160 JOUKNAL OF THE MiTCIIELL SoCIETY [MarcJl 



humorous anecdotes, which the College critics alleged were 

 handed down from class to class. For instruction in the Geo- 

 logy of North Carolina he published a thin Octavo with that title 

 embodying his researches. He prepared a treatise on Chemis- 

 try. He printed a few pages in pamphlet on Botany, and 

 "Statistics, Facts and Dates." 



If Dr. Mitchell had used his great brain and uncommonly 

 sound health and strength of body in the study and development 

 of one branch of science he would have been world-famous. 

 But his eager curiosity urged him to more or less partial dipping 

 into many subjects. He read voluminous theological works. 

 He devoured Blackstone and other legal literature in order to 

 qualify himself for the office of Justice of the Peace. He learn- 

 ed the use of theodolites and other instruments, and was a skill- 

 ful engineer. He was theoretically versed in Astronomy, and 

 Political Economy, Agriculture, Horticulture, Mining. 



He was learned in Higher Mathematics. He was a vast 

 reader of the history, poetry, political problems, philosophy, in 

 truth of the several literatures of ancient and modern times. 

 The learned and unlearned of the University and of the 

 village called him with undoubting faith "a walking En- 

 cyclopedia." And it was a laudable peculiarity of his that 

 he was always willing to impart information to any questioner 

 however humble. Another peculiarity was entire self-reliance. 

 He formed and executed his plans without consultation with 

 any one. Sometimes those plans failed, as when, for instance 

 he undertook to change the front of the University to the South, 

 running the Ealeigh road through the Southern part of the 

 campus, and building a useless massive porch on the same side 

 of Gerrard Hall. He was never heard to explain or excuse the 

 project. He was employed to build two miles of the Raleigh 

 road ascending the Chapel Hill promontory on the South of the 

 Piney Prospect Plill, and when Professor afterwards Bishop 

 Green, being made Road-overseer improved the road by a more 

 easy ascent, the good doctor took it as a personal insult, and 

 never forgave him. Shortly before his death, without consul- 

 tation with any O'ne he began the construction of a rock wall 



