360 Asa Graij : His Life and Work. 



to Professor George H. Cook, now of New Jersey, his successor, 

 to the Troy Ijyceum, to my own father, who was my constant 

 teacher in natural and bioh)f!;ical science, and to the combination 

 of all these that had been brought to bear upon me as early as tlie 

 Summer of 1845, if not before, and certainly before the work of 

 Professor Gray had much of it been done or become much known. 



From these statements it will appear that the ideas now 

 dominant in the scientific world, as to the unfixity of species, 

 were in the air, or coming, so to speak, long before Darwin or 

 Gray had either written, published or reached their final conclu- 

 sions. While, then, I would not minify the magnificent achieve- 

 ments of such men as Darwin, Gray, and other modern lights, I 

 do not believe it just, and for myself I do not propose, to he 

 guilty of ignoring the laborious workers in natural science, in 

 this country, on whose work recent builders have built as upon a 

 foundation. Now when we are celebrating the praises of Professor 

 Gray, I ask you not to forget the labors of such pioneers as 

 Professor Amos Eaton. Mrs. Treat says, you will remember, that 

 after reading the article in the "Edinburgh Encyclopedia," it was 

 Eaton's Botany he first obtained and studied with interest, and 

 that by its aid the little Claytonia Virginica was the first treasure 

 he captured and identified in the early Spring. How many of us 

 can understand and enter into his earnest welcome of that cheerful 

 flower ! 



I am glad to be able to say that in an early number the Popular 

 Science Monthly will do for Professor Eaton what it has done for 

 so many other scientific men, in preserving their names and labors 

 from threatened oblivion. 



Doubtless, if Professor Gray could have been with us to-night 

 he would have stood in my place to say, much better than I have 

 done or can do, words of cordial recognition and appreciation on 

 behalf of his old teacher, Professor Amos Eaton. 



Mk. William Potts : 



I desire merely to take this occasion to emphasize the fact, so 

 well illustrated by the experience of Dr. Gray, that the minute 

 and scientific study of botany in no way interferes with the 

 natural love of fiowers and plants for their beauty. On the 

 contrary, the more we know about flowers, the more we study 

 them scientifically, the moie we love them and api)reciate tlieir 

 beauty. The contrary idea, sometimes expressed ])y those ignorant 

 of the facts, is entirely false, and sliould be condemned by us. 



Dk. Eobekt G. Eccler : 



Dr. Ecch's said lie had first been introduced to Professor Gray 

 about ten years ago, by Professor E. L. Youmans, in I). Appletcm 

 & Co.'s ofiice. Ilis last meeting with him was at McGill College, 

 Montreal, during the meetings of the American Association for the 

 Advancement of Science. On an excursicm to Ottawa at the same 

 time a favorable opportunity was presented of studying Pntfessor 

 Ciray's disposition and learning from him how he harmonized his 

 religion with evolution. At several points visited all tlie guests 

 were asked to register. While men with one title invariably 



