BUFFALO SOCIETY OF NATURAL SCIENCES I 5 



The great Clinton Herbarium which with the enormous 

 labor of years he built up for this Society and which includes- 

 more than 24000 exhibits, is a testimony to the unselfish sat- 

 isfaction which he ever took in his devotion to its interests. Its 

 indebtedness to Judge Clinton cannot be measured by words. 

 The whole community felt the influence of his spirit. As his 

 friend, Hon. James O. Putnam once said, "He was our univer- 

 sal educator. Not to speak of his eminent professional career, 

 he has taught us the sweet humanities and that unbought grace 

 of life, which are the highest and purest charm. Nature's own 

 child, he has unfolded to us her mysteries, as she has revealed 

 them to him, from tree and shrub and flower and her myriad 

 schools of life. For him, nature unveiled her face and filled his 

 ear with music and his soul with all pervading harmonies." 



Judge Clinton was a man of deeply reverent feeling. 

 His was no inconoclastic spirit that could rejoice in breaking 

 down rather than in building up. A true scientist, he had no 

 fears for the safety of a demonstrated proposition and was ever 

 glad to welcome investigation and growth and new knowledge. 

 "True it is" said he in one of his addresses, "that no one can 

 verify all facts and we must take many things on trust; but in 

 investigation of any it is dangerous to be wedded to a theory." 

 So unproven conjecture never appealed to him and his convic- 

 tions were based upon fact rather than upon hypothesis. He 

 was simple, straightforward and kindly in his ways and in his 

 speech and by his gentleness compelled the affection of all who 

 knew him. Men loved him and his presence was a blessing. 



His sudden death which occured at Albany three years 

 later (September 7, 1885) seemed in keeping with his life. 

 Wandering through the Rural Cemetery in the autumn aft- 

 ernoon, his life suddenly ended and he was found with some 

 flowers in his hand which were buried with him. In the words 

 of George William Curtis before the Board of Regents of which 

 Judge Clinton was Vice Chancellor, "Nature seemed to have 

 reclaimed the old man, whose heart the love of her had kept as 

 warm and unwasted as a child's. Like Enoch, in that tranquil, 

 beneficent, blameless life, he walked with God, and God took 

 him." 



He was succeeded in the Presidency of the Society of 

 Natural Sciences by Dr. George E. Hayes who was elected 

 February 18, 1882, though he held the office for a few months 



