LIFE OF JAMES DWIGHT DANA 



station could he be called ? His father suggested a busi- 

 ness arrangement by which the young man might secure 

 an income, and with it leisure for the pursuit of science. 

 His name was proposed for a professorship in more than 

 one college. All such anxious questions were settled by 

 an appointment in New Haven. In 1850, his name ap- 

 pears for the first time on the catalogue of Yale College, 

 as " Silliman Professor of Natural History." He had 

 already been married, and in anticipation of his college 

 life he had built the dwelling-house on Hillhouse Avenue 

 which was ever afterwards his home. Henceforward a 

 part of his energy was absorbed by the conduct of the 

 Journal of Science ; college administration and instruc- 

 tion likewise occupied his attention ; but still the pen, his 

 faithful and untiring servant, was rarely at rest. Three 

 of his great works, on the Geology, the Zoophytes, and 

 the Crustacea of the United States Exploring Expedition, 

 successively appeared. The Mineralogy was revised and 

 reissued. His classes in geology showed him the need of 

 a suitable manual, and in 1861-62 he prepared for such 

 students a text-book which was over and over again en- 

 larged and revised. A smaller volume on the same sub- 

 ject was prepared a little later, and afterwards, for general 

 readers and for beginners, the Geological Story Briefly 

 Told. At a later date, he wrote the volumes on Corals 

 and Coral Islands and on Volcanoes. 



He became recognized everywhere as an authority in 

 those departments of knowledge to which his mind was 

 directed and as a good adviser where he would not claim 

 to be expert. The older men deferred to his opinions, 

 and the younger men came to him, for suggestion, in- 

 struction, and counsel, as they would approach a father. 

 So long as his strength continued, he was never afraid of 

 interruptions, even in his busiest days, but was accessible 

 to every one who had claims to his consideration. During 

 the many years when he felt obliged to excuse himself 



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