PE ALE'S MUSEUM 233 



resigned the active management of the museum and moved to his 

 " Belfield " place, at Germantown. With him old age was robbed of its 

 infirmities. Temperate habits, outdoor exercise and constant employ- 

 ment of mind and body, were responsible, according to his own theories, 9 

 for the vigor that he enjoyed at eighty. He was eighty-three when he 

 painted without his glasses a full-length portrait of himself by order of 

 the trustees of the museum. This is the portrait that now hangs in the 

 Academy of Fine Arts in Philadelphia, an institution of which he was 

 the chief founder. These latter years of his life were not marked by 

 reduced activities, but by more varied occupations. His attempts to 

 make porcelain teeth and similar undertakings have been unduely 

 emphasized. Undoubtedly it is the memory of this period that has led 

 many of his biographers to refer to him as a " jack of all trades." 



Later History of Museum 



It may be interesting to outline briefly the later history of the 

 museum and the fate of its collections. 



In the first decade of the nineteenth century the value of the col- 

 lections was from an educational point of view equal to those of the 

 famous museums of Europe. At this time, with a view to its preserva- 

 tion and to carry out a cherished hope, Peale offered it to the govern- 

 ment at Washington to form the nucleus of a National Museum. Ac- 

 cording to Jeffersonian simplicity it was not in the province of the 

 government to father institutions not directly connected with govern- 

 ment, so the offer was refused. 



In 1816 the city purchased the State House from the state; and, 

 at once, raised the rent on Peale from $400 to $2,000. As Peale could 

 not pay so much, a compromise was made for $1,200. The museum 

 was run at a loss for three years, at the end of which time Peale 

 induced councils to lower the rent to $600. About this time Peale 

 offered the museum to the city on condition that they would agree to 

 house, add to it, and promise not to sell any part of it except duplica- 

 tions. The city refused to accept the gift. 



In 1821 the museum took another lease of life, and its aged pro- 

 prietor, still fearing that it would become divided on his death, had it 

 incorporated with five trustees, all, except one, members of his family. 

 As organized, four professors were appointed to give lectures in Natural 

 History, viz. : 



In mineralogy, Dr. Gerard Troost. 



In zoology, Thomas Say. 



In comparative anatomy, Dr. Richard Harlan. 



In physiology, Dr. John Godman. 



Conservator in zoology, Titian Peale. 



9 " An Epistle to a Friend on the Means of Preserving Health, Promoting 

 Happiness, etc.," 8vo, Philadelphia, 1803, 48 pp., by C. W. Peale. 



