LETTERS OF REGRET. 



The following letters of regret were received: 



New Haven, May 12th, 1890. 

 President Gates: 



My Dear Sir — Your letter of the 7th relating to the commemora- 

 tion exercises with reference to Professor Cook, has been received. 

 His death was to me the loss of an old friend. We were not often 

 together in our work, but our long labors have been for a common 

 purpose, and with mutual interest in one another's results, and I 

 have always found my esteem for him increased with each new 

 contribution of his to science. His published reports were always 

 the outcome of earnest work and good judgment, devoid of all self- 

 seeking, and showed the broad man who could investigate principles 

 and also study out the many practical applications connected with 

 the special subjects before him, and owing to the largeness of his 

 heart and his sense of duty to the State which employed him, the 

 latter sometimes seemed to give him the greater pleasure. 



It is a satisfaction to do honor to such a man. But, on account 

 of the state of my health, I regret to say I shall not be able to be 

 present and take part in the commemoration exercises. My sympa- 

 thy will nevertheless be with you. 



Very respectfully and truly yours, 



JAMES D. DANA. 



New York, May 19th, 1S90. 

 Professor T. S. Doolittle, Rutgers College, New Brunswick, N. J.; 

 Dear Sir — I regret to say that the expected telegram arrived 

 this morning, and unexpectedly requires me to start in a few hours,, 

 thus putting beyond my power the fulfillment of my promise. All 

 that I can do is to express by this letter in hasty outline the im- 

 pression which was made upon me by the labors and publications. 



