240 THE BOTANISTS OF PHILADELPHIA. 



that the list of his printed papers, numbering fifty -three 

 titles, is but an imperfect record of his contributions to 

 botanical science." 



Dr. Porter is a gentleman of fine aesthetic sense, indulges 

 himself in a wide range of belles-lettres studies and is espe- 

 cially familiar with the poetic literature of several modern 

 languages, as well as of the classic Latin and Greek. His 

 love of the beautiful might have been inferred from his 

 enthusiastic pursuit of botanical study, and indeed, the 

 same taste and ardor have made him acquainted with all 

 elegant learning. 



He is a man of kind heart, and, in the presence of 

 one or more of " the boys," always full of interesting con- 

 versation. Here his wonderful memory shows itself to be a 

 storehouse not only of scientific facts, but also of numberless 

 reminiscences, amusing and otherwise, of his early life and 

 the lives of the great men with whom he is acquainted. 



He is a theologian familiar with all the departments of 

 theology, a thorough biblical scholar, and has the art of 

 wise exposition, and of direct, practical, pungent preaching. 

 Happy in the tones of his voice, he combines in his delivery 

 the persuasive with the demonstrative in good proportions 

 and alw^ays holds attention. 



His wonderful enthusiasm over his subject was the 

 strength of his teaching. Yet he w^as hindered in his 

 department by the want of assistance. Dr. March, in his 

 recent address on " The Needs of Lafayette," said : " He has 

 carried on all these departments with energy and with 

 honor during many years of happy growth, and now they 

 have outgrown the possibilities of a single man. The 

 thronging classes in the lecture room, the frequent classes 



