by Diane Fontaine Maury-Corbin

“ After both had our say, he would, taking the lesson for a text, deliver the most delightful lectures. He prescribed no set time for our preparation of these lessons; but we were required to master them thoroughly, and give the substance to him clothed in our own words and not in those of the book. He always expected and required that we should not prepare them at night, but should then come into the parlour to receive and entertain and be entertained by the distinguished men and women who frequently gathered around him. He considered this a most important part of our education. ”

“ During the time that we were together on that trip, he was, unconsciously to himself, to me an exquisitely interesting study of character. I had long heard of him, and know what the public generally knew of his pursuits; but my conviction was strengthened every day that he was greatly undervalued by common repute, and that he was of a far deeper intellect, and much more of a natural philosopher, than the world, with all his repute, gave him credit for.... ”

“ Above all men, he knew the value of praise as an incentive to high endeavor, and when he had occasion to censure or criticise, he did it with such obvious reluctance that it never failed to do the good intended. ”

“ Going back upstairs to the library, I went sky scraping, through the big north window, with my instrument, with the coloured lens screwed in for day observations. I thought, “I’ll take one more look and then hurry up my task;” but that look took longer than I expected, and very little of the task was done when the time was up. The case was referred to Papa, who, without a word spoken, boxed up my telescope and shipped it off — I never knew where to this day (Diana 1888) . For years I could not speak of it without tears. ”

“ He said such a chance might never occur again, and, if he could “raise the wind,” he would take us both that time. “The wind” was raised somehow, and we both went, accompanied by our two cousins, Ellen Herndon and Ellen Maury. Betty, the eldest of the party, was not seventeen when we sailed. Ellen Herndon was a lovely blonde, Ellen Maury was a very lovely brunette. Sure such a merry party never sailed the broad ocean before! ”