BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICES. ix 



tunities for original observation were still further enlarged ; for soon- after his return 

 from this voyage on the nth of October, 1843, he left Boston, and visited Egypt, 

 Arabia, India, and the eastern part of Africa, for observation. After his return, he 

 published, in 1848, "The Races of Man, and their Geographical Distribution," being 

 vol. ix. of the Exploring Expedition. In 1854, he had ready for the press "The 

 Geographical Distribution of Animals and Plants," being vol. xv. of the United 

 States Exploring Expedition ; but, in consequence of the slowness of our govern- 

 ment in such matters, only the first portion of this work has been printed. 



The great work of Dr. Pickering's life, " The Chronological History of Plants," 

 to which he had devoted sixteen years of laborious research, was only recently com- 

 pleted, and is now passing through the press. 



One has only to reflect on the titles of these books, to see how vast an extent of 

 knowledge was required to give to them the completeness at which Dr. Pickering 

 always and conscientiously aimed. We are not competent to judge of their merits ; 

 but we have no doubt of the immense stores of accurate and thoroughly digested 

 information contained in these volumes. He was himself a living encyclopaedia of 

 knowledge. We do not suppose that there was a more learned naturalist in the world, 

 if there was indeed one who had made more extended and minute original explora- 

 tions. His mind was capacious enough to hold, and tenacious enough to keep, all the 

 vast stores of knowledge which he had treasured up ; but no one ever had less a 

 passion or a gift for display. He was the most modest of men. Only those who 

 knew him best, and who from similar pursuits could sympathize with him, were able 

 to see what a mine of knowledge he was. 



His books are on too large a scale, and too much crowded with facts, ever to be 

 popular. They must serve rather as vast storehouses ; and from them teachers and 

 writers on .natural history will draw the treasures which they may hold forth as gems 

 or jewels to attract and delight the popular mind. He had as little the faculty of 

 showing himself off, or making a show of what he knew, as any man that we ever 

 have known. 



The great and solid qualities of such a mind, and such a character and life, cannot 

 be too earnestly commended in this age of self-seeking, when men are so ingenious 

 and fertile in expedients to make a grand exhibition of their slender attainments, — 

 like a Roman shop, where all the goods are exposed in the window. 



Here was a man of large capacity, of the finest moral sensibilities, and the most 

 perfect integrity, engaged during a long life in the profoundest studies, asking 

 neither fame nor money, nor any other reward, but simply the privilege of gaining 

 knowledge and storing it up in convenient forms for the service of others. He was 

 fortunate and happy in his nearest relationships, and most exemplary in all his connec- 

 tion and intercourse with others. But the love of knowledge was the one passion of 

 his life. He asked no richer satisfaction than to search for it as for hidden treasure. 



It is said that we are a superficial people, and that we are always striving for 

 immediate effect. This is too much the characteristic of our age, though probably 



