HON. MARSHALL P. WILDER. 57 



has been President of that Society, with the excep- 

 tion of one term, down to the present moment) ; he 

 was at the front in the establishment of our Agri- 

 cultural College, was the first trustee elected on its 

 Board, and was present and delivered a discourse 

 to its first class at their graduation. The Massa- 

 chusetts Institute of Technology is also indebted to 

 him from its start for valuable service. His interest 

 in these institutions has never faltered, his hand has 

 never been weary, his voice never silent, and his pen 

 never idle. His addresses on agriculture, embracing 

 horticulture and pomology, and on other subjects, are 

 exceedingly numerous, and are full of valuable infor- 

 mation, clothed in language at once clear, vivacious, 

 and inspiring. 



We found, also, in this survey, that Colonel Wilder 

 had been a member of both houses of the Legisla- 

 ture of the State, and of the Governor's Council, and 

 President of the Massachusetts Senate. In all these 

 public positions in which he had been placed by the 

 suffrage of his scrutinizing fellow-citizens, in all these 

 public acts and doings, we found that he was many- 

 sided, that his nature was broad and expansive, that 

 he had a great heart and a clear head, realizing in 

 himself the old Latin vci2,y\\T\, Humani nihil alienum ; 

 that nothing was unworthy of his consideration which 

 relates to the welfare of man. I need hardly inform 

 you, Mr. President, and Gentlemen, that when we pre- 



