266 
JOHN CASPER BRANNER 
ical studies. The astronomer hands me the results of his special 
investigations and saves me my time for geology, which, without 
his help, I should be obliged to give to astronomy. And so it is 
all around. On the other hand I trust that my attention to 
geology will, in its turn, come to the aid of the chemist, the 
physicist, and the astronomer.” 
Professor Branner’s sympathies were preeminently catholic. 
They ^were never narrowed down to a single line alone. His 
interests in botany, in entomology, and other branches of natural 
science were varied and broad. Nor did he stop with the sciences. 
Among his more notable excursions into pure literature may be 
mentioned his grammar of the Portuguese language which grew 
out of his Brazilian experiences. His “Bibliography of Clays and 
Ceramics,” an important compilation; the “How and Why 
Stories,” a charming collection of southern negro dialect myths; 
his genealogy of “Casper Branner of Virginia and His Descend¬ 
ants;” and his recently completed, but as yet unpublished, trans¬ 
lation from the Portuguese, of Alexandre Herculano’s Establish¬ 
ment of the Inquisition in Portugal, all evidence his breadth of 
interests and his tireless energy. 
Doctor Branner was a man of imposing appearance, fine address 
and pleasing manner. Tall, with notably robust physique, and well 
proportioned, he possessed commanding presence. With ceaseless 
effort he pursued his investigations. Indeed, it was this very 
superabundance of energy and great persistence of effort that led 
him to overexertion among the hills of Arkansas, where he had 
gone a year before his death to finish some of his early work, 
injuring his heart so that he was invalided for the rest of his 
life. A man of sterling character, he was distinguished in the 
class-room for his dry humor, unfailing readiness, and good na¬ 
ture. ^As a teacher he was exceptionally successful in directing 
yourtg men to thorough and accurate dealing with the intricate 
problems of earth study. It is, perhaps, from the angle of the 
teacher rather than of the original investigator that his great ser¬ 
vices to his chosen science should be evaluated. In him the two 
fields are combined in quite remarkable way. In neither domain 
are his efforts likely to be soon forgotten. 
