43 



There was a humorous side to this almost daily i3ractice, which is 

 also illustrative of the uiau. Occasionally it happened that he told 

 the story a second time to the same individual, who was dropped po- 

 litely, but instanter, when he had learned of his mistake; and an inci- 

 dent like the following was not of infrequent occurrence : 



Enter visitor, who grasps his hand warmly and familiarly, showing 

 the greatest interest in his entomological work, and perhaps introducing 

 a friend who is with him. The professor makes a great show of delight 

 ar again meeting him, quietly gets him into the museum, and excusing 

 himself a moment, rushes into the room of his assistant with a half 

 whispered : "Charlie, who the d — 1 is that?" 



As every man is said to have some particular weakness or idiosyn- 

 crasy, Mr. Glover's seemed to be an absorbing pride in his work on en- 

 tomology and in his museum, which amounted to almost childish vanity. 

 A man who cared little for compliment in a general sense, his work was 

 his life, and he expected every one with whom he came in contact ta 

 ai)preciate it almost to the point of his own enthusiasm, which was 

 boundless. On the other hand, disparagement hurt him like the barb 

 of an arrow. Sensitive as a woman, he could not bear adverse criticism, 

 l)ublished or written. It seemed to him almost a personal thrust, and 

 where one showed the least approach to being hypercritical, it filled 

 him with most unkind feelings toward the author. Nevertheless, friendly 

 criticism given in the shape of kind advice or suggestion, if delicately 

 put, was always thankfully received, and particularly from those whose 

 opinion or judgment he respected. I can not but recall a certain cor- 

 respondence with Dr. Walsh, relating to some accidentally damaged in- 

 sects, which, if produced here, would prove spicy reading. There were 

 others, too, with whom Mr. Glover seemed always at swords-points 

 whenever he came in contact with them, and towards whom he was 

 wont to express himself in the most emphatic language, for he was a 

 royal hater. 



As an illustration of how Mr. Glover's feelings could be outraged by 

 unjust censure and fault-finding criticism, reference may be made to a 

 little publication issued in 1872, purporting to be a history of the De- 

 partment of Agriculture, from the pen of its chief clerk, which aroused 

 his indignation and stirred him to the very depths. The work of the 

 division was commented upon in an exceedingly unkind way, a garbled 

 quotation from one of the professor's reports given, making him say in 

 substance that the new facts and the records of observations emanating 

 from the division were quoted "extensively" from the published mate- 

 rial of other entomologists, who were named. The remarks which fol- 

 lowed were filled with left-handed compliments, written in a satirical 

 vein, and closing with this extract : 



It is not required of the entomologist that he should visit the fields and orchards, and 

 there study the habits of obnoxious insects of which but little is known. A contrary- 

 impression has been entertained ; but it is proper that the exact truth should be 

 stated. It would seem, however, that the entomologist of the Department should fre- 



