HELMHCXLTZ. 793 



Although one of the most modest and quiet of men, no one could meet 

 him without feeling the charm of his personality. While he bore 

 a dignity which became the great master of science which he was 

 everywhere admitted to be, he was approachable in an extraordinary 

 degree. He was eloquent in popular address and believed in the obli- 

 gations of men of science to the general public. In scientific discussion, 

 whether on his feet or with pen in hand, there was a certain massive- 

 ness about his style and manner which was generally irresistible. In 

 his attacks upon the region of the unknown he showed possibly less 

 brilliant strategy than one or two of his contemporaries, but he rarely, 

 if ever, found himself obliged to conduct a retreat. In 1893 lie was 

 selected by the Emperor as the head of the German delegation, five in 

 number, to the International Electrical Congress held in Chicago in 

 August of that year. His more than three score and ten years weighed 

 upon him, and he begged to be relieved of the duty. The young Kaiser, 

 who was fond of him and who loved to honor him in every way, sent for 

 him. On hearing his modest plea, he said, "Helmholtz, you must go; 

 I want the Americans to see the best I have of every kind, and you are 

 our greatest and best man." As becomes a dutiful subject he yielded. 

 While in this country every honor was shown him. Here he found 

 many of the hundreds and thousands of his pupils who everywhere in 

 the world are adding luster to his name by perpetuating his spirit and 

 his methods, and all were ready to serve him. Electrician, mathema- 

 tician, physiologist and physicist, he found everywhere a large and 

 appreciative constituency, while his own almost boyish pleasure in 

 whatever he saw that was novel, was charming to see. 



On his homeward voyage he met with an accident which was thought 

 by many to be the beginning of the end. Up to the time of his death, 

 which occurred about a year later, he continued, but not very actively, 

 to direct the great institution for original research, in which, by the 

 wisdom of an appreciative Government, he had found full scope for his 

 powers. His interest in the important work done at the Chicago Con- 

 gress continued through this year, and one of the few long letters he 

 wrote had reference to its proceedings. On the 8th of September, 1894, 

 he died, and on the 13th he was buried at Charlottenberg, princes and 

 peasants alike mourning his loss. 



Von Helmholtz occupied so large a part of the scientific horizon and 

 for so long a time that we have not yet become accustomed to his 

 absence. But it is not too soon to agree that the following admirable 

 lines which appeared in the London Punch a little more than a year 

 ago express in some measure our judgment of the man and his work: 



"What matter titles? Helmholtz is a name 

 That challenges alone the award of fame ! 

 When Emperors, Kings, Pretenders, shadows all, 

 Leave not a dust-trace on our whirling ball, 

 Thy work, oh grave-eyed searcher, shall endure, 

 Unmarred by faction, from low passion pure." 



