41 



in the business of Natural History he had done without any as- 

 sociates engaged in like pursuits, without having any access to 

 collections of specimens and almost without books" In that ad- 

 mirable address (which, as it had only been partially reported and 

 published in certain newspapers, his friend Mr. Goodrich, at his 

 own expense, printed in handsome pamphlet form for distribu- 

 tion,) he illustrated the importance and difficulties of a thorough 

 cultivation of Natural History -, in country places, insisting that 

 a habit of observation and comparison of objects of Natural His- 

 tory could be as quickly acquired ia the country as in the city and 

 urging that the study of Natural History should be more gener- 

 ally taught in our common schools and colleges for the obvious 

 reason that such a study ' ; would refine and improve the moral 

 sensibilities of our people, and sharpen and invigorate their intel- 

 lectual powers." 



In such labors, beset with the difficulties so freely confessed be- 

 fore the " Solid Men of Boston " on the occasion of the delivery of 

 the last mentioned address, he passed his quiet life. At one time 

 he was a teacher of the exact sciences ; at another time prosecu- 

 ting his researches into Natural History ; and then he might be 

 found preaching in his modest and reverential manner the sublime 

 doctrines of the Christian creed which he had adopted, and whether 

 in or out of the pulpit always seen and known as the industrious, 

 patient, humble and 'exemplary disciple of Him who was born in 

 the manger and died on the cross. Professor Thompson thus won. 

 friends not " in single spies but in battalions/' friends who know- 

 ing the anxiety he felt to see the wonders of the great exhibition 

 at London, in 1851, gladly put into his purse that " material aid " 

 of which teaching and preaching, and authorship had not gathered 

 a superabundance. Chiefly through the kindness of friends, which 

 he has beautifully acknowledged in one of his books, he was en- 

 abled to enjoy a trip to the Old World, " beholding the wonders of 

 the great deep, and seeing and admiring the wonderful things of 

 Nature and Art which lie beyond it." After an absence of three 

 months, spending a few weeks in London and Paris and after 

 travelling about 7500 miles, he came bak refreshed in spirit and 

 health to his humble dwelling at Burlington and after a while 

 yielded to the importunities of his friends and published a neat 

 volume of 143 pages, entitled a "Journal of a trip to Londonj Paris 

 6 



