106 NATHANIEL SOUTHGATE SHALER 



them to Wyman, asking him what they were. To my surprise 

 he said that he would examine them and let me know next 

 week. When I said to him that he surely knew at a glance, he 

 remarked that if I had brought him a human skull for inspec- 

 tion he would take time to it. 



Jeffries Wyman's balance of mind was shown in his noble 

 sense of justice, of which I had a curious example, after I had 

 known him for a year or two. It was about 1860 that a student 

 in the School, who had come thereto after my appearance, was 

 seized by a fancy for making a journey to the far East. To 

 provide himself with means for this venture, he went about 

 among the patrons of Agassiz's work soliciting contributions. 

 Some of the givers may have had an idea that they were giving 

 to a project which had his approval, though he had not been 

 consulted in the matter. The young man's action exasperated 

 Agassiz and led him to an outbreak of rage, the first I had 

 ever seen him in, for he was generally admirably composed in 

 manner, even when inwardly troubled. He had the offender's 

 effects put out of his room in Zoological Hall and summarily 

 of his own authority dismissed him from the School. This 

 expulsion he announced to a meeting of the students of the 

 laboratory, giving his reasons for it. Knowing the purpose of 

 the gathering I refused to attend it, for while I was not on good 

 relations with the fellow, and regarded his conduct as improper, 

 I refused to have any part in his punishment. I tried, indeed, 

 to dissuade my master from his summary course, but without 

 any other result than a berating. 



The sense of even-handed rather formal justice which has 

 always controlled in the discipline of Harvard University, and 

 which requires that no student shall be expelled without a full 

 hearing of the case before an unprejudiced board, was much 

 shocked by the summary treatment which Agassiz gave to his 

 pupil. Probably because I had refused to countenance the per- 

 formance, Wyman, who appeared to have charge of the in- 

 quiry which the authorities made, came several times to ques- 



