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to his farm in New Jersey, he would not unfrequently drive four-in-hand. This did not appear to be at all from affectation or love of display, for which he had no fondness; but rather from his conception of what belonged to his position in the profession and in general society, of which he was so prominent a member.
In all things, correctness, exactitude, method, and thoroughness were leading aims with Dr. Wood. These were shown above all other traits in his courses of instruction, private and public. No pains were spared to make every lecture complete, even in its smallest minutiæ. His manner as a lecturer was comparatively quiet, but sufficiently energetic; with enough animation always to secure attention, although never in the least approaching rhetorical excess. Others might easily obtain more admiration for their eloquence; no lecturer in the University was ever more effective, in conveying instruction and information to his classes. Especially in the abundance and excellence of the illustrations accompanying his lectures, he was in advance of almost all his contemporaries.[1]
In Dr. Wood's style as a writer, the same qualities of clearness and correctness were constantly manifested. If to any author, in science, philosophy, forensic or general literature, the term faultless may be applied, it may be to him. Nor was his manner correct
- ↑ If there was an exception to this, it was in the case of Professor Robert Hare. But he, as is well known, though a very illustrious chemist, and abounding in skilful and expensive experimentation, was not a superior lecturer.
