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SIR: -- Your letter of the 1st ult., was addressed to me, probably because you found my name in a list of the medical men of this city.

I practised army surgery in youth, but never could get faith enough in medicine to practise that, and for many years I have had no other relations than social ones with the faculty here. Perhaps therefore my opinion of medical men may not be worth any thing to you, but as your object, statistical information, interests me, I will send a line, valeat quantum. My researches into the causes of blindness and of idiocy have been pretty extensive. My inference from these and from other observations is that the physical peculiarities of each individual (and duration of life is one) depend upon his original organization, more than upon any other cause. Individuals are wound up, at birth, to run, some a year, some a score, some an hundred years, just as clocks are wound to run, a day, a week, or a month; and under ordinary circumstances they do run their allotted time.

Passing influences have comparatively little effect.

Temperance and intemperance even, make less difference than is usually supposed. There is usually given a wide margin of oscillation, and a man may sadly abuse his constitution without materially shortening his life. But, beside this, the original physical organization of a man goes far to decide whether he shall be a temperate or an intemperate man, and whether he shall be economical or lavish in the expenditure of his vital force, which is his physical capital in life.

In a word, each individual organization is endowed, ab ovo, with a certain amount of vital force which will enable it to resist disorganizing forces, under ordinary circumstances, during a certain number of years.

Having the direction of the State School for idiotic children, I am often applied to for an opinion touching the probabilities of improvement in children of feeble intellect.

I never give one without consulting very carefully the genealogical history. It would be the same with regard to the probabilities of duration of life.

Now I do not know many physicians here who think much about this principle, which it seems to me underlies your subject, but there may be more than I suppose there are. I would name Dr. Edward Jarvis, of Dorchester, author of a valuable work on Physiology; but, what is more to your purpose a very conscientious man. The last sentence of my letter will be found by you, perhaps, to be the only one worth your notice.

Faithfully, S. G. HOWE.

In March, 1830, Dr. John Fisher, the early and faithful friend of the Institution, died, lamented by all who knew him. This good man was of such an inveterately modest and retiring disposition that he is not so widely remembered as he should be. At a memorial meeting held in his honour, my father, after a few words of earnest and affectionate appreciation, offered the following resolutions.

"Resolved, That by the death of Dr. John D. Fisher, this community has lost a benefactor -- the medical profession an ornament -- the wide circle of his patients a skilful physician, a wise counsellor, and a kind friend; -- that we all recognize in him a man, who, by his early and long-continued interest in various institutions of charity, and his gratuitous labours for their improvement, showed himself to be a practical philanthropist; who by tender solicitude for the health of his numerous patients in the humblest walks of life, and by unwearied efforts to promote their welfare in every way, proved himself to be a real friend of the poor; who, by his modest and quiet way of doing good, studiously shunned notoriety; who was ever sowing good deeds, like seeds in his pathway of life, but quickly covering them up from the public eye; and, therefore, it becomes us, who knew his virtues, to commemorate them, not so much to do him honour, as to lead others to imitate his blameless life and his good deeds; for which end --

"Resolved, That a committee of six persons be appointed by the Chair to take such measures as shall seem to them most suitable for paying a proper and lasting tribute to his memory.

"Resolved, That a committee of twenty-five be appointed by the Chair to raise the necessary funds for carrying into execution the purpose of the foregoing resolve."

The following letter gives added testimony to my father's high opinion of Dr. Fisher.

To Hon. T. C. Gary.

BOSTON, May 12th, 1850.

DEAR SIR: -- I like the inscription which you propose for the Fisher Monument; and if I suggest any change, it is with great hesitation and deference. In such matters things of equally good taste seem very unequal to their respective authors.

For the front I should prefer the last of your suggestions; "To the memory of J. D. Fisher, M. D. The contribution of those who loved him for his virtues."

How would this read for the front? "Built in memory of the virtues of J. D. F. by many of those who knew and loved him."

The inscription for the rear I like the least, -- "The Philanthropist!" The word is not of English origin; it is hackneyed and perverted from its true meaning. A man may be a philanthropist in the ordinary sense of the meaning without being kindly to those around him. Your qualification of cheerful would indeed keep our gentle friend out of the category of philanthropists turned sour or gone mad. How would it do to say on the rear, "He went about doing good?"