living at the Bachelors', and, through him, I heard a great deal of the 

 talk in that clearinghouse for local fact, news and gossip. 



As I recall it all now, every one felt that Princeton was entering on a 

 new epoch under most favourable auspices and with every prospect of 

 a splendid future. . . . 



And, in all this. President Wilson was the dominant factor. I am sure 

 that all the newcomers had unbounded confidence in him and that this 

 was the ultimate source of their faith in the future of Princeton. This 

 was particularly true, because the inauguration of the new system 

 brought the preceptors into much more intimate contact with the 

 President than would ordinarily have been the case, and thus they felt 

 the direct influence of his strong personality. 



In view of what happened a few years later, this all seems rather sad; 

 and I well remember your saying, as we walked home together the day 

 President Wilson resigned : "That throws Princeton back a generation." 



But, after all, has not the momentum acquired in that brief period 

 been sufficient to carry us through the difficulties of subsequent years? 

 And, though we may have our regrets, I find it difficult, sitting here in 

 my room in Guyot [Hall] to feel anything but an optimism similar to 

 that of twenty years ago, though somewhat tempered by age. Certainly, 

 as a department, we have every reason to feel happy over future condi- 

 tions and I see no reason why other departments should not feel the 

 same way. 



Cordially yours, 



C. H. Smyth, Jr. 



In the spring of 1906, after I had succeeded in forgetting all about 

 them, honours began to come my way. In connection with the Franklin 

 Bicentennial, for which the State of Pennsylvania made a liberal appro- 

 priation to the Philosophical Society, which had the celebration in 

 charge, the University of Pennsylvania gave me my first honorary de- 

 gree, that of LL.D. The whole of the Franklin ceremonial, which was 

 managed chiefly by Dr. Hays, was most successful. Congress had voted 

 $20,000 for a gold medal, to be given to France on this occasion, and 

 Mr. Root, then Secretary of State, came on to present the medal and the 

 French Ambassador, M. Jusserand, came to receive it. The Secretary 

 made a very happy speech of presentation, rehearsing in a fresh, unhack- 

 neyed sort of way the great services of France to the American cause. 

 The Ambassador's reply was even more pleasing. After expressing his 

 great gratification at receiving the medal for France, he added : "And it 



