: Reminiscences of the late Mr. Whitney. 261 
tubes. Mr. Whitney considered it as so valuable, that he chose to 
pay for the moulds himself, although they were expensive, and he re- 
tained them with reference to future use for himself. 
The operations of Mr. Whitney’s mind were not so remarkable for 
rapidity as for precision. ‘This arose, not from the want of mental 
activity and ardor of feeling, but from habitual caution, and from his 
having made it his rule to be satisfied with nothing short of perfec- 
tion. Hence, he delayed to mention a projected invention or im- 
provement, until he was entirely satisfied with his own views; he did 
not disclose them until, in his own opinion, he had hit upon the best 
conception and the best means of execution, and when these were 
attained, and not before, he brought his project forward, or, more 
frequently, putiit into successful operation before he divulged his 
plan. Hence, he rarely found it necessary to retrace his steps. In 
early life he so effectually disciplined his mind, that he could, not 
oly confine it to the contemplation of one subject, but he could 
suspend his train of thought and the execution of his inventions, 
aad resume them at distant intervals, without confusion or loss. He 
Was very patient of interruption, and would cheerfully leave his own 
engagements and interrupt his mechanical arrangements, his repasts, 
or his business, to attend to the numerous applications which were 
tonstantly made to him, both by those who had, and those who had 
hot, any proper claims to his time and services. 
© man, as stated in the memoir, knew better how to control the 
€xcursions of an inventive mind. I have heard him speak, feelingly, 
of the ruin often brought by ingenious men upon themselves, by al- 
wing their minds to wander from invention to invention ; devising 
Many things and completing nothing ; and he considered it equally 
his own duty and interest, to adhere, inflexibly, to those undertakings 
Which he could carry into successful operation, and to deny himself 
the luxury of a perpetual mental creation. 
With all his contemplative ingenuity, and habitual attention to me- 
chanical details, Mr. Whitney did not allow his mind to be narrowed 
°wn to'a limited horizon. His views of men and things were on 
the most enlarged scale. ‘The interests of mankind, and especially 
af. his native country, as connected with government, liberty, order, 
Sclence, arts, literature, morals and religion, were familiar to his mind, 
and he delighted in conversing with men of a similar character. 
