26 HELEN ABBOTT MICHAEL 



for study and advancement of knowledge." The writer in a 

 private letter accompanying it called attention to the fact that 

 it was " intended to be more than an ordinary letter of introduc- 

 tion to an individual or individuals would be." In the notes 

 that she made of her experiences in various educational centres, 

 at universities, museums, and laboratories, she usually found, to 

 her. surprise, that she had no need of any introduction. The 

 magic of her name was an open sesame to all doors. Her re- 

 searches had made her known to the learned world of Eng- 

 land and the Continent. 



These notes were jotted down, as she went from place to 

 place, and were afterwards, as she found time amid all the dis- 

 tractions of travel and assiduous work, copied into a book. 

 Many of them are accompanied by quick pencil-drawings of 

 such chemical or scientific apparatus as attracted her attention 

 by their usefulness, originality, or peculiarities. Occasionally, 

 also,- the autographs of famous foreign chemists, German or 

 Swedish, are attached to the manuscript. With the aid of these 

 notes, we are enabled to follow her pilgrimage for a strictly 

 scientific pilgrimage it was from place to place, almost from 

 day to day. One cannot fail on reading them carefully to be 

 impressed by her keenness of observation, her enthusiasm for 

 knowledge, her readiness to adapt and adopt every improve- 

 ment brought to her notice, the breadth of her views, and the 

 wonderful dignity and charm of her attitude as a representative 

 of American science in the person of a young woman asking 

 admittance to conservative institutions on equal terms with 

 men, and yet never in any way transcending the proprieties 

 of womanliness. She was accompanied by her colored maid, 

 who served as a sort of bodyguard and symbol of station, and 

 everywhere attracted much attention, which she endured with 

 imperturbable good nature. 



She went directly to Manchester, England, where the Brit- 

 ish Association for the Advancement of Science met in the 

 early days of September, during the great Exhibition of 1887. 

 Of the evening meeting, which was addressed by Professor 

 Sir Henry Roscoe, she says : 



"The hall was crowded. We had seats in front row of gal- 



