not more so than of any previous age. The froth and effervescence of the moment
pass away, and only the substantial qualities come down to us from distant generations
; while the noise and excitement, and the superficial ambitions and agitations
of the present hour, obtrude themselves upon us, and hide from us the more modest
and enduring pursuits in which the ablest and best minds among us are engaged,
and by which our age will be known among future generations. It is therefore
very refreshing, and a great encouragement, to become acquainted with a man like
Dr. Pickering, — so thoughtful, so able, so profound, so laborious, and far-reaching
in his investigations, traversing distant continents and unknown seas, or exploring
the records of distant ages, to extend and perfect our knowledge, of the ways and
works of God.
Dr. Pickering was married, in 1851, to Sarah S., daughter of the late Daniel Hammond,
Esq., of this city, and leaves no children. His name and memory will always
be dear to those who knew him ; and his works will always be a helpful legacy to
those who, with the same love of truth, shall be engaged in similar pursuits.
[At a meeting of the Academy o f Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, May 7, 1878, the President,
Dr. W. S. W. Ru sch en b e r g e r , read the following:]
I t is a custom of this Society to announce the death of every member or correspondent
when it occurs, without accompanying the announcement with a notice of
his career. From this custom may be excepted those members who have been conspicuous
by their success in the cultivation of natural science, or who have won the
general approbation of the Academy by generous contribution towards the advancement
of science, or who have largely aided the progress of the Society by their
labors.
For such reasons, it seems appropriate that the archives of the Society should
contain a record to show why his contemporary and fellow-members entertained
sentiments of sincere respect and cordial esteem for the late Dr. C h a r l e s
P ic k e r in g .
The records show that Charles Pickering, M.D., of Salem, Mass., was elected a
correspondent of this Society Nov. 28, 1826. He had then just entered the
twenty-second year of his age. Early in the following year (1827), he became a
resident of Philadelphia, and therefore a member. From that date until 1838, he
was rarely absent from any meeting of the Academy.
A t that time, the details of the affairs of the Society were conducted chiefly by
standing committees. Dr. Pickering served on the Zoological Committee from
Dec. 25, 1827, until January, 1838, — ten years; on the Botanical Committee from
Dec. 28, 1828 (of which he was the chairman from January, 1833), until January,
1837, — eight years ; on the Publication Committee from December, 1829, until December,
1833, — four years; and on the Library Committee from January, 1837,
until January, 1838, — one year.
He was Librarian from December, 1828, until December, 1833, — five years ; and
a Curator from December, 1833, until December, 1837, — four years.
The record tells us that he discharged faithfully and efficiently the duties of all
the positions to which he was appointed.
To Dr. Pickering was intrusted the transfer to the Academy of the great collection
of plants bequeathed by the Rev. Lewis David Von Schweinitz, who died in
1834. He prepared a catalogue of American plants in the collection of the Academy,
and presented it at the stated meeting held May 13, 1834. Those plants which were
previously in the collection, many of them Mr. Nuttall’s types, he intercalated in the
Schweinitz herbarium, attaching an appropriate label to each. On the 24th of March,
1835, OB motion of Professor H. D. Rogers, it was unanimously resolved, “ That
the thanks of the Society be awarded to Dr. Charles Pickering for the highly successful
manner in which he has executed the very arduous task of collating and
arranging the extensive herbarium of the Academy.”
The work done by Dr. Pickering has contributed much to facilitate the labors of
his successors in the botanical department of the Academy.
On the 26th of January, 1836, on motion of Dr. Samuel George Morton, it was
unanimously resolved, “ That the grateful thanks of the Institution be tendered to
Dr. Pickering for his voluntary journey to New Harmony, the faithful execution of
the trust reposed in him of selecting from the library of Mr. Maclure such works as
were designed for the Academy, and for the prompt and successful arrangements
made by him for the transportation of said books to this city.”
The mission just referred to occupied Dr. Pickering about three months, and
brought to the Academy’s library an addition of about 2,300 volumes of valuable
scientific works.
The services of Dr. Pickering to the Academy were important in every sense,
and are worthy of grateful remembrance.
While laboring for the Academy, he qualified himself perfectly to discharge efficiently
those duties which devolved upon him in 1838, when he became a member of
the United States Exploring Expedition. The means and facilities requisite for
the instruction and training of students of natural science were at that period
nowhere in the country more ample than in the Academy ; and it is believed that at
this time they are not better in any other institution in the United States.
On the 19th of October, 1827, Dr. Pickering read, at a meeting of the American
Philosophical Society, a paper “ On the Geographical Distribution of Plants,” which
was published in the third volume of the “ Transactions ” in 1830. He was elected
a member of the American Philosophical Society Jan. 15, 1828, and resigned in
November, 1837.
He was elected Recording Secretary of the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society
February, 1830, and served till September, 1837, when he resigned.