194 The Smithsonian Institution 



XII. 



His personal traits have been sympathetically described by 

 intimate friends in the many eulogies which were published 

 soon after his death, and the appreciations of his character 

 presented by Billings, Dall, Ridgway, Sharpe, and Powell 

 have a peculiar interest, since each writer has depicted a 

 phase of his character especially familiar to himself To 

 these are now added two others, the first written by Pro- 

 fessor John S. Newberry, who had known him as early as 

 1850, and the other by Professor Harrison Allen of Phila- 

 delphia, whose acquaintance was of somewhat later date. 

 Professor Newberry writes : 



" His most marked characteristics, and those which gained 

 the affection and admiration of all who were brought into 

 contact with him, were his great knowledge, his geniality, 

 and his phenomenal industry. His courtesy was proverbial, 

 and his remarkable success in dealing with jealous and often 

 antagonistic government departments was largely due to his 

 tact and sagacity. He seemed always to get what he wanted, 

 but it was by a geniality which melted down all opposition, 

 and never by the tricks and subterfuges so common among 

 politicians. His suavity was irresistible, making allies and 

 helpers of friends, and disarming all antagonists. 



" As a consequence of the possession of all these charming 

 qualities, and as a reward for the kindness he was sooner or 

 later doing to every one about him, he was without an enemy, 

 and more popular and beloved than any other man I have 

 known. 



" I have said that his industry was phenomenal : he really 

 seemed never to waste a moment ; he had a wonderful head 

 for details and was an ideal business man. All the innumer- 

 able ramifications of the practical work of the Smithsonian 

 were not only known to, but were really controlled by him ; 



