THE BRYOLOGIST 



Vol. XXIV May, 1921 No. 3 



LINCOLN WARE RIDDLE, LICHENIST 



Bruce Fink 



Doctor Lincoln Ware Riddle was born at Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts, 

 October 17, 1880, and died at his home, 123 Walker Street, Cambridge, Massa- 

 chusetts, January 16, 192 1. He was fitted for college at Roxbury Latin School, 

 and a private school in Boston. While at the former school he became interested in 

 botany and decided to become a botanist. He later entered Harvard University and 

 graduated from there in 1902. He received the doctorate in philosophy at his Alma 

 Mater four years later and went to Wellesley College, as instructor in botany. He 

 became a full professor in 1917. A year's leave of absence in 19 13 he spent in Eu- 

 rope, working with several eminent men and in a number of the largest herbaria. 

 In 19 19, he was called to Harvard as assistant professor of cryptogamic botany. 

 Doctor Riddle was vice-president of the Sullivant Moss Society in 1920. He became 

 associate editor ot the Bryologist in 191 1 and remained on the board of editors un- 

 til the time of his death. 



In December of Doctor Riddle's first year at Wellesley, I first learned of 

 him through a letter of inquiry regarding some matters lichenological. With 

 this letter was begun a correspondence from which more than 40 of his letters 

 are still on file in my office. In these letters are freely discussed the various 

 plans of the young, well trained, and rapidly growing lichenist. Had I nothing 

 more than this correspondence, which closed with his last illness, I would feel 

 so well acquainted with the man and his work that I should not hesitate to make 

 an estimate of his character and ability. As I review the letters, each one bears 

 evidence of the courtesy, the fine sense of propriety, the painstaking care, and 

 the good training and ability of the man who wrote them. 



The first letter contains a statement of an interest in lichens extending 

 back through several years and an expression of the hope that, with the col- 

 lections of Clara E. Cummings at hand and the great collections at Harvard 

 near by, he might be able to do some valuable work on the lichens. The early 

 letters were for most part modest solicitations of help and advice, and there 

 was never a failure to express the keenest appreciation, oftentimes when I felt 

 that my attempts to give aid were weak indeed. It was my privilege in the 

 early years of our acquaintance to determine a considerable number of species 

 £or Doctor Riddle and to verify some of his determinations. Later I was repaid 



The March number of The Bryologist was published July 25, 1921. 



