228 PROCEEDINGS: BOSTON SOCIETY NATURAL HISTORY. 
collections and library, and had done a large amount of work, of 
which these material results were only a part, in spite of the pressing 
demands of their own occupations. No one ignorant of those years 
can understand the state of mind then existing. The recognition of 
the absence of scientific culture among the members themselves and 
in the community at large was not surprising, but the attempt to 
supply this culture with the assistance of so few professional men and 
in the face of the failure of the pre-existing Linnaean Society and in 
spite of the contempt then prevalent for such occupations, demands 
our highest admiration. That they succeeded is due to the en¬ 
thusiasm and the spirit' of self-sacrifice with which they sought to 
educate themselves and the public. 
These gentlemen had the spirit of pioneers, they took up and 
carried out their work with the unselfishness and public spirit 
which makes light of difficulties and conquers where timidity and 
caution result in failure. Loaded with occupations which were 
necessary for their success in life, they undertook to do what would 
have been a full task for amateurs of ample leisure, or for pro¬ 
fessional men occupying themselves with this alone as their sole aim 
in life. An ancient Welsh bard is translated by Charlton Black as 
giving this pithy and forceful definition of genius, “ a gift of God , 
strength for exertion , circumstances to suit.'’’’ While the sublime 
height of the bard’s conception was denied them, they fell but 
little short of this, in that they had the inspired trust that flows 
from a youthful civilization and such confidence in their own 
nobility of purpose, that they changed the indifference of the 
community into respect. They also had the strength to work 
night and day, and finally the circumstances to suit appeared in 
the rich men of Boston who at that time were beginning the 
munificent series of gifts that have built the great educational 
museums of this vicinity. 
When the Society was finally established in this building, the 
collections arranged in their places, is it to be wondered that with 
few exceptions they retired one after another unable to carry any 
longer their daily increasing double burdens ? The wonder is that 
so many of them held their places and continued their labors as Mr. 
Bouv6’s associates for so many years. He was a truly represen¬ 
tative survivor of those earlier times, possessed of a tireless enthu¬ 
siasm, and continued to be more or less actively engaged in the 
work of this Society until within a few years of his death. At 
