BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH 
OF 
GEORGE BROWN GOODE. 
a | Res author of AMERICAN Fisues died in 1896 when at the height of 
his activity as an author as well as a government official. A natural 
desire is felt by almost every one to know something of the life of a favorite 
author, and to satisfy in some measure such a want a brief account of 
Goode’s career is here given. This account was originally prepared for 
Science at the request of its editor, and is composed of three sections ; the 
first (I.) by Dr. Marcus Benjamin, giving details of his life; the second 
(II.) by the editor, presenting an estimate of his scientific work ; and the 
third (III.) by Dr. Langley, testifying to his official ability and amiable 
character. 
A more detailed biography may be found in the volume published as 
“ Part II.” of the Report of the U. S. National Museum for 1896-97, with a 
separate title-page, as “A Memorial of George Brown Goode, together with 
a selection of his papers on Museums and on the Progress of Science in 
America” (1901). The excellent portrait of Goode * herewith published is 
reproduced from that serving as the illustration of the notice of him by Dr. 
Cyrus Adler, published in the Bulletin of the Philosophical Society of Wash- 
ington, through the courtesy of Mr. Marcus Baker. 
IL 
In the untimely death of Dr. G. Brown Goode, American science mourns 
the loss of one of its most distinguished representatives. No more, and 
equally no less, can be said of the man whose best years seemed as yet 
unlived, when he was suddenly stricken with pneumonia and died a victim 
of that cruel disease at his home on Lanier Heights, in Washington City 
on Sunday evening, September 6. 
George Brown Goode was born in New Albany, Ind., on February 13, 
1851. His ancestry was colonial, and he traced with pride his paternal 
* Several portraits have been published. The first appeared in Harger’s Weekly in 1887 and was a fine 
wood engraving and excellent likeness of him at the time — on the whole (in my opinion) the most satisfactory 
that has been made. Imprints of the engraving were furnished by the Harpers for the ‘‘ Virginia Cousins ” 
and inserted opposite p. 288. 
