THE CABINET OF MINERALS. 281 



efficient in every good cause in which he engaged. He 

 worked with all his might, and he had uncommon tact in 

 approaching people; he could put on the pressure both 

 upon the right man and in the right place, and was not 

 only successful with the willing, but with the unwilling. 



When Mr. Edward Everett came to New Haven to 

 deliver his discourse upon Washington, he related in 

 a short speech to the college students, an anecdote 

 connected with the purchase of the Gibbs Cabinet. 

 Understanding that this collection was offered for 

 sale, Mr. Everett had suggested to several friends of 

 Harvard that it might be secured for that institution. 

 " But," said Mr. Everett, " they hung fire ; and after 

 the bargain was concluded by Mr. Silliman, I ob- 

 served to him that I hoped the affair would give a 

 useful lesson to our people against delay in such 

 matters. ' You are welcome,' said Mr. Silliman with 

 a smile, to any moral benefit to be derived from the 

 matter ; we, meanwhile, will get what good we can 

 from the Cabinet." 



Other additions were made from time to time 

 to this noble collection, one of the most important 

 of which was the cabinet of Baron Lederer, Aus- 

 trian Consul- General in the United States, which 

 was purchased by subscription in 1843. From his 

 scientific correspondents Mr. Silliman obtained valu- 

 able specimens, and several of these friends, together 

 with their contributions, are noticed in the " Remi- 

 niscences," in connection with the history of the 

 cabinet. 



A Collection was purchased from Robert Bakewell, Lon- 

 don, I became acquainted early with the system of geol- 



