Caclwalailcr.] ^^ [March 19, 



age, as a critic or a censor. His own extensive library contained, in the- 

 ology, in metaphysics, in history, belles lettres, natural philosophy, and 

 every other department of useful knowledge, or polite accomplishment, 

 all the literature of his varied and unremitting study. New books in every 

 department, read by him, and on his parlor table upon their first publi- 

 cation, were, in due season, transferred to their proper shelves. His phi- 

 losophical apparatus, constantly renewed from all parts of the world, was 

 the collection of his long lifetime, and, like his library, was ai-ranged 

 according to the most improved plan. Possibly this apparatus may now, 

 in some part, be antiquated. But I am informed that in certain depart- 

 ments, every modern improvement has been supplied, and that, under 

 some heads, for example the polarization of light, the means and ap- 

 pliances for illustrative experiment are complete and unsurpassed. 



He took pleasure in promoting and assisting the pursuit of useful 

 knowledge by others. Such a man may, through such benevolence, con- 

 tribute more to the diffusion of scientific information than those who 

 justly obtain the praise of useful discoverers. Public lecturers on 

 natural philosophy and on experimental chemistry, had always the free 

 use of his apparatus. They frequently availed themselves of the privi- 

 lege. I heard, in my childhood, public acknowledgments of his liberality 

 in this respect ; and they were, after the lapse of half a century, renewed 

 in the hearing, perhaps, of others now present. 



If I have described him rightly, it will be understood that he may have 

 been eminently capable of comparing the results of investigations by 

 other persons in different branches of art and science. This made his 

 conversation often useful and instructive to practical men. Fallacious 

 pretensions to originality of invention he detected at once, by intuition, 

 as it were. He discerned, with as quick a glance, latent merit which 

 was ultimately to succeed, not only in the practical, but likewise in the 

 fine arts. 



Stated Meeting^ April 2, 1869. 



Present, twenty -two members. 



John C. Cresson, Vice-President, in the Chair. 



A letter accepting membership was received from S. Nillson, 

 dated Lmid, Sweden, 3d Marz, 1869. 



A letter was received from Mr. J. Whiteaves, Curator of 

 the Museum of the Natural History Society at Montreal, dated 

 March 29, 1869, acknowledging the receipt of Transactions 



