1864.] REMINISCENCES OF AMHERST COLLEGE. 339 



that of a hatter. Farming was the only resort, and I worked on 

 the farm — not on my father's, for he had none — but on land hired 

 by my brother — I know not how many years. Hiked the employ- 

 ment ; but, as I shall state more particularly in a few moments, I had 

 acquired a strong relish for scientific pursuits, and I seized upon 

 every moment I could secure — especially rainy days and evenings — 

 for those studies. I was treated very leniently by my father and 

 brother, who probably did not know what to do with me, but saw 

 plainly that I should not become distinguished as a farmer. My 

 literary taste was also greatly encouraged by a few companions in 

 Deerfield with whom I united in a society, whose weekly meetings 

 we kept up for years, which had a department for debate, and 

 another for philosophical discussion. I always regarded this as 

 one of the most important means of mental discipline that I ever 

 enjoyed. 



" But perhaps the most important lesson taught me by my strait- 

 ened circumstances was habits of rigid economy. I learnt that 

 these were more important than a large income. T learnt the value 

 of money, and that the use of it is one of those talents for which 

 we must give an account. It has made me ever since opposed to 

 any useless expenditure of money in clothing, food, furniture, ser- 

 vants, equipage, journeyings, &c. I have been opposed to large 

 salaries ; and am confident, that, if the truth were known, our 

 public institutions, literary, political, and religious, have the greatest 

 real prosperity when their officers' salaries are low ; for the 

 temptation to extravagance with an increase of means is well nigh 

 irresistible. I have always felt it to be an imperious duty for the 

 officers of a literary institution, which contains indigent young 

 men, to set an example in plainness in dress, equipage, and living, 

 that tliey might be encouraged. In respect to books, apparatus, 

 and specimens, and even objects to improve the taste, such as 

 paintings, statuary, and articles of vertu^ I would counsel as large 

 an expenditure as possible, for that is true economy; and to get 

 large sums for these and benevolent objects is the great purpose of 

 economy in personal expenses. But I have ever found men more 

 ready to call your economy parsimoniousness, than to inquire into 

 the liberality of your benefactions for worthy objects. 



"For the formation of a taste for science I was doubtless indebted 

 to my uncle, Major-General Epaphras Hoyt, of Deerfield, a near 

 neighbor. He gave the most attention to military science, on 

 ^hich he published some valuable works, and to which I devoted 



