VIII ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 



into the structure of language which enabled him to make a contribution 

 to science that has marked an epoch in the development of linguistics. 

 The results and method that he pursued are the more admirable when we 

 consider how few the advantages were that the young Harvard student 

 enjoyed in those times in this line of research, and that the methods of 

 investigating primitive languages were to a gi'eat extent his own creation. 

 The " Ethnography and Philology of the United States Expedition " was 

 published in 1846. The following 3'ears were spent in travel and study. 

 In 1853 Mr. Hale was studying law in Chicago ; he was admitted to the 

 bar in 1855. In 1856 he moved to Clinton, Ont., where he devoted him- 

 self partly to the practice of his new profession, and partly to the pursuit 

 of ethnological and philological studies. 



" Many are his contributions to science, and they rank among the 

 best work done in America. The nearness to his new home of the 

 Iroquois reservations incited his interest, and the results of his studies 

 have been laid down in numerous brief papers, but principall}^ in his 

 book, "An Iroquois Book of Eites" (Philadelphia, 1883). His investiga- 

 tions of the origin of the Hiawatha legend, the historical basis of which 

 he made clear, assure him an important place among folklorists. It was 

 due to his studies among the Iroquois, also, that he made a discoveiy of 

 great importance regarding the early history of the American tribes. 

 He was fortunate enough to find the last Tutelos who were able to speak 

 their language, and in 1870 he ascertained beyond cavil that they spoke 

 a dialect of the Dakotan or Siouan stock. In 1883 he published a fuller 

 record of their language. In 1885 Mr. Hale was elected Yice-President 

 of the Anthropological Section of the American Association for the 

 Advancement of Science. In 1886, when presiding over the meetings of 

 the section, he delivered a presidential address, in which he set forward 

 a well-conceived theory of the origin of linguistic stocks, which is un- 

 doubtedly one of the best ever suggested in regard to this ditiicult prob- 

 lem, and received favorable consideration from many eminent linguists. 



" In 1883 the British Association for the Advancement of Science 

 appointed a committee for the investigation of the tribes of Western 

 Canada. Mr. Hale, as editor of the reports of this committee, bore for 

 many years the principal share of its labors. He wrote a useful circular 

 of inquiry, and laid out the detailed plan of work. In connection with 

 the investigations of this committee the writer of these lines had the 

 pleasure of coming in close contact with him. His wise counsel, his 

 amiable guidance, his kindly friendship ensure a grateful memor}- to him 

 whose works students of ethnolog}' and of linguistics will admire for all 

 time to come. Science has lost a worker to whose enthusiasm and faith- 

 ful labor we owe much ; mankind has lost a man whose wisdom, kindness 

 and steadfastness it is hard to lack." 



