346 Obituary Notices of Fellows deceased. 



benevolence which was awakened by St. Francis, whose life-work pre- 

 sented to the world such an ideal of good-doing as had never before 

 been witnessed. The motive which he regarded as essential to the 

 successful carrying out of all genuine philanthropic work must be the 

 same as that which actuated St. Francis, the "servant of the poor*"; all 

 such work, and particularly the prevention of disease, being, in Simon's 

 judgment, only possible to those who are resolved to give " heart, as 

 well as brain and hand, to the service of the least of mankind " ; 

 " skill is only half our equipment." 



The chapter from which I have just quoted is followed by others 

 relating to what Simon designates as the "growth of humanity in 

 British politics." These have a special interest as bringing before us 

 the views he entertained as to the influence on sanitary progress of 

 religious and philanthropic movements in modern times. Just as in 

 the 16th century the preaching of St. Francis let loose the springs of 

 Christian charity in Italy, so the revival of religion in the 18th 

 century in our own country, bore similar fruit in making men more 

 willing to love their neighbours as themselves.! The reform of 

 prisons, the repeal of cruel penal legislation, the abolition of slavery, 

 and many other advances in the same direction, which were effected 

 during the second half of the 18th century and the beginning of the 

 19th, are referred to by Simon as affording evidence how profoundly 

 public opinion and feeling were stirred, during that period, to 

 sympathy with the destitute, the miserable, and even with the 

 criminal ; and how these philanthropic movements prepared the way 

 for the sanitary reforms of the first two decades (1838-1858) of the 

 reign of Queen Victoria. 



I venture to hope that no reader will deem that 1 have occupied 

 too much space in bringing under his notice the views entertained by 

 Simon as to the power of high motive to inspire conduct, whether 

 private or public. No one will question that he was possessed of 

 splendid quanties, both as a man of business and as a man of science. 

 It may not be so apparent that the source of these qualities lay deeper 

 than the mere conscientious obedience to private and public obligations. 

 To those who desire to satisfy themselves that his life and conduct 

 were governed by these high ideals, we recommend the reading of 

 the " English Sanitary Institutions." 



Sir John Simon was made C.B. on his retirement from office, and 

 K.C.B. in 1887. He received the honorary degree of D.C.L. of 

 Oxford in 1872, and the LL.D. of Cambridge in 1882. The Buchanan 

 Medal of the Royal Society was conferred on him in 1897. 



J. B. S. 



* Loc. cit., p. 49. fioc. cit., chap, viii., p. 128. 



