SAMUEL PIERPONT LANGLEY. 
11 
the remainder could, as Professor Baird said, be employed 
in “keeping up those original researches at Allegheny Uni- 
versity which have already secured for you so much distinc- 
tion in the scientific world. The Smithsonian Institution 
does not desire in any way to interrupt the progress of your 
investigations; on the contrary, it will be most happy to 
facilitate them as far as lies in its power, with the hope, at 
some future day, of being able to give, in Washington, 
facilities equal, or superior, to those that you can have else- 
where.” The reply of Mr. Langley, a portion of which I 
quote, throws an interesting side-light upon the character 
of the man utterly unsuspected by the world at large and 
known to only a few of his intimates — that is, a strong 
craving for real society, by which he meant intercourse with 
people of diverse minds and knowledge, all of whom might 
give him that intellectual companionship for which he hun- 
gered. Mr. Langley, on November 27, 1886, wrote from 
Allegheny to Professor Baird: 
“I am obliged by your official letter of the 22d instant, 
inviting me to accept the Assistant Secretaryship of the 
Smithsonian Institution, and by its kind allusion to those 
relations of mine to physical science, which have influenced 
you in making the proposal. 
“The opportunity for usefulness in that direction is a 
strong motive to me for acceptance, as I mentioned in the 
conference to which you refer; but I find from your letter 
that I did not then make my actual position plain, as I 
intended to do. To repeat what I then meant to say : I have 
no wash or ambition to tempt me from giving mast, of my 
time to physical investigation — at least now, while I enjoy 
exceptional facilities for this, together with a freedom which 
I could not expect in any subordinate position. 
“My professional life here is, through the kindness of those 
to whom I owe more than official duty, a very pleasant one. 
in most respects, nor have I any occasion to leave the work 
of my predilection to increase my income. 
“At the same time, both my professional and domestic life 
here are exceptionally isolated, and I have felt the need of 
some change which would bring with it along with society 
new occupation, if that could be of a kind not wholly dis- 
sociated from my accustomed pursuits.” 
