Friedrich Georg Withelm Struve. 159 
extremely singular, is not altogether uncommon. When he be- 
gan to recover from exhaustion occasioned by the first attack of 
his malady, his memory, for all eveats of recent occurrence, 
wholly failed him; while, at the same time, it exhibited its usual, 
bs or even increased tenacity in things long since passed away. 
_ __ such occasions he would seem to be living wholly in the scenes 
of the past, reciting passages in Greek, Latin, or Hebrew, and 
speaking in some of those many dialects in which he had learned 
to converse in his youth. In the midst, however, of this vivid 
resuscitation of the past, co-existing with the temporary oblivion 
of all recent associations, it is a touchingly suggestive circum- 
stance to record that he never forgot the face of a friend. 
At length, reluctant to continue as the nominal head of a great 
establishment, which he no longer felt himself able personally to 
direct, in December, 1861, he requested permission to resign his 
t, is permission was granted, accompanied, among other 
special marks of honor, with the grant of an hereditary estate by 
IS sovereign ; and thus the Observatory of Pulkowa passed to 
the directorship of his worthy son, Mr. Otto Struve. That the 
a 
€ven on the noble science of their common pursuit. Among 
reduced him, and f 
thanked those around him for the affection which had brought 
| We could fondly beli hus ordained for the old 
eve that it was thus ordained for tl 
___ 4stronomer to a like a patriarch, in the midst of his range os 
for with i that memorable jubilee, on the 23: 
: is November, 1864, Struve was called to his rest. ue 
SS a 
