LIFE OF JAMES DWIGHT DANA 



(principally by correspondence), and the prompt reception 

 of their latest publications and of their communications 

 to the journal of which he was an editor, gave him early 

 information of the progress of science and quickened in 

 him the spirit of research. The duties of an instructor, 

 never burdensome, kept him in touch with youth. Dur- 

 ing the latter half of his life he suffered from continuous 

 ill-health, but by calmness of mind and economy of 

 energy, by extraordinary concentration while he was at 

 work, and by habits of complete repose at stated inter- 

 vals, he accomplished far more than ordinary men accom- 

 plish who have no sense of mental weariness and no 

 bodily ailments. With self-imposed restrictions, sup- 

 ported by the cheerfulness and serenity of his wife and 

 children, he continued to work until the very last hours 

 of a life which extended two years beyond fourscore. 

 Death came to him with a gentle summons after he had 

 been crowned with abundant honors, and after his contri- 

 butions to science had given him the foremost rank among 

 his scientific countrymen and an honorable place among 

 illustrious naturalists of the nineteenth century. 



In the main, the life to be here portrayed is one of 

 tranquillity. Its chief interest consists in the unfolding 

 of a mind of rare abilities, and in the progress of his 

 scientific work. Yet during Mr. Dana's long career there 

 were incidents more or less exciting, such as the perils of 

 the sea, including shipwreck ; the observation of life among 

 cannibals; the ascent of lofty mountains; the pleasures 

 of discovery in unknown regions ; the interchange of ideas 

 with the leaders of contemporary thought; the contro- 

 versies of science and religion and other earnest discus- 

 sions incident to the advancement of knowledge. The 

 reorganization of a university, the building up of a school 

 of science, the establishment of a museum of natural his- 

 tory, the conduct of the American Journal of Science, the 

 maintenance of correspondence with investigators from 



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