Febeuaky 14, 1913] 



SCIENCE 



255 



a man's having an uproarious good time on Sun- 

 day; but I added that there should be no disturb- 

 ance of the religious or other duties of the day 

 by others. I did say that "I would," or that 

 "I believe that I would" close up the churches 

 temporarily, as an experiment. But I stated my 

 reasons, with emphasis, because so many good, 

 religious people have come to think of church 

 going as a great part of the whole religious duty, 

 and because, if there were no churches open for a 

 time, these people would be constrained to turn to 

 more important religious duties, of kindly service 

 and the like. Just here I quoted the declaration 

 of James as to the meaning of religion pure and 

 undefiled. 



The above will perhaps enable you to judge for 

 yourself as to the degree of accuracy with which I 

 was reported; but for a slight amplification of 

 which I have just written, I am enclosing a copy 

 of a letter which I sent in correction of the first 

 report, and which was printed in the paper first 

 reporting me, in its issue of last Saturday morn- 

 ing, January 25th. 



Of course, not even all of what I am now 

 placing at your disposal can make entirely clear 

 my general attitude on Sunday observance; but 

 it is probably quite enough to make you to see how 

 and in what light I stood last Wednesday evening. 

 And that, I am sure, is all of your present wants, 

 Very sincerely yours, 



WiLLARD C. Fisher 



My Dear Prof. Fisher: — Your letter of this date 

 is just received. Even after consideration of your 

 explanation of your position, I find it difficult to 

 believe that any one with a just appreciation of 

 the wort which the churches have done and are 

 doing for the religious and moral life of the com- 

 munity, could seriously propose the closing of the 

 churches, even as a temporary experiment. I am 

 constrained to the conviction that your attitude 

 in the matter is so far out of harmony with the 

 spirit of the college, which, though in no wise 

 sectarian, is and always has been profoundly in 

 sympathy with Christian churches, that your con- 

 tinuance in your present official position is unde- 

 sirable for the college or for yourself. I feel 

 therefore compelled to request you to offer your 

 resignation. 



Most sincerely yours, 



William Arnold Shanklin 



My Dear Dr. ShanTclin: — Of course I shall re- 

 spond at once to your request for my resignation. 



Here it is. It is given cheerfully, I trust, and in 

 full appreciation of the situation. I do not expect, 

 I do not even undertake, to frame for myself a 

 judgment as to what I might think the correct 

 course for the college to take in such a case. But 

 my judgment is not needed and it might be biased. 

 I am, however, free enough from prejudice to see 

 very clearly that a college with the history and the 

 constituency and support of Wesleyan, is not 

 exactly the place for a man who holds such views 

 as mine, and who can not suppress them. I leave 

 the college, therefore, without a trace of ill will 

 toward anybody connected with it. Indeed I go 

 with the warmest wishes for the institution to 

 which I have given the twenty best years of my 

 life. 



Very cordially yours, 



WiLLARD C. Fisher 



My Dear Prof. Fisher: — I have your favor, re- 

 signing from the faculty of Wesleyan University. 

 I hereby release you from your duties, pending 

 the presentation of your resignation to the board 

 of trustees. I shall recommend that your salary 

 be paid in full for the present academic year. 



Appreciating your spirit of good will to the 

 college, I am, 



Most sincerely yours, 



William Arnold Shanklin 



SCIENTIFIC BOOKS 

 Manual of Conchology. Vol. XXI. Achati- 

 nellidse (AmastrinEe). By Alpheus Hyatt 

 and Henry A. Pilsbry. Leptachatina by 

 C. Montague Cooke. Philadelphia. 1911. 

 The " Manual of Conchology," founded 

 many years ago by George W. Tryon, was de- 

 signed to include descriptions of all the known 

 living MoUusca. In Tryon's day it was essen- 

 tially a compilation, but even so quite invalu- 

 able to eonchologists. When Tryon died, and 

 Dr. H. A. Pilsbry took his place, the char- 

 acter of the work changed, and the new vol- 

 umes came more and more to represent ex- 

 haustive original research. The treatment of 

 the Helicidse, for example, put the whole sub- 

 ject on a new footing, and stands to-day as one 

 of the great classics of malacology. Naturally 

 the later parts have contained descriptions of 

 fewer species than the early ones, the more 

 elaborate treatment requiring more space; 



