Memoir of William Maclure. 13 



man ; and while he rejoiced in the republican system of his 

 adopted country, he aimed at an intellectual exaltation which, to 

 common observation at least, seems incompatible with the wants 

 and impulses of our nature. 



Fully and justly imbued with the importance of disseminating 

 practical truth, he strove through its influence to bring the seve- 

 ral classes of mankind more on a level with each other, not by 

 invading the privileges of the rich, but by educating the poor ; 

 thus enforcing the sentiment that "knowledge is power," and 

 that he who possesses it will seldom be the dupe of designing 

 and arbitrary minds. With a similar motive he endeavored to 

 inculcate the elements of political economy, by the publication 

 of epistolary essays in a familiar style, which have been embodi- 

 ed in two volumes with the title of Opiiiions on Various Sub- 

 jects. They discover a bold and original mind, and a fondness 

 for innovation which occasionally expresses itself in a startling 

 sentiment; but however we may differ from him on various 

 questions, it must be conceded that his views of financial opera- 

 tions were remarkably correct, inasmuch as he predicted the ex- 

 isting pecuniary embarrassments of this country at the very time 

 when the great mass of observers looked forward to accumulating 

 wealth and unexampled prosperity. 



Let it not be supposed that Mr. Maclure's benevolent efforts 

 were restricted to those extended schemes of usefulness to which 

 we have so often adverted. Far, very far from it. His indi- 

 vidual and more private benefactions, were such as became his 

 affluent resources, influenced by a generous spirit. He habitually 

 extended his patronage to genius, and his cordial support to those 

 plans which, in his view, were adapted to the common interests 

 of humanity. There are few cabinets of natural history in our 

 country, public or private, that have not been augmented from 

 his stores ; and several scientific publications of an expensive 

 character, have been sustained to completion by his instrumen- 

 tality. While in Europe he purchased the copperplate illustra- 

 tions of some important works both in science and art, with the 

 intention of having them republished at home in a cheaper form, 

 in order to render them accessible to all classes of learners. Among 

 these works was Michaux's Sylva, which has been published, 

 since his death, in conformity to his wishes. 



Mr. Maclure was singularly mild and unostentatious in his man- 

 ner ; and though a man of strong feehngs, he seldom allowed his 



