The story of William Porphyry Benham is the story of a man whose idea came to fruition. It was an idea that captured his imagination early in life, grew with him and changed with him, finally intertwining with his being. His story is his story. This was observed in a student; it was clearly present in his mind at the very last moment of his adventurous life. He belonged to a happy minority that was not dependent on the necessities of life, so he could freely walk the world under his leadership. This brought him far. It led him to situations bordering on the fantastic, it made him funny, it came close to making him sublime. And his idea was of such a nature that he could document it in several aspects. His logic made him think and write.
