Thescientificcollectionsandapparatusofvarioussortsgavehimconstantpleasure。IhadsentfromEngland，France，andGermanyalargenumberofcharts，models，andpiecesofphilosophicalapparatus，andregardingsomeofthemhadthoughtitbesttomakecarefulexplanationstohim，inordertojustifysolargeanexpenditure;
butIsoonfoundthisunnecessary。Hisshrewdmindenabledhimtounderstandanypieceofapparatusquickly，andtoappreciateitfully。Ihaveneverhadtodealwithanymanwhoseinstinctinsuchmatterswasmoretrue。Ifabookorscientificspecimenorpieceofapparatuswasnecessarytotheproperworkofadepartment，hecouldeasilybemadetoseeit;andthenitMUSTcometous，nomatteratwhatcost。Likethegreatprinceofnavigatorsinthefifteenthcentury，hewasaman``whohadthetasteforgreatthings’’——``quiteniagustoencosasgrandes。’’Hefeltthattheuniversitywastobegreat，andhetookhismeasuresaccordingly。Hiscolleaguesgenerallythoughthimover—sanguine;andwhenhedeclaredthattheuniversityshouldyethaveanendow—
mentofthreemillions，mostofthemregardedhimasadreamer。
Ihaveneverknownamanmoreentirelyunselfish。I
haveseenhim，whenhiswealthwascountedinmillions，devoteitsogenerouslytouniversityobjectsthathefeltitnecessarytostinthimselfinsomemattersofpersonalcomfort。Whenurgedtosellaportionoftheuniversitylandatasacrifice，inordertobetterourfoundations，heansweredinsubstance，``Don’tletusdothatyet;Iwillwearmyoldhatandcoatalittlelonger，andletyouhavealittlemoremoneyfrommyownpocket。’’