GREECE AND SICILY 405 



was thus that Athens was repopulated and that the naturalist 

 by keeping him well in mind paid his long-accumulated debt to 

 the greatest of all scientists. Other torchbearers he kept in sight 

 as he wandered in and out among the streets of Athens. Mr. 

 Shaler became deeply engaged in building up to the mind's eye 

 out of their ruins a picture of the ancient splendors of temple, 

 Areopagus, and theatre; succeeding in an unusual degree, for 

 the constructive imagination so constantly exercised in the 

 field of natural phenomenon served him in this world of sus- 

 pended art and human glory. 



Deviating from the usual line of travel, Mr. Shaler visited the 

 Peloponnesus and other parts of Greece, seeing enough of its 

 charm to make him wish to return and go all over it at his 

 leisure. Indeed, he thought seriously of a camping-expedition 

 under the guidance of Miss Stone, the archaeologist, who already 

 had smoothed the way and made light much that otherwise 

 would have been left in darkness. With charts in hand they 

 studied out the details of ancient structure. As for the new 

 ones, he was able to judge for himself ; the new Stadium built 

 of dazzling marble, the offering of a native who beyond the 

 boundaries of his own country had prospered well Mr. Shaler 

 frequented, sometimes making comparisons that were not alto- 

 gether favorable to the Stadium at Cambridge. The public 

 spirit of the Greeks was a surprise and a pleasure to him, for 

 he was not prepared to find an almost American generosity in 

 the giving of libraries, colleges, and other buildings for general 

 use. 



From Greece to Corfu, thence to Naples, to Sicily, and finally 

 a visit to Rome, were included in this itinerary. ^Etna was the 

 chief call to Sicily. At his earlier visit, more than twenty years 

 before, Mr. Shaler had given up the journey because of the snow- 

 sheet on the volcano, and even now in the month of April its 

 cone was white ; but the lower portions and the extinct craters 

 were uncovered for observation, so that he was able to make 

 the long-coveted study of this great mountain. While at 



