402 POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



of this sketch chose to work his way by his own unaided efforts into 

 the fullest measure of academic training. 



That was before the day of competition between universities, 

 and there was no temptation to go here rather than there in order 

 to live a semi-parasitic existence as scholar or fellowship holder. 



First in his father's counting house, and then at a boy's school 

 near Niagara, young Brooks bravely gained the means to pursue 

 higher branches of natural history, and to devote himself to re- 

 search. In the former position he realized how futile for him 

 would be a life given to money-getting, and he palliated the uncon- 

 genial nature of that life by such abstract thought as seemed useful, 

 one immediate result of which was the invention of a mechanical 

 device for computing interest and discounts in sterling money, 

 that had considerable circulation. This, though it scarcely indi- 

 cated a stronger bias for mathematics than for Nature study, showed 

 a latent possibility that was not to be developed. In the latter 

 position, which brought him in close contact with the wonders 

 of time action, so plainly read in one of Nature's books for the 

 blind Niagara Falls he found food for thought, as well as a deep 

 interest in the action of young minds. Here was much material 

 for philosophical study of wood life too, as well as for growth of 

 conceptions of the way to learn and to teach. 



Free, after serving three years, to follow his genius, Agassiz's 

 romantic venture at Pennikese drew this young naturalist, as it did 

 so many of that epoch; and henceforth marine life, with its revela- 

 tion of fundamental problems, fascinated him. Working on at 

 Agassiz's museum, learning its collections by heart, absorbing from 

 this center of American natural history and from its founder both 

 stimulus and method, influenced deeply also by the unobtrusive 

 teachings of McCrady and others who helped to make Cambridge 

 the Mecca of naturalists, he was already an active contributor to 

 the discussion of problems in the embryology of animals when he 

 won his Ph. D. degree in 1875. 



Quiet, diffident, slow to speak, leaving hasty action, too, for 

 those of other constitution, with thoughtful brow and keen eye to 

 look outward, as well as to regard inner thought, this young man 

 with flowing beard was a noticeable person. At this time he was 

 to be seen always accompanied by his faithful " Tige " ; for, wiser 

 than Ulysses, he shared all the hardships and joys of life with this 

 loved companion. 



Now he sought his true environment, and found it in the new 

 university starting in 1876 the Johns Hopkins University. There 

 he was appointed Fellow, an honor subsequently won by many who 

 are well known to biological science, as W. T. Sedgwick, E. B. Wil- 



