342 THE CANADIAN NATURALIST. [Oct. 



were always in the school a number who were fitting for college, I 

 found a thorough review of a large part of my classical studies 

 indispensable — not once merely, but over and over again, so that 

 the details have remained in my mind even to the present time, 

 and the same is true of the many other studies one is called to 

 teach in an academy. It was a much more severe discipline than 

 if I had been through college drilling ; and I would advise no 

 young man to venture upon it unless driven to it, as I was, by 

 dire necessity. 



" The academy owned a very good philosophical apparatus, and I 

 prepared a number of lectures on natural philosophy, which were 

 delivered with experiments before the school, and in the evening 

 before the citizens of the village. This was my first attempt at 

 lecturing. 



'' But my best mental discipline was connected with the use of the 

 astronomical instruments of the academy. In another place I have 

 described the observations which I made on the comet of 1811, as 

 well as on other heavenly bodies. The subsequent winter was in a 

 good measure devoted to a reduction of those observations ; and as 

 I had access to only a few books, I was obliged to calculate by 

 spherical trigonometry many elements which at this day are 

 found in the tables of practical astronomy. The mere efibrt to 

 form an accurate idea of the numerous spherical triangles I had to 

 construct out of the imaginary circles of the celestial sphere, 

 was an admirable discipline, and their accurate solution not 

 less so." I 



Much more might be usefully said on this subject ; but we turn 

 to his experiences as Professor and President at Amherst College. 



" When I joined the College in the winter of 1826, there was no 

 laboratory, no philosophical cabinet, no natural history cabinet, 

 and no chapel. Two dormitory buildings had been erected, and 

 in the fourth story of the most northerly of these (the present 

 North College South Entry) two rooms were thrown together, a 

 platform built on which was placed a small tub-like pulpit, which 

 could be moved ofi" to allow the Professor of Natural Philosophy 

 to lecture one part of the day, and the Professor of Chemistry the 

 other part, taking care to finish before evening prayers. 



" On the catalogues for 1825 and 1826 my title appears as Pro- 

 fessor of Natural History and Chemistry. The order of these 

 subjects was changed on the subsequent catalogues, and continued 

 thus till 1845. For nearly twenty years I had entire charge of 



