400 NATHANIEL SOUTHGATE SEALER 



many ways, and not infrequently summoned him by telegraph 

 at most inconvenient seasons at the end of a hard lecture 

 day, or of other appointments of a taxing nature. These hur- 

 ried visits to Newport were exceedingly depressing, for, with a 

 failing body, Mr. McKay could not be other than a devitalizing 

 companion. At these meetings his mind grasped eagerly at 

 business details, or dwelt upon the future scope of the Lawrence 

 Scientific School. To talk about such outside matters freed him 

 for the moment from the gloomy consideration of his decrepit 

 state. 



Each year, Mr. Shaler hoped to break away and give himself 

 a rest, but the seasons, as they came and went, brought ever new 

 responsibilities, so that the time never seemed just right for 

 taking the much-needed holiday. As the following letter shows, 

 he thought seriously of going to Europe in 1901. 



Sept. 22, 1900. 



Dear old Shaler: It 's either post-cards or nothing with me, so you will 

 excuse the shabbiness. I have thought of you almost daily since July 15th, 

 1899, when I left home, and longed for your inspiring presence, as the myriad- 

 minded and multiple-personalitied embodiment of all academic and extra- 

 academic Kenntnisse and Gemuths bewegagen. For Heaven's sake keep alive 

 till I get back, and don't embark on your own sabbatical year just as I shall 

 be returning, early I hope next summer. To stop the gap, I send you this 

 greeting at the beginning of the New Academic Year, which I hope will be 

 replete with happiness and activity for you and all of yours. It's a good 

 thing to have a place to belong to, and not to leave it for too long. I regret 

 to say that I am still laid on the shelf and don't know when they'll take me 

 down to use me. Send me a post-card some time. Warmest regards to Mrs. 

 Shaler. 



Yours sincerely, WM. JAMES. 



Although utterly indifferent to many of the honors that men 

 so eagerly strive for, such, for instance, as honorary degrees 

 and offices in learned societies, indeed shirking the latter 

 whenever possible, his heart was warmed by the storm of 

 applause from students and visitors that greeted him when, at 

 the Commencement exercises in 1903, President Eliot conferred 



