53 



it his duty to be especially an economic geologist, and to elucidate first 

 of all the relations, in his appointed field, of geology to mining, agri- 

 culture, draining and water-supply. The result was that the people 

 of New Jersey did not need to be "educated up" to the point of feel- 

 ing that his work was useful to them. They had the demonstration 

 before them. 



Second — But he was not a man to seek a superficial appearance of 

 usefulness by hasty work. If his sense of duty led him to follow the 

 investigations which promised immediate practical return to those 

 who had trusted him with public office and public money, it also bade 

 him serve the State by accurate and thorough v/ork. And thus he 

 earned the confidence not only of those who beheld the results of his 

 labors, but of those likewise who were competent to criticise the work 

 itself. Scientific men everywhere trusted his observations. He was 

 never suspected of warping or overlooking a fact in the interest of a 

 theory, or even of going into the field, theory in hand, to observe the 

 facts through that medium. His candor and caution were notorious. 

 And the clear, temperate, deliberate conclusions at which he ultimately 

 arrived, are firmly established by his patience and care. 



It is worthy of emphatic comment also, that Professor Cook was 

 ■not given to controversy. His habitual attitude \vas one of not so 

 much "fighting for the truth "as seeking for it. Nor can I recollect 

 any instance in which he spent his energy in vindicating his own 

 originality, priority or consistency. He let his work speak for itself, 

 and left his reputation to the unsolicited recognition of his fellow- 

 workers. The universal esteem in which his name is held constitutes 

 the best proof of the wisdom of his policy in this respect. 



The final volumes of the State Survey, though not completed by 

 his hand, will be everywhere regarded as his work. Indeed, it seems 

 almost like a providential concession to his earnest and humble abne- 

 gation of self that these books should be issued after his death. They 

 will be, as it were, a monument, founded, raised and carved by him, 

 to which we supply only the one thing which he forgot to add, when 

 we reverently engrave upon the blank entablature his honored and 

 beloved name. 



Yours truly, 



R. W. RAYMOND. 



