HIS LOYALTY TO HIS FRIENDS 419 



fortunate as to have him for an ally in any difficult situation 

 was sure to be powerfully and intensely sustained ; indeed it 

 would have been hard to find a better backer in a mortal 

 quarrel. 



This was a characteristic feature even of his early manhood, 

 and was strengthened, not diminished, by time. In 1870 his 

 friend Professor Hyatt writes: 



Boston Society of Natural History. 



... I shall never be able to express my obligation to you for the friendly 

 manner in which you worked for me. Perhaps no one was more surprised 

 than your humble servant at the sudden bold swoop with which you threw 

 the first bomb. I could compare the effect of your speech to nothing else. The 

 applause that followed was as astonishing to me as to our opponents. . . . 



He often went far afield to help a friend, nor did he consider 

 that by so doing he was wasting time and energy, for the sym- 

 pathetic and human realm in his opinion claimed the foremost 

 place in the minds of men. "There were other things in life," 

 he said, "besides beating a little learning into a student." 



If it had been possible to spoil him in his youth, he certainly 

 would have been spoiled, for he was the constant object of pride, 

 solicitude, and affection on the part of his parents. In his turn 

 he was a devoted son, showing great tenderness for his mother ; 

 ready to go to her at all times, in the depth of winter or the heat 

 of summer, that he might give her cheer and comfort, especially 

 after his father's death. His resemblance to her side of the 

 house was strong to her brothers in particular, two of whom 

 were brilliant men, witty, ready phrasers and much sought after 

 for their social qualities. In his own state of Kentucky the 

 tongue was almost as mighty as the sword and the man or wo- 

 man who could flash forth an aphorism or a quick repartee was 

 exalted. The witty retort was native with his father, but Mr. 

 Shaler's brilliant conversational powers came from his mother's 

 side of the house. His mother's love for him amounted to 

 idolatry. When he was with her she lived in his shadow ; every- 

 thing he did was right; every object about him was transmuted 



