Page:F. R. (Fairman Rogers) 1833-1900, Furness, 1903.djvu/24

Rh them upon the same conditions as men. Their pre-eminent position to-day for the study of the fundamental principles of art, and their character for sincere and earnest work, are in large measure due to Mr. Rogers' influence.

'In 1883 he relinquished all active duties and withdrew from the Board of Direction, but the record of his benefactions and services must always be a part of the history of the Academy.'

Another debt which we owe to Fairman Rogers is that he was one of the founders of The Union League, which was itself an offspring of The Saturday Club, whereof also he was one of the original promoters. The indebtedness of our city in times past to The Saturday Club is noteworthy. Composed as it was of men of influence and wealth, it fairly represented the working force of the city, and gave to this force a unity which neither New York nor Boston possessed. On one occasion, to give an instance of what I mean, at one of these Saturday Club evenings, the unhappy case was mentioned of one of our most eminent scientific men, of national and international reputation, not a resident of our city, who was about to retire from his position at the head of a well-known institution in Washington, enforced thereto by age and infirmity, and yet with no provision for his family. The assertion was accepted by a group of men (in which Fairman Rogers was prominent) that