an
any others in the memory of future generations, were Dr. Calvin
Ellis, Dean of the Medical Faculty of Harvard, who died in
1883, and Judge Nathan Webb, of the United States District
Court of Maine, who died in 1902. Neither of these had very
high rank in the class. The first half of the class used
to have parts assigned at Commencement in those days. Ellis's
part was very nearly the lowest of the first half. Webb's
was higher. Webb entered college very young. He was quite
small in his stature and was known all though college as "little
Webb." He grew to a stature of about six feet after he left
college. He did, I believe, some very hard work indeed in
his senior year. Although universally liked and respected
by his classmates, he was not regarded as among the eminent
scholars. Ellis performed all his duties in College very fairly
but did not seem to care much for rank or for scholarship
until, in the senior year, some lectures on anatomy were delivered
by old Dr. John C. Warren. Ellis was filled with enthusiasm,
as were some of the other members of the class. He and I
got a skull somewhere and studied bones, processes, and sutures,
both meaning to be physicians. My zeal lasted but a few weeks.
Ellis's never abated until his death. He was at the head
of his profession in the country in his own department, became
Dean of the Harvard Medical School, and was loved and revered
by his numerous pupils as by the members of his profession.
He was one of the most simple-hearted, affectionate, spotless
and lovable of men. He died of a lingering and painful disease,
never losing his courage and patience, or his devoted interest
in science. Webb was exceedingly fond of his home, not being
very ambitious of higher office, but content to discharge
ably and faithfully and to the universal satisfaction of the
profession and the public, the duty of the important place
he held. I have seen a good many public men from Maine of
both parties. They all unite in this estimate of Judge Webb.
There is no doubt that if he had been willing he would long
ago have been made Judge of the Circuit Court, and then if
the seat on the Supreme Court of the United States held by
Mr. Justice Gray of the New England Circuit had become vacant,
I suppose he would have been called from the Circuit Bench to
that Court by almost universal consent.

Three persons, Child, Lane and Short, all very distinguished
scholars in after life, took t