20 CALEB COOKE MEMORIAL TABLET. 



Careless of forms, and all our casual creeds, 

 Kuown truly but to nearest frieuds, and few ; 

 He simply asked : " Wliat is there I can do 

 For others?" heedless of his own scant needs. 



He led tlie Life tliat every pulpit feeds, 



Though ne'cr the pastors found him in a pew : 



Yet one said : "Brother, many years we two 



Have preached The Christ; — he made our words his deeds." 



Pure Soul! not for himself he spent his might, 

 And humbly learned his Mother Nature's lore, 

 Boaming a child, with children, by her side. 



Leal-hearted Comrade ! not for him came night ; 



Eatherfor us who took the flowers he bore, 



The flowers still fair, though he, good man, has died. 



The Chair then read several letters which had beeu 

 received from persoiis at a distance, and those iiearer 

 home who were prcveiited from being preseiit oii the 

 occasion and which are referred to below : 



Cambridge, Mass., Jan. 12, 1883. 



"Were it not that I have been conflned to the house for sev- 

 eral days by a severe cold, I shonld be with you this evening to join 

 in the well deserved tribute to the memory of Caleb Cooke, my friend 

 and associate for so many years. 



He was a faithful worker and ofRcer in the Institute and Academy, 

 and to his quiet and unostentatious labors far more is due in develop- 

 ing the wide-spread interest in local natural history pursuits, for 

 which Essex County has become noted, than his peculiar character 

 and habits would lead the superficial observer to suspect. His Sin- 

 gular life, with its many deep undercurrents of thought and action, 

 was only understood during his lifetime by a few who had long been 

 associated with him, although his good works have been acknowl- 

 edged since his death. I am personally thankful tliat the memory of 

 my friend is to be perpetuated by the tablct to be presented to the 

 Academy this evening, and it seems to me that the Board of Trustees 



