City for such an institution as this, but light soon dawned upon us, and 
gradually year by year the City Officials and the people of the City began 
to find that this was a great educational institution maintained for the 
benefit of the people. But it was hard struggling in those early days. 
Despair followed anxiety, and our Trustees knew not which way to 
turn. But when Mr. Jesup, twenty-six years ago, took the presidency 
of this body, he found that certain fossils still lingered in the Board of 
Trustees, and actually breathed into us the breath of life. He has 
kept us alive ever since, and every year this Museum has exhibited new 
energy and success, and more than three fourths of it is due to his gener- 
ous gifts and his inspiring presence. 
“He has given us something far better and grander than material 
assistance, liberal as he has been with that. He has given us twenty- 
six of the best years of his life, devoted with untiring generosity to the 
success of this enterprise. It is also to be remembered to the great 
credit of Mr. Jesup that it was during his administration that the Museun 
took one significant step forward, which we had long been hesitating 
to do—I mean the opening of the Museum to the public on Sundays. 
It was the best advance we ever made. We found that we could do 
our duty to the church in the morning and come here with equally 
reverent minds in the afternoon to study these collections and look 
through Nature up to Nature’s God, and the people found that out too. 
“ And so with grateful hearts the Trustees accept this last and noble 
offering, and I am sure you will all with one voice join with me in saying 
— God bless the noble donor.” 
After Mr. Choate’s address brief memorials of the men of science 
whose portraits have been selected for the foyer, were delivered in accord- 
ance with the following program: 
BENJAMIN FRANKLIN, by Dr. 8. Weir Mitchell of Philadelphia; 
ALEXANDER VON HumBo.pt, by His Excellency, Baron Speck von Stern- 
burg, German Ambassador. (Read by Major T. von Kérner, Military 
Attaché of the Embassy); 
Joun James AupuBon, by Dr. C. Hart Merriam, Chief, U.S. Biological 
Survey, Washington, D. C.; 
JouNn Torrey, by Dr. Nathaniel L. Britton, Director in chief, New York 
Botanical Garden, New York City; 
JosepH Henry, by Dr. Robert S. Woodward, President, Carnegie Institu- 
tion, Washington, D. C.; 
Louis Acassiz. Letters were read from the Rey. Edward Everett Hale, an 
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