1883.] 247 (Robinson, 
been tempted to give up for some years, to a great 
extent, the laboratory, for the pleasures of society and 
travel. To this, is no doubt ascribable the fact that 
after May, 1825, the period of his father’s death, Pro- 
fessor Silliman was unable to find “any further contri- 
butions from Mr. Seybert,”’ besides the analysis of the 
Tennessee meteorite of Bowen in 1830. 
It has been suggested that the last sentence above 
quoted from the discourse of Professor Silliman, had 
reference to his spiritualistic investigations. If so, 
Professor Silliman labored under a great mistake as 
to Mr. Seybert’s occupations between 1830 and 1850. 
During all that period he was certainly much more of 
a Materialist than a Spiritualist, but I think more of a 
Christian, though for a time a doubting one, than 
either. But notwithstanding his religious doubts, and 
perplexities, he gave, during that period, both in this 
country and Europe, where he passed much of it, his 
attention and aid to works of charity, and valuable en- 
terprises. Among the latter I recollect his perfect 
confidence, speedily verified, notwithstanding the de- 
cided opinions and predictions of Lardner and others 
to the contrary, in the general adoption, within a brief 
period, of steamships between America and Europe. 
It may indeed be doubted whether the large acces- 
sion of fortune to Mr. Seybert, on the death of his 
father, was a fortunate feature in his history, and it very 
probably was not. Had it been less, he would proba- 
bly have continued a co-laborer with his friends in 
