New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-02-05
OBITUARY.
PROFESSOR J. LEWIS OMAN.

PROFESSOR j. LEWIS OMAN.
| Professor jeremiah Lewis Diman, of Brown Ia,
versity, whose death at Providence, r. l., on N.
| Sd inst. has already been announced. was born !.
Bristol. r. l.. May 1, 1881. He was graduated AR
| with the highest honors at Brown University A.
1851, and studied divinity at Heidelberg and In IN.
Andover Theological Seminary. from which he mad
mated b. d. 10 1855. He became pastor Of the F,,,
Congregational Church at Faf River, Mass !.
1856. In 1860 he called to the Harvard Churcn
| in Brookne, Mass. In 1854 he was chosen Profss.
sor of History and of Political Economy in Brov,
| University and occupied that position until NJ,
death though he was often solicited to accept cba,,
i'm other universities. He delivered several o,,
tons course of lectures before the students of th
Johns Hopkins University and another befo,.
the Lowell Institute IN Boston on Thelsmp n.
also delivered an address treating of the relation of
scholarship to politics before the Phi Beta Ksou.
Society OF Harvard College. which has been printed
In the death of DR.. j. L. Diman. not only Brown
University of the Faculty Of which he was dis
tnguished member but the whole community Of
letters has experienced o severe loss. 1t seem,
hardly necessary to say that he was a scholar and
ripe one. for that is already known TO all who srs
capable of approaching the information. Buths
personal merits of the man, who was every inch
manly may not DO so we'll understood by those WIN
had not the pleasure and the honor Of his personal
acquaintance. Study had done nothing to narrow.
teaching nothing to belittle, professional duties
nothing to dwarf his originally generous nature He
had two qualities of character which are not often
united He was at once thoroughly genial and thor.
oughy manly and thus it happened that his classes
equally respected and loved him. He gave them the
best fruits of his study and thought, and paid
them the compliment OF being worthy of something
better than mere academical routine. His nature
was essentially large, and nothing so quickly moved
him from eauaumty as any act of meanness or any
exhibition of petty selhshness. He was wlngto
be the friend of his pupils, II they, upon their
part were willing to accept his friendship. He had
nothing of the pedagogue except the eruditon which
even some pedag0gues miss. A clergyman by pro.
fession and not in the least indispOsed TO magnify
his calling i'll rational way he made no pretenslOns,
put on no airs, affected tone OF authority; but
was content by his daily walk and conversation, TO
preach the essential doctrines of Christianity.
With his learning, his philosophical cast OF mind,
ais love of conversation and his excellent manners,
he naturally became leader OF the best society In
the city of his adoption. Readers aud thinken
grayitaed naturally TO his open house and pleasant
Ia lie. were Warmly welcomed a1d dismissed win
reiuc ,auce all uniegLeu. IL Is indeed naru If
those Who were admitted To his COMPANY 10 Ieei tnss
they shall enjoy Il 10 longer; Tor he had all the
g,aces winch Horace, III one OF the most beautiful
aud tender Ot his pOons, ascilDeu 10 MS ueparted
trleuu--tne keen sense ot honor the tluCuluineos,
the naAed vrtacIty and the hdellty! 49,
The study OF history, 10 which DF. DlMan had par.
ticu,arly devoted Dimselt, had made nun helthera
cynlc nor "A pessImst. There was much IN the con-
dnct of puDic affairs of which lie ulu not approve
bat ne compromised the duty OF every man 10
BRING To tie discharge Of his duties as voter, as
MAKER aud as an administrator VI laws, ms heart
his COll>clcuce his best intellectual ana moral abll.
lies He well recognized the scholar place III the
Republic, and upon moro than one occasion he
plcAucd Tor hI CHER idea OF political Responsibility
ana less yenal discharge OF the functions V ONCE
He loved study, but ho emerged from the seciusl0H
which 1t usually demanded, AT the call OF his feCw-
cltZ,n-, to lend his dS>istalc" upon puuc Occa'
SiOns Some OF his more important puDhc works
are OratIohs aud dsCOurses vi a high ol, et, pro-
uuuucru bet re colleges OF ut historical COlunem0-
ratIOns. lIls lectures upon History aud f0htcal
ECOaouY. read ~ MS college classes, are 80 Nalua'
bic tnaI 1t Is ,sirabie tuat they should be given 10
the press. He was always graceful speaker, sell.
pO.sr>>od. elegant aEd easy III ms elOcuiiOn, and
ruutd accommodate himself To ms audience win III.
common SIKH. One OF the pleasanest OF AIS Literary
., uuOl gr.s at boarding seminary IN 1iissaenu-
,etts; ana those VINO ueard II viii not soon forget
tue charming way III which he then discussed tle
works ol Dickens and In1ckeray with a hDeraWy
Wllcn was equally grateful and unexpected.
III. Dlnian Aas Deen called away AZ an age com.
paIatlVely young, out not until much nad Deea
gained and much accO npllsheu. Some tnlng, per-
bap>, Of more Important aud permanent work We
my u have reasonably anticipated, had has days
b.cA prolonged; bit he leaves be luu pleasant
memory IN thu MINDS OF all who knew him; aud IS
Lot ms, alter All the richest legacy winch ans man
en- ucuuctth 10 the wJrdi Ii Is Lard TO lose him,
since men Of his sttIlng stamp are SO lew; Dut ~
would Oc strange lnuecd Il his example dld moi
among those VINO enjoyed he benefit OF his society
and Instruction.