66 PROCEEDINGS OF THE SAINT LOUIS MEETING 



more and more devoted to geology, and toward the last his whole atten- 

 tion was given to that science. 



The many and often perplexing problems presented by the rocks of the 

 Champlain Valley were ever in his thoughts and eagerly discussed when- 

 ever occasion offered, even to the very last ; for though his bodily strength 

 failed, so that for the last few years of his life he could not engage in the 

 field-work of which he was so fond, his mind lost none of its wonted 

 grasp of such problems. 



Of his Avork in Middlebury, Dr. John M. Thomas, who as student and 

 close friend is more competent to speak than the writer, says : 



"During the thirty -four years in which he was actively engaged in teaching 

 at Middlebury he taught chemistry, which was the chief subject in which he 

 had fitted himself, but also geology, botany, zoology, for the most of the time 

 without assistance, but M^as himself the sole instructor. PJxcept the last few 

 years, the course of study in the college was required, and every student from 

 the class of 1861 to that of 1891 was under Professor Seely's instruction in all 

 of the above branches. When the elective sij'stem was introduced in 1891. 

 electives were few and Professor Seely's courses were taken by nearly every 

 student." 



Of Professor Seely as teacher, Doctor Thomas adds: 



"The kindliness and gentleness of the man, his sweetness and grace of dis- 

 position, were perhaps the first qualities in his teaching, as they were first in 

 the thought of any who were brought Into relation to him in any way. 



"Students are often severe judges, and I am sure that no student ever ques- 

 tioned the Christian character of Professor Seely. He employed his Chris- 

 tianity in the class-room as thoroughly as he did out of it. At the same time 

 he was a thorough and careful teacher of science. He had learned the methods 

 of scientific investigation in (iermany and his work was never superficial nor 

 merely didactic. 



"So far as facilities allowed, he employed laboratory methods even in the 

 years when they were not general. He continued to hold ideals of specializa- 

 tion and research which he was not privileged to carry out, but he imparted 

 the spirit and the knowledge of the goal to his disciples. 



"A patient, kindly, gentle man. he is remembered with peculiar affection and 

 honor by a large proportion of the living graduates of Middlebury College as 

 a teacher for whose Christian character and for whose zeal they are alike 

 grateful." 



Professor San ford, who for several years was a colleague with Professor 

 Seely at Middlebury, writes: 



"One characteristic of his teaching seemed to be a love for a plain setting 

 forth and an avoidance of a spectacular method of approach. He never, so 

 far as I know, cared to arouse or stimulate curiosity or flagging attention by 

 novel or unusual forms of presentation of the subject, thinking that a simple 

 recital of the laws that governed the whirlwind, or the rainfall, or the storv 



