The Late Dr. Kane. 73 



diligence if I depart from tlie formality of a more official announce- 

 ment on this occasion, and render my brief and humble tribute to 

 the worth of a man whom I greatly loved. In my observation of 

 human nature it has seldom fallen to my lot to meet a fellow-be- 

 ing possessed of more striking excellences, or in whom there was 

 a combination more rare of seemingly opposite qualities ; in him, 

 however, they were all harmoniously blended, and it was precise- 

 ly this fact which made him to me an object of deep and affection- 

 ate interest. To a fine mind, inquiring and analytical, he added 

 great industry ; and what he deemed worthy of study at all he stu- 

 died thoroughly. The range of his attainments, too, was varied, 

 and he had roamed largely over the wide-spread field of ph37sical 

 science. Both varied and accurate as were his attainments, there 

 was a beautiful simplicity and modesty so blended with them, that 

 no one ever could suspect him of feeling his superiority in learning, 

 over those with whom he mingled. He had not studied for osten- 

 tatious display, but for usefulness in his station. The strong trait 

 in his character was his indomitable energy. In his small and fee- 

 ble frame there was combined an iron will, a giant power of reso- 

 lute purpose. Impulsive, ardent as he was by nature, one might 

 have expected that his would be just the disposition to leap pre- 

 maturely to conclusions; but a very slight acquaintance soon proved 

 that such was not his habit of mind. Earely have I seen so much 

 of impulsive warmth blended with the soberness of patient, labor- 

 ious inquiry, and sound practical judgment, as in him. Thus for 

 instance, the strong conviction he had of the open Polar sea, which 

 he lived long enough to discover, was founded on no hasty or hap- 

 py guess. In conversations which he held with me on the proba- 

 bilities of its existence, when our discussion turned entirely on 

 scientific considerations, I found that he had reasoned out his con- 

 clusions by a chain of induction almost as strictly severe as mathe- 

 matical demonstration ; indeed, part of his process was mathemati- 

 cal. Before he sailed, he told me he was sure there was open wa- 

 ter around the pole, and that if he lived to return he hoped to be 

 able to tell me he had seen it. He no more proceeded on conjec- 

 ture merely than did Columbus in his assertion of the existence of 

 our hemisphere. But with these intellectual traits, and with great 

 personal intrepidity, he had a gentleness of heart as tender as a 

 woman's. There was an over-flowing kindliness in his soul which 

 stirred up his benevolence to its lowest depths when he encoun- 

 tered human misery, whether of body or mind. He spared not 



