1883.] TRANSACTIONS. 37 



those who can recall his terraces ; and, in fact, the entire lawn 

 before his residence upon Main Street ; studded as it were, with 

 immense plants of rare selection and careful culture ; will realize 

 the stock from which he could draw at will to ornament and 

 magnify our Exhibitions. What has been^achieved, since, upon 

 such an extensive scale ; b}' our associates, William T. Merrifield, 

 and Stephen Salisbury ; was in a manner, if not in degree, antici- 

 pated by him. If, in after life, his contributions were lessened, 

 and finally ceased altogether ; it was owing to the change of 

 residence that diminished his opportunities, and not to any loss 

 of personal interest. He remained a life-long lover of flowers 

 and fruits. 



Differing widely in political sentiment from a large majority 

 of the community, for the greater part of his life, it was no 

 slight acknowledgment of the confidence reposed in him, by his 

 fellow-citizens, that his services were demanded at periods of the 

 most intense partisan frenzy. That highly exalted species of 

 patriotism which regards and denounces a political opponent, as 

 necessarily a scoundrel, only reflected upon him in moments of 

 stagnation and calm. After each recurring riot in oil-cloth and 

 petroleum ; each novel and convincing demonstration of the 

 political gospel deduced from the toilsome parade, the flare of 

 wicks, and the stench of oil ; the second sober thought of the re- 

 formed community was wont to mortify its flesh, and chasten its 

 exuberant spirit, by electing Isaac Davis to its local Chief 

 Magistracy. 



It chanced to be the good fortune of the writer, to be so situ- 

 ated that he could cast a decisive vote in favor of the first selec- 

 tion, for the Mayoralty, of our late associate. The action of the 

 Liberal Union, at that time, commanded popular approval. 

 The official conduct of our friend was such, that it never became 

 necessary, thereafter, to insist upon a candidature which, in 

 hours of public distrust or paralysis, obviously suggested itself 

 as the one thing essential and proper. 



His place at our counsels and Exhibitions has long been 

 vacant. But there is space upon our walls for his impressive 

 and majestic features ; and in one of those panels his Portrait 

 will be suspended, so long as our Hall may endure. His chil- 



