Vanderbilt，DeanRichmond，DanielDrew，andvariousothermenaccustomedtopromptanddecisivedealingwithlargebusinessaffairs。Irecognizedthevalueofsuchassociationsandendeavoredtolearnsomethingfromthem，butwasdetermined，nonetheless，toendthissortofgeneralactivityasearlyasitcouldbedoneconsistentlywithjusticetomyfamily。Severalyearswererequired，andthosetheveryyearsinwhichuniversitycaresweremostpressing。Butfinallymyintentionwasfullycarriedout。ThebankoverwhichmyfatherhadpresidedsomanyyearsIwasabletowindupinawaysatisfactorytoallconcerned，notonlyrepayingtheshareholders，butgivingthemalargesurplus。Fromtheothercor—
porationsalsoIgraduallyescaped，turningmydutiesovertothosebetterfittedforthem。Stillmanyoutsidecaresremained，andinonewayoranotherIwasobligedtotakepartinaffairswhichIwouldhavegladlyshunned。
Yettherewasconsolationintheideathat，asmymaindangerwasthatofdriftingintoahermitlifeamongprofessorsandbooks，anythingthattookmeoutofthisforalimitedlengthoftimewasnotwithoutcompensatingadvantages。
JustpreviouslytomyelectiontotheuniversitypresidencyIhadpresenteda``planoforganization，’’which，havingbeenacceptedandprintedbythetrustees，formedthemoldforthemainfeaturesofthenewinstitution;andearlyamongmydutiescametheselectionandnominationofprofessors。InthesedaysoneisabletochoosefromalargebodyofyoungmenholdingfellowshipsinthevariouslargeruniversitiesoftheUnitedStates;butthen，withthepossibleexceptionoftwoorthreeatHarvard，therewasnotafellowship，sofarasIcanremember，inthewholecountry。Thechoosingofprofessorswasimmeasurablymoredifficultthanatpresent。Withreferencetothispoint，averyeminentgraduateofHarvardthenvolunteeredtomesomeadvice，whichatfirstsightlookedsound，butwhichIsoonfoundtobeinapplicable。Hesaid:``YoumustsecureatanycosttheforemostmenintheUnitedStatesineverydepartment。Inthiswayalonecanarealuniversitybecreated。’’TryingtheSocraticmethoduponhim，I
asked，inreply，``Howarewetogetsuchmen？TheforemostmaninAmericanscienceisundoubtedlyAgassiz，buthehasrefusedalloffersofhighpositionatParismadehimbytheFrenchEmperor。ThemainobjectsofhislifearethecreationofhisgreatmuseumatHarvardandhisinvestigationsandinstructioninconnectionwithit;hehasdeclaredthathehas`notimetowasteinmakingmoney！’