71 



His grandfither was a French emigrant from the island of Guernsey, 

 and settled in Concord. His father was well known as a manufacturer 

 of black-lead pencils, an art which young Thoreau learned, but never 

 practised as a business, his tastes leading him wholly into the field of 

 science, while he abhorred trade. 



Henry D. Thoreau was distinguished for the great accuracy of his 

 observations, and for the thoroughness with which he executed every 

 research upon which he entered. He was esteemed as an accurate 

 land surveyor, the only business upon which he ever entered for pay. 

 As a botanist he was highly esteemed by those who are the best judges 

 of the subject. 



As an observer of the habits of animals he was unrivalled. He would 

 ■wait all day, if it was necessary, for a bird to approach him. He said 

 their curiosity would bring them to examine him if he would remain 

 quiet long enough : and he generally managed to make familiar ac- 

 quaintance with all living creatures he met with in his rambles through 

 the forest. Thoreau had a genuine love of nature, and pursued natural 

 history for his own gratification, and not with any ambitious views. 

 He was greatly troubled to find that anything had escaped the ob- 

 servation of eminent naturalists, and seemed to be surprised that any^- 

 thing should have been left by them for him to discover. 



Thoreau was a man of original genius, and very peculiar in his views 

 of society and the ways of life. He was conscientiously scrupulous, 

 and was opposed to aiding or abetting, even by a poll-tax, measures 

 which he did not approve of, and therefore got into trouble occasionally 

 with the constituted authorities of the town, who could not indulge 

 him in his opposition to a tax because any part of it might go to sup- 

 port the militia ; so they twice shut him up in the jail, from whence 

 his friends took him by paying his tax against his protest. 



His published works are full of knowledge of the secrets of nature, 

 and are enlivened by much quaint humor, and warmed with kindness 

 towards all living beings. Those who knew Thoreau best loved and 

 appreciated him most. 



Dr. Jackson proposed the following resolutions, which 

 were adopted : — 



Resolved, That the Boston Society of Natural History has learned 

 with profound regret the premature decease of their corresponding 

 member, Henry D. Thoreau, of Concord, who was a most faithful and 

 devoted student of nature, a keen and appreciating observer, whose 

 researches, had longer life been granted him, promised important ac- 

 quisitions to science. 



Resolved, That a copy of this resolution be transmitted to the mother 

 and sister of this eminent naturalist, with expressions of the warm 

 sympathy of this Society in their great loss. 



