Gerard Troost — Glenn. 'jj 
pecially indignant did lie become at any species of scientific 
quackery or ignorant presumption. 
Though a hard student, he was not a recluse but was a 
polished man of the world. He had traveled and seen much 
in the old world and had lived among the savants of Paris- 
and mingled on easy and equal terms with the most polished 
circles of the city. He had been long familiar with the tone 
and atmosphere of fashionable society and never lost his 
fondness for the endearments of social life. The best of 
husbands and fathers, his private life was a model of domes- 
tic happiness. As a religionist, he belonged to the denomin- 
ation known in Holland as Remonstrants and elsewhere as 
Armenians. 
Dr. Troost was a scholar as well as a savant and phil- 
osopher. He was well acquainted with classic and general 
literature and was master of several languages, ancient and 
modern, and perhaps there were but few works in Dutch, 
German, French, or English on any branch of natural science 
that he had not read or examined. Numerous references 
in his writings show that he kept up with the times and pur- 
chased the scientific works of his day in which he was inter- 
ested as fast as they appeared. His library is described as 
large and judiciously selected and abounding not only in the 
standard works on science in the several languages above 
but also in valuable engravings, prints, and lithographs. So 
far it has been impossible to obtain any trace of his library 
to-day. It was not purchased by the city of Louisville, Ky., 
as has been reported. One supposition is that while stored 
in the basement of the capitol here the boxes were broken 
open and it was scattered or stolen piecemeal. Another is 
that along with much other material, it was carted out by 
the Federal troops when they took Nashville during the civil 
war and burned in order to make room for a mess hall in 
the basement of the capitol. Almost no private letters or 
other of his personal effects are left. The manuscripts of 
one or two of his geological reports are on file in the ofBce 
of the secretary of state and the state library has one or twa 
volumes he once possessed. 
He was a member, active, corresponding or honorary, of 
a laro-e number of scientific societies in America and in Eu- 
