of power, of rapid vigor, of profundity, of intrinsic clearness (some- 

 times marred, it is true, by superficial obscurity), of unfaltering free- 

 dom, and of life, which no instruction, proceeding from less remarka- 

 ble intellect or learning, could approach. In his prime he was the 

 centre of an influence which went to the starting of many a since dis- 

 tinguished scientific career ; and he was happy in having, to the last, 

 pupils who understood the greatness of his teaching, and appreciated 

 and loved his character. 



While he thus seemed to be renewing his scientific activity, his 

 interest in literature, art, and society, appeared also greater than ever. 

 He repeated his Lowell Lectures in Baltimore, and one of them in 

 New York, and heartily enjoyed both the social pleasures of his visit, 

 and the interest he was able to awake. He entered, with delightful 

 freshness, into the enjoyment of the exquisite presentations of Shak- 

 speare's heroines which adorned our stage last spring, and of the 

 noble and deeply imagined characterizations of the great actor who 

 followed ; in honor of whom, and of that musician of delicate per- 

 ceptions and fascinating presence whose life has since closed, his 

 last hospitality was offered. He was eager to let no opportunity go 

 by of rendering a service or a gratification to a friend ; and he took 

 every occasion of reviving with cordiality friendships and associations 

 of long-past days. But it is not unlikely that this increased activity 

 was but a pressing forward, enforced by a presentiment of the short- 

 ness of the time, and that all the while he was himself looking with 

 steady eye to the approaching end. 



In. May Professor Peirce began to pass under the shadow of the 

 cloud of his last illness. For some weeks there was little serious fear 

 that it was a shadow not destined to lift. He was first confined to his 

 chamber on the 25111 of June ; and from that time his slowly failing 

 condition was hardly relieved even by any deceptive appearances 

 of improvement. He died on the morning of Wednesday, Oct. 6. 

 Distinguished throughout his life by his freedom from the usual ab- 

 horrence of death, which he never permitted himself either to mourn 

 when it came to others, or to dread for himself, he kept this character- 

 istic temper to the end, through all the sad changes of his trying ill- 



