NATHANIEL THAYER.

The death of one of the most honored and philanthropic of the friends of Harvard, Nathaniel Thayer, the founder of Thayer Hall, occurred in Boston Tuesday afternoon. He early became interested in Harvard. His direct benefactions to the university exceed $250,000, including Thayer Hall, Thayer Commons Hall, Gray Herbarium and the Thayer expedition. He has, besides, contributed generously to the support of students and those preparing to enter the university. In 1865 he provided for the students a building fronting on Harvard street which was used as a dining hall until the foundation of Memorial Hall. During this same year he made arrangements to provide for the cost of a scientific expedition to Brazil by Prof. Agassiz. Prof. Agassiz was greatly perplexed for want of means to meet the expenses of the expedition. Mr. Thayer offered to defray the expenses of Prof. Agassiz and six assistants. The expedition yielded scientific results of great importance, and, although the expenses proved greater than was anticipated, Mr. Thayer did not refuse to defray them. Thayer Hall was erected in 1870 as a memorial gift, commemorative of his father. In 1874 the fire-proof herbarium on the grounds of the Botanic Garden was built at a cost of $15,000 by Mr. Thayer. He received in 1866 the honorary degree of A. M. from the university, and has served on the board of fellows. He was in his seventy-fifth year at the time of his death.