430 
felicitous allusion. He had set before himself as models the 
best prose writers of the previous century, and the influence of 
Goldsmith upon him is especially notable. He thus acquired 
the command of pure, idiomatic and forcible language wherein 
to clothe the arguments which he wished to enforce, to describe 
the landscapes which had imprinted themselves like photographs 
on his memory, and to present restorations of ancient lands and 
seas which his poetic temperament and powerful imagination 
called up before his eyes. Moreover, he had a keen sense of 
humour, which would show itself from time to time, even in the 
midst of a scientific discussion. He could not bear dulness in 
others, and strove to avoid it himself. Where his subject might 
have been apt to grow wearisome, he contrived to lighten it 
with unexpected flashes of pleasantry or with some pertinent 
words from a favourite author. This felicitous style seemed so 
spontaneous, and yet it was in reality the result of the most 
scrupulous attention. Even in his newspaper articles on the 
multifarious topics of the passing day, he continued to maintain 
the same high standard of composition. He has left as his 
literary monument a series of works that may serve as models 
of English writing. 
In estimating a man’s influence on the world we look, not 
only at his work, but on his character, often the more important 
and valuable of the two. Judged from this side, Hugh Miller’s 
claims to our regard and admiration are not less strong for what 
he was than for what he did. Pious and pure-minded, full of 
generous sympathies, and alive to all that was noblest and best 
in human life, he was endowed with a manly independence of 
nature which kept his head erect in every changing phase of his 
career, and won for him the respect of all, gentle and simple, 
who came in contact with him. Though naturally robust, his 
occupation as a mason had left behind some seeds of disease. 
He was at different times attacked with inflammation of the 
lungs and other disorders of enfeebled health. His strong 
sense of duty, however, kept him at his post when prudence 
earnestly counselled rest. At last the strain became too great, 
and brought a noble and well-spent life to a sudden and tragic 
end. 
It is to mea valued privilege to take part to-day in the cen- 
tenary celebration of sucha man. The years slip away, and I 
am probably the only geologist now alive who knew Hugh 
Miller well. He was my earliest scientific friend. Some boyish 
articles I had written in an Edinburgh newspaper on a geo- 
logical excursion to the Isle of Arran had gained me his 
acquaintance, and ever thereafter I enjoyed his friendship and 
profited by his encouragement. To his helpful incervention I 
owed my introduction to Murchison, and thence my entry into 
the Geological Survey. His death was one of the great be- 
reavements of my youth. It is therefore with heartfelt gratifi- 
cation that here, in his native town, so early familiar to me 
from his graphic descriptions, I find myself permitted on this 
public occasion gratefully to express my life-long indebtedness 
to him for his noble example, for the stimulus of his writings, 
and for the personal kindness which I received at his hands. 
WHAT THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 
IS DOING FOR ANTHROPOLOGY. 
HAVING recently had the good fortune to pay a somewhat 
extended visit to the United States of America, I have 
thought it might not be uninteresting to you to hear what our 
kinsmen and colleagues across the Atlantic are doing for the 
furtherance of anthropology. 
The means for the advancement of the science of anthro- 
pology fall under the following heads :—(1) The collection of 
information in the field ; (2) the publication of such information ; 
(3) the collection of specimens; (4) the preservation of 
specimens ; (5) the publication of museum specimens ; (6) the 
instruction of students ; (7) independent investigation of collected 
material. 
As no hard and fast line can be drawn between some of these 
activities, I shall deal first with the museums and with the 
field work undertaken by the more important institutions in the 
United States of America, and then very briefly with the teach- 
ing of anthropology in the United States. 
1 Abridged from the presidential address delivered by Dr. A. C. Haddon, 
F-.R.S., before the Anthropological Institute on January 28. The address 
is published in fullin the current number of the /ournad of the Institute. 
