under those influences which were so important in determining his 
future distinguished career. He served as Librarian from August, 
1856, until May, 1859, when he was compelled to resign the office in 
consequence of the increase of his professional engagements. 
After his retirement from business, Mr. Meigs and the Doctor were 
much more intimately associated than is usually the case even with 
father and son. The mother having died July 28th, 1870, at the 
age of sixty years, the two men kept house together, during the latter 
years of their lives at No. 1408 Spruce Street, where they accumu¬ 
lated the library which is now in the possession of the Academy. 
Notwithstanding the old gentleman’s lack of literary and scientific 
training, there was a sufficient community of tastes between the two 
to establish a close fellowship, the son’s pursuits being encouraged 
and his successes gloried in by the father. The premature and un¬ 
expected death of Dr. Meigs occurred November 9th, 1879, in his 
fiftieth year. 
Appreciative biographical notices of Dr. Meigs have been pub¬ 
lished by Dr. H. C. Chapman in the Transactions of the College 
of Physicians of Philadelphia, 3d Ser., Vol. V, and by Dr. George 
Hamilton in the Transactions of the Medical Society of the State of 
Pennsylvania for 1880, so that it is not necessary to dwell further on 
the incidents of his career. The character of the library, as indicated 
by the classification here given, is sufficient evidence of the extraordi¬ 
nary catholicity of his tastes. 
After the sad bereavement, his father, with a natural desire to 
remain surrounded by objects to which were attached such tender 
associations, declined to part with either books or instruments. The 
latter were carefully packed away, and the library remained just 
as the son had left it, until the death of Mr. Meigs. 
Early in 1893 your Librarian was informed that a zealous but 
indiscreet member of another society had assured Mr. Meigs that 
the Academy not only did not desire possession of the library but, on 
account of its miscellaneous character, would decline to receive it 
were it offered. A statement of the utterly erroneous nature of 
this assertion was immediately sent to Mr. Meigs, and in an inter¬ 
view the following day he was assured that possession of at least the 
scientific portion of the collection was earnestly desired, and that its 
proper arrangement in connection with the Academy’s library would 
be a memorial of Dr. Meigs moat in harmony with his own desire 
