286 LEADING AMERICAN MEN OF SCIENCE 



excel in his studies, although he devoted some of the time to sub- 

 jects relating to natural history, spending his leisure in exploring 

 the surrounding country. The next winter, however, he took hold 

 in real earnest, confessing that during the previous year he "was 

 playing backgammon with the boys half the time. I changed my 

 mind," he stated, "during an afternoon spent on Dracut Heights 

 [Lowell]. I resolved that I would return to Andover, take hold, 

 and really study." This resolve he carried out with characteristic 

 energy, and while most of the boys took but three studies, Marsh 

 took four. When asked why he worked so hard, he replied: "To 

 make up for lost time; I have spent enough time shooting ducks 

 to fit myself for college." 



Previous to 1852, he apparently came to no decision regarding 

 an academic career. The encouragement of his father and aunt 

 coupled with the liberality of his uncle, Mr. Peabody, turned the 

 scales in favor of a higher education, and Marsh finally declared 

 his intention of going to Yale College. Accordingly, in the spring 

 of 1853, he began his preparation by entering the Classical Depart- 

 ment of Phillips Academy as third junior, at the same time con- 

 tinuing his studies in natural science. Three years later he was 

 graduated from that institution as valedictorian of his class. In 

 describing this period in Marsh's career, an intimate friend has 

 written: 



"In Phillips Academy there were then two paths of glory; one 

 was high standing in the class, the other was the Philomathean 

 Society, a boys' debating club. 



"After Marsh really began to study, he stood first in class every 

 term without exception. He studied intensely, but tried to make 

 the impression that he achieved his success without any work at 

 all. In the debating club, he also took hold strongly, although 

 he was at this time a slow and halting speaker, and never in his 

 life was anything of a rhetorician. His superiority in managing 

 practical affairs soon impressed all, and he became manager of 

 the society and held the whole thing in his hands. But he was 

 older than the rest of us, and was an experienced man of the 

 world moving among a set of crude boys. 



"I remember an instance of his foresight and shrewd manage- 

 mentshrewd with a touch of cunning in it. The President of 



