The Washington herald., 1909-04-28
WASHINGTON CHAT.
Ry THE SPECTATOR

The Congress Of the Daughters OF the
American Revolution rather oyershad-
owed the meeting OF the Academy Of
Science, but there have been number
OF luminaries here in attendance on the
body that have shown conspicuousIy-
Among these is the ubiquitous ard ire
pressible Edward s. Morse, director Of
the Peabody Academy Of Science. keeper
/ Of japanese pottery IN The Museum OF
Fine Arts in Boston, tennis expert, citi-
zen Of the world. loyal friend. eloquent
orator. and a picturesque story teller. In
fact. some Of the tales he reeounts would
make Baron Munchausen pale with envy
Taken all IN all, Prof. Morse Is one Of the
most talented and versatile, one Of the
dearest and most lovable men in the
/ scientific world. No one knows him who
does not yield 10 his charm, and this fas-
cinatins savant has discovered the fOun-
I tain Of perennial youth, for although the
( date OF his berth IS put down IN cold type
as 1893. at seventy he Is as gay and tn
I souciant as q 0ugn he was a student az
/ college.
/ Pro Morse is a native OF Maine and
/ received his early education al that IA
/ nous school. Bethel Academy. going
afterward 70 the Lawrence Scientific
/ School, where he studied with Prof Agss-
/ siz. After taking his degree al Harvard
/ he became professor OF anatomy and
/ zoology ar Bowdoin. from where he went
/ 70 the University Of Tokyo as professor
I OF the same subjects. II was in the years
/ Of his residence there that he made the
I famous collection Of8Japanese ceramics.
/ far and away the most wonderful IN this
/ country. II not in the world which was
! bought some years hack by the Boston
! Museum Of Fine Arts His collection Is
said 20 be the most complete and COM
! prehensive ever published, and has been
/ used as a model By many Of the foreign
! museums But this subject in which he
/ is recognized TO be one Of the foremost
/ authorities in the world. has been the
I passion OF Prof. MoTses life and the
/ preparation of the catalogue FOR MS be-
/ loved collection q labor Of love. Yet
while the Ss1dy Of ceramics is Prof
I MorSe-s greatest. IL IS. by no means. his
! onIy. passion. for outside o. his profession
/ Of a naturalist. he has many pet diver
sions that would seem 10 be widely re-
moved from each other. among them are
! astronomy, mUmisnatics, architecture.
/ antiqt arian lore, archaeology, in fact
/ there is hardy q subject OF literary his
/ toric or scientific Interest into which
/ Prof Morse has not at some time DIP
/ ped He is. in q word as many sided as
/ Leonarda &c TIEci. the painter Of Mona
Lisa, the friend OF The Medci. who was a
/ UNIVERSAL genius. the marvel OF his age
/ The friends Of Prof Morse Ike him best
! in his character Of story teller. for
/ .n this he excels and one never tires Of
/ hearing him reel OF his tales IN speech
1 so picturesque, 20 use mild expression.
I II might have been learned az sea He
+ is picturesque. too. in several languages,
/ and L IS said By good judges that he can
I spin OF yarn in japanese as elOQUently
as he can IN English Prof Morse is q
1 member Of scientific academies the world
( over and FOR his work al the University
/ OF Tokyo he was decorated BY the En-
! peror of Japan with the order Of the
/ Rising Sun.