ake such measures. Indeed, I went further, and assured him that any
application from our astronomers for aid in making these observations
would receive respectful consideration." I felt that there might
be room for some suspicion that this visit of Professor Peirce was a
not unimportant factor in the changed position of affairs as regarded
British observations of the eclipse.

Not only the scene I have described, but subsequent experience, has
impressed me with the high appreciation in which the best scientific
work is held by the leading countries of Europe, especially England
and France, as if the prosecution were something of national
importance which men of the highest rank thought it an honor to
take part in. The Marquis of Salisbury, in an interval between two
terms of service as Premier of England, presided over the British
Association for the Advancement of Science, and delivered an address
showing a wide and careful study of the generalizations of modern
science.

In France, also, one great glory of the nation is felt to be the
works of its scientific and learned men of the past and present.
Membership of one of the five academies of the Institute of France
is counted among the highest honors to which a Frenchman can aspire.
Most remarkable, too, is the extent to which other considerations than
that of merit are set aside in selecting candidates for this honor.
Quite recently a man was elected a member of the Academy of Sciences
who was without either university or official position, and earned a
modest subsistence as a collaborator of the "Revue des Deux Mondes."
But he had found time to make investigations in mathematical astronomy
of such merit that he was considered to have fairly earned this
distinction, and the modesty of his social position did not lie in
his way.

At the time of this visit Lister was an eminent member of the medical
profession, but had not, so far as I am aware, been recognized as
one who was to render incalculable service to suffering humanity.
From a professional point of view there are no two walks in life
having fewer points of contact than those of the surgeon and the
astronomer. It is therefore a remarkable example of the closeness
of touch among eminent Englishmen in every walk of life, that, in
subsequent visits, I was repeatedly thrown into contact with one
who may fairly be recommended as among the greatest benefactors of
the human race that the nineteenth century ha