MEMORIAL OF C. S. PROSSER 75 



to himself, lie could never suspect another of indirectness or duplicitj^ — a 

 quality of which he contained not a grain. . . . For those whom he knew 

 to be his friends no sacrifice was too great, no defense too vigorous ; for them 

 no defection was thinkable. The word of personal criticism seldom passed his 

 lips." 



I had known him for years before I ever heard him speak harshly of 

 any one, and then only under stress of the deepest wrong. If he criti- 

 cized the findings of a fellow-geologist, it was always in the kindliest 

 fasliion. I well remember with what infinite reluctance he pointed out 

 the occasional errors of stratigraphic determination into which his dis- 

 tinguished predecessor at Ohio State University had fallen; for every 

 man does occasionally make mistakes. Though the instincts of scientific 

 accuracy in him were stronger even than the warmest ties of friendship, 

 nevertheless he proved that it is possible to correct an error without 

 making an enemy. 



He inculcated this spirit in his students, and if any of them have 

 departed from the path on which he set their feet it is greatly to their 

 discredit. 



He was a modest man. Sometimes I have thought he was too reticent. 

 I have seen scheming men set ahead of him who were not worthy to 

 unloose the latchet of his shoes ; yet his quiet worth shone all the brighter 

 to his students, because, forgetful of self, he gave himself unstintedly to 

 them. Much praise he had for their attainments, but only quiet dis- 

 paragement of his own. They were always to become famous and to 

 outdo him. It was a relief in this day when we bow the knee to the God 

 of noise to see a man go about his business quietly and unobtrusively. 

 He never confused bluster with efficiency. He never tried to improve 

 his place in the world by clang of bells and blare of horns. But for what 

 was rightfully his he fought with all the panoply of honorable combat. 



I quote again from Doctor Clarke : 



"His determinations of fact he was prepared to defend and to claim his title 

 to them, and his high-strung temperament made him revolt when he saw the 

 credit for his determinations complacently or in ignorance absorbed by another. 

 To this he would not become inured, as almost every investigator in science 

 must ; it was to him a rape of his golden fleece." 



He was a wise man. He gave good counsel, and many a student and 

 many a colleague has sought him out in time of trouble and found his 

 words precious. I wish I might quote from a few of the many letters he 

 wrote to former students — for lie never lost track of them — wisely advis- 

 ing them on all sorts of matters. 



