22 Life and Character of Nathaniel Bmoditch. 



The publication of the book proved, as he anticipated, and as I 

 have already mentioned, a very expensive undertakiiig, it being 

 one of the largest works and most difficult of execution ever 

 printed in this country, and at the same time one of the most 

 beautiful specimens of typography. 



Though it met with more purchasers than the author ever ex- 

 pected, still the cost was a heavy draught upon his income, and 

 an encroachment on his little property. Yet it was cheerfully 

 paid ; and besides that, he gladly devoted his time, his talents, 

 and may I not add, his health and his hfe, to the cause of science 

 and the honor of his native land. That work is his monument, 

 Si monimientum qiicBris, aspice lihriim.^ He needs no other 

 monument ; and at the same time it is the most precious and hon- 

 orable legacy that he could bequeath to his children. 



Among the numerous services which Dr. Bowditch rendered 

 to the cause of good learning and the dilfusion of useful knowl- 

 edge, after he came to Boston, was the deep and active interest 

 which he took in the Boston Athenasum. When, in 1826, the 

 Perkins family, in that liberal spirit which has ever characterized 

 them, gave to the Athenoeum sixteen thousand dollars, on condi- 

 tion that an equal sum should be raised from other sources, Dr. 

 Bowditch exerted himself to the utmost to accomplish the object. 

 Many of the best friends of the institution thought the enterprise 

 a hopeless one, and were indisposed even to make an attempt to 

 raise the amount. But Dr. Bowditch said, " It is a good thing, 

 let us try it ; if we fail, we fail in a good cause." He called per- 

 sonally on many individuals to solicit subscriptions, and chiefly 

 in consequence of his exertions, the additional sum of twenty- 

 seven thousand dollars was raised. 



The permitting the books to be taken out of the library was 

 another measure proposed and effected by him. Strenuous oppo- 

 sition was made to it : but he believed and said that the circula- 

 tion of the books Avould make the library ten times more useful, 

 and he persevered till he accomplished the measure. It was 

 always a favorite object with Dr. Bowditch to render books easily 

 accessible to those who wanted them, and could make a good use 

 of them. He doubtless remembered the difficulties under which 



* I have ventured to alter a little and apply to Dr. Bowditch, the well-known 

 epitaph on Sir Christopher AVren, beneath the dome of St. Paul's Cathedral, 

 London : — " Si monumentum Qua:Ris, circujispice." 



