MEMORIES OF PROFESSOR BICK MORE 81 
university to the monopolistic designs 
of the Museum. 
Well, that first impression grew inordi- 
nately. There was an unmistakable 
Napoleonic strain in the Professor’s 
make-up, and more and more clearly I 
saw that his unflagging industry, his 
unshakable resolution was supported 
by an almost sublime optimism. Per- 
haps there he was not altogether Napo- 
leonic, for with the great consul the fata- 
listic shadow darkened many a sombre 
hour. The commentary of the poet on 
human hopes, “One moment seen then 
gone forever,” had no meaning to Bick- 
more, at least in his waking and working 
moments. Once seen, his designs were 
potentially realized; he never met him- 
self coming back. And then he tem- 
peramentally possessed wonderful resili- 
ency. Of course there ,were reverses, 
repulses even, but if a clumsy image 
may be permitted, expressed in terms 
congenial to modern scientific linguistics, 
after every differentiation Professor Bick- 
more integrated so rapidly that you 
never discovered he had been pulverized. 
There were proud moments too in the 
old Arsenal. Reception days were really 
momentously fashionable. The large 
upper hall with mammals and birds and 
skeletons, rather crowded, but luminous 
and interesting, the subterranean (as 
regards light) second floor, with more 
skeletons, snakes, alcoholics, building 
stones, corals and shells, both over- 
flowed with a gallant company of young 
and old, somehow evoked by the Pro- 
fessor’s own enthusiasm and by the social 
prestige of the trustees, amid whom the 
Professor with gaiety and confidence 
spread his roseate predictions. Music 
swelled from one of the tower alcoves, 
and an effective corps of reporters, assid- 
uously entertained also by the Professor, 
duly recorded the wonders of the place 
and the splendor of the company. These 
receptions were successes and they effi- 
ciently helped the lengthening list of 
members. They kept the Museum idea 
before the great public and Professor 
Bickmore intended to make and _ suc- 
ceeded in making that great public 
understand the meaning of the new 
design more and more as the event of its 
dedication drew nearer. 
The transference of the contents of the 
Arsenal to the new building on Manhat- 
tan Square was itself accomplished with 
amazing rapidity and here again the 
unequivocal impetus of the Professor 
was manifested. By a Fabian stroke of 
prudence he maintained his hold on the 
Arsenal by keeping there a much di- 
luted mixture —it must be confessed— of 
museum properties or exhibits, which 
however still further assisted his designs, 
as all visitors, always numerous be- 
cause of the proximity of the Park me- 
nagerie, met a repeated exhortation to 
cross the park to see the “real thing.” 
Already the Museum had taken on a 
quasi-national reference, for had not 
President Grant laid its cornerstone; and 
now President Hays, himself a storm 
center of political dispute, was to open 
its halls with the added intellectual deco- 
rations of President Elliot and Professor 
Marsh as speakers and promoters! The 
glory of that occasion need not divert 
these lines from their simple purpose, 
but I do recall its immense excitement 
wherein by an odd trick of association, 
the clearest visual memory is that of the 
President’s wife, a lady whose tact and 
charm had already captivated the nation, 
and that of Professor Marsh, vexed over 
the absence of a looking-glass for the 
regulation of his not over-abundant 
hair. 
In regard to the friends who have 
departed this life, it is all too easy to suc- 
cumb to the temptation of adulation, 
but, so far as the American Museum of 
