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and he remembers another classmate as having been attracted to 

 join them, now as distinguished at the American bar as he then was 

 in college. He remembers, also, the gratification with which they 

 welcomed the addition to their number of a fine classical scholar 

 from England, who entered Mr. Pickering's class at an advanced 

 period, and most heartily sustained him in his favorite studies. I 

 take pleasure in alluding to these bright examples, as being illustra- 

 tive not only of Mr. Pickering's character and influence, but also of 

 the tendency of classical learning itself to produce such examples. 

 These favorite studies, however, were not allowed to occupy more 

 than their due proportion of Mr. Pickering's time in college. The 

 mathematics and natural philosophy were studied by him with 

 scarcely less ardor, and with equal success ; nor was any branch of 

 learning overlooked by him, which he had an opportunity to culti- 

 vate. Academic honors had no influence in shaping his plans of 

 study or his rules of conduct. So far from this, he dreaded them, 

 as an unwelcome visitation, if they required his speaking before 

 the public. He pursued knowledge for its intrinsic value and be- 

 cause he loved it ; and conducted himself nobly by following out 

 his inbred sense of propriety and Christian duty. 



His father, being a member of President Washington's admin- 

 istration, was too much engaged by his public duties to do more 

 for his son's improvement in college than by occasionally writing to 

 him. Such a father, however, could not fail to do much in this 

 way, and to exert a powerful influence upon such a son. Their 

 correspondence, were it open to us, would aflbrd the best illustra- 

 tion of Mr. Pickering's condition and circumstances in college, as 

 well as of the motives which governed him, and the manliness and 

 moral beauty of his youthful character. An intimate college com- 

 panion remembers some of the father's letters, and the excellent 



