OBITUARY NOTICES. 
487 
In the social, scientific, and literary circles of Washington, 
Dr. Kidder was especially prominent and influential, hav¬ 
ing been a member of the Cosmos, Metropolitan, Harvard, 
and Rover Clubs, and of the Philosophical, Biological, and 
Chemical Societies. He joined the Philosophical Society in 
1880, was one of its secretaries in 1887, and a member of 
the general council during 1888 and 1889. He was faithful 
in attendance at the meetings of the Society and active in 
the promotion of its interests, contributing papers on deep- 
sea temperature observations and on the gilding of ther¬ 
mometer bulbs. A founder in both the Biological and 
Chemical Societies, he took a prominent part in their pro¬ 
ceedings, and was an officer in each, having served as presi¬ 
dent of the latter in 1888. He had been a companion for 
over twenty years of the New York Commandery of the 
Military Order of the Loyal Legion, and was also a zealous 
member of the Masonic fraternity. 
Dr. Kidder was an able writer and a fluent speaker, using 
clear and vigorous language, and always presenting his sub¬ 
ject in a simple and attractive manner. While not entirely at 
home before a formal audience, he was ready, even brilliant, 
in conversation, and among the “ Rovers,” a few well-chosen 
friends, whose meetings were given over to the familiar dis¬ 
cussion of interesting topics, he never failed to take a lead¬ 
ing part. His proficiency in writing was gained, to some 
extent, from an early experience with the New York jour¬ 
nals, to which he contributed on literary and other matters 
during a number of years. He was an accomplished lin¬ 
guist, and being passionately fond of books, a choice col¬ 
lection that had been left to him was made the nucleus of a 
large and valuable library. His residence in Washington 
also bore evidences of his taste in art and of the opportuni¬ 
ties in that direction afforded by his distant travel, 
His final illness was of short duration and scarcely known 
beyond his household. In perfect health, he was stricken 
with pneumonia on a Friday and died on the following 
Monday, the 8th of April, 1889, in his forty-seventh year. 