NO. 1713, VOL. 66] 
NATURE 
[Aucusi 28, 1902 
I. Field Work and Museums. 
It is a glory to the nation of the United States that it has 
recognised the duty of collecting information about the abori- 
ginal Americans. ‘he twenty or moreannual reports published 
by the Bureau of Ethnology constitute a monument to the 
intelligence of the Government and of its departmental officials 
of which their country may well feel proud. Nor does the 
Bureau of Ethnology neglect the collection of specimens, as 
is evidenced by the very extensive collections transferred to 
the National Museum. I cannot, however, refrain from remark- 
ing that it seems very strange that the anthropography, or 
physical anthropology, of the native tribes is entirely neglected 
by the Bureau, and I know that others share with me the hope 
that this state of affairs will be remedied. 
The head curator of the department of anthropology in the 
National Museum, Dr. W. H. Holmes, is gradually working 
out his conception of what his museum should be. His object 
is twofold: (1) to illustrate the cultural history of mankind; 
(2) to demonstrate the distinctive characteristics of the various 
races and people. 
(1) Numerous series of objects have been installed to illus- 
trate the progress of culture, such, for example, as the various 
stages of evolution from stone implements, on the one hand, to 
the most modern steel tools and engineering appliances on the 
other. Inthis work the curator has been ably helped by the 
veteran Dr. Otis T. Mason, whose writings on technology are so 
well appreciated by students. An admirable land transport 
series has been got together, and one hall is devoted to a won- 
derful collection illustrating transport by water. There is also 
an interesting section devoted to scomparative religions, of 
which Dr. Cyrus Adler is the custodian. No Government in the 
world does so much for ethnology as does that of the United 
States. 
The Free Museum of Science and Art in Philadelphia con- 
tains some very valuable and pleasingly arranged collections of 
Babylonian, Egyptian and Etruscan antiquities. Good repre- 
sentative collections of American ethnology and archeology are 
being got together, owing to the exertions of Mr. Culin, the 
director. Of the special collections given to the university, 
mention need be made only of the collection of gems, of musical 
instruments and the Furness-Hose collection from Sarawak. In 
the museum is also to be found Mr. Culin’s very instructive and 
almost exhaustive collection of games, but unfortunately it is 
stored away in drawers. If this collection was adequately 
exhibited it would give to the museum a unique position among 
anthropological museums, 
It is instructive to note that although this is a university 
museum, no support is received from the university, all the 
scientific work being prosecuted by funds raised from private 
sources, a result largely due to the enthusiasm of Dr. Sara Y. 
Stevenson, the energetic secretary of the department. 
In 1869 a little band of public-spirited men was created by 
the Legislature ‘‘a body corporate by the name of ‘the 
American Museum of Natural History,’ to be located in the 
city of New York, for the purpose of establishing and main- 
taining in said city, a Museum and Library of Natural History ; 
of encouraging and developing the study of Natural Science ; of 
advancing the general knowledge of kindred subjects, and to 
that end of furnishing popular instruction and recreation.” 
A partnership, under sanction of the law, was entered into 
by the citizens of New York in their corporate capacity with the 
president and trustees of the museum, it being mutually agreed 
that the city should pay for the erection of the buildings, their 
maintenance and protection, while the trustees took upon 
themselves the responsibility of providing the exhibits, the 
library, the lectures and other means of instruction and mental 
recreation. This arrangement is perpetual and irrevocably 
binding on both parties. 
The anthropological department of the museum has accom- 
plished an unprecedented amount of research during the past 
year, a large sum of money having been received from private 
sources for the purchase of several important collections of 
American archzeology and ethnology and for the expenses of 
many expeditions in the field. 
The greater part of the anthropological collections in the 
Yale University Museum are archeological in character. The 
Peabody Museum of Harvard University is already over- 
crowded and fresh collections are constantly arriving, which the 
curator. Prof. F. W. Putnam, is forced to keep in boxes in the 
store rooms. The main collections are the results of the 
