IV Dr. Kirkland’s Discourse in Commemoration of 
their elevated stations and their calm retirement by the promotion 
of science, and by generous and uniform encouragement of all 
good learning in the community.” 
In endeavouring to acquit myself of the trust you have 
assigned me, I shall give biographical notices of the men of 
renown, whom we commemorate. 
I should next proceed to speak of the estimation in which 
we hold their agency in securing the liberty and guiding the 
councils of their country, and treat of their principles and views 
relative to our great public interests. On these topics the limits 
of the occasion forbid me to enlarge, since I am required, under 
the present appointment, to call your attention more particularly 
to the intellectual endowments and acquisitions of these 
distinguished members of our body, and the good service they 
performed as votaries of useful and ornamental knowledge. 
I shall subjoin remarks on some of the lineaments of their 
private, social, and individual character. 
In giving some account of Mr. Adams, it is due to his memory, 
as well as to usage in similar cases, to speak of his ancestry ; 
for he did not affect to be independent of the feeling which 
prompts us to associate ourselves with our progenitors. On the 
other hand, he esteemed it a privilege and gratification to be able 
to trace his descent to the early settlement of the country, and 
to find, in the line from which he sprung, a succession of worthy, 
if not conspicuous persons; freeholders, of whom some gave 
one or more of their children a liberal education, others held 
the principal municipal offices in the towns where they lived, and 
all were in good repute. These men he delighted to honour for 
their piety, prudence, temperance, industry. His paternal ancestor 
in this country was Henry Adams from Devonshire, who with 
