" No hidden snare was in his speech, 

 Nor malice in his sunny smile." 



The destruction of the Chicago Academy's building and its con- 

 tents involved the loss not only of its own collections, but also much 

 and very valuable material belonging to other institutions which had 

 been sent to Dr. Stirapson to work up. After the disaster and 

 consequent suspension of labor in connection with said Academy, he 

 at once took the field, though in infirm health, in the endeavor to 

 restore as far as possible by new collections the losses which had 

 occurred. 



One result of that awful fire, and the most disastrous of all to 

 science, was the shock which it gave to our friend, whose consti- 

 tution alrea,dy enfeebled was but poorly prepared for such a blow. 

 In a letter received by me from a mutual friend in Washington, 

 dated December 20th, 1871, he writes: " Stimpson has paid us a 

 call ; we have fitted him out, and he has gone to Florida and the 

 West Indies ; his health is very bad, he could scarcely look worse 

 and be alive ; it is feared he will never regain his health — his 

 severe affliction and great loss by the Chicago fire has too much 

 changed the once energetic Stimpson for him to ever recover, I 

 fear." 



In a letter received by me from him, dated September 13th, 

 1871, (^before the fire) he says: "I have a constant cough and 

 difficulty of breathing, with occasional hemorrhage." In his last 

 letter to me, and probably one of the last he ever penned, he said, 

 writing from Key West, April 19th, 1872 : " I have been dredging 

 in Coast Survey steamers here and to the westward all winter, but 

 have not got as much as I expected, on account of continued bad 

 weather. * * * jyfy health is very poor — lungs badly filled 

 up with tubercles, etc., and have frequent hemorrhages — cannot 

 do anything requiring any physical exertion without great distress." 



But, fellow members, I will not further extend my remarks in 

 reference to the deceased, or enlarge upon his personal merits or 

 scientific ability and services. 



From what I have said you will perceive how bravely he worked 

 in the good cause, even in the hour of adversity ; with what deter- 

 mination he again went forth to labor, though burdened with 

 disease. 



