many life-works of world-wide and long-enduring fame." 



President Felton was in his feelings and opinions, like the greater part of scholars, 

 a conservative, not without sympathy with forward movements in society but led by 

 his tastes and acquaintance with the past to look with suspicion on sudden changes in 

 the established order of things. In a similar spirit he showed no mercy towards 

 what he regarded as false pretensions to science. It will not soon be forgotten with 

 what zeal he followed up the spiritualists, putting their claims to the test, driving 

 them from point to point, and exposing what he considered to be intentional fraud. 

 In his political principles he may be described as a conservative whig, a friend and 

 admirer of Daniel Webster. In his religious faith he was a Unitarian. Dr. Pea- 

 body characterizes him as "reverent and devout, loving the "Word and Ordinances . 

 of God, meekly yielding himself to the teaching and leading of the Saviour, strong 

 in the hope that is full of immortality." 



He was twice married ; the first time in 1838, to Miss Mary Whitney, who died in 

 April, 1845, and again in September, 1846, to Miss Mary L. Cary, who survives him. 

 He has left five children. 



Such is a brief sketch of one of the recently deceased Eegents of the Smithsonian 

 Institution* — a man who, by his industry and vigor of mind, made himself; a man 

 whose genial nature and social qualities created friends for him on every side ; a man 



* President Felton took a lively interest in the institution, and actively participated in the pro- 

 ceedings of the Board His communications appearing in the reports of the Board are as follows: 

 In the report for 1S57, p. 79, a report on the present of a book from Greeee ; p. 82, one on the purchase 

 of Stanley's Indian gallery ; p. 88, one on Professor Henry's communication relative to the telegraph ; 

 and in the report for 1859, p. 104, a eulogy on Professor W. W. Turner, and, p. 10G, one on Washington 

 Irving. In addition to which he gave several lectures on Greece, and made a number of confiden- 

 tial reports on communications relative to linguistics, which had been referred to him for examina- 

 tion by the Secretary. 



