PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON. 123 



and was honorably associated with what may be called the second 

 stage of that important bureau — a stage in which many of the 

 most important inventions of the century were patented and de- 

 veloped. He remained in that position for about ten years, and 

 having accumulated some means he was then induced to withdraw, 

 and act as expert counsellor in patent cases, while devoting much 

 of his time and means to researches in physical science. He felt 

 called upon, however, to devote a part of his means to the assis- 

 tance of two sisters and a brother. He was exceedingly generous 

 in his disposition, and in order that he might be able to render 

 this assistance he refused to marry ; but his generosity was at the 

 cost of what he valued most, the means and facilities of research. 

 During the period of his investigations he enjoyed in a high degree 

 the confidence of Prof. Henry, who gave him warm encouragement. 

 His experiments were attempts to determine the absolute zero of 

 temperature by the expansion of gases ; but he never published 

 his results though the experiments were based upon correct prin- 

 ciples, and must be considered as in the main successful. His 

 failure to publish them is attributable to a desire to attain further 

 refinements and closer approximations, and also, in a great measure, 

 to the exceedingly exacting standard which he always set up as the 

 criterion of scientific logic. 



A few years ago, when Congress authorized the construction of 

 metric standards, and when the death of Mr. Saxton left a vacancy, 

 Mr. Hilgard was so fortunate as to secure the services of Mr. 

 Lane, and retained them until the latter's death. The report to 

 which Mr. Lane contributed is not yet printed, but happily it is 

 completed, and will soon be published. 



The quality of Mr. Lane's mind was truly remarkable. It was 

 chiefly characterized by an extraordinary precision of thought and 

 of logic ; but it was coupled with a great want of fluency of 

 speech. It was in his writings that this clearness of mind became 

 manifest ; — so lucid was it, and so fully were those qualities of 

 soundness and precision appreciated, that his co-laborers never 

 thought a difiicult induction safe until it had passed through the 

 alembic of Mr. Lane's criticism. By others he was no doubt 

 equally appreciated. 



In conclusion, Mr. Hilgard ofiered the following resolution, which 

 was unanimously adopted : 



Resolved, That the Philosophical Society of Washington place 



