Obituary. 369 



" While an undergraduate, he excelled in every part of 

 collegiate study, but was, perhaps, most distinguished in 

 the branch of pure and mixed mathematics; for progress 

 in which he was peculiarly qualified by the rapidity of his 

 perceptions, and habits of close, and long continued atten- 

 tion J which enabled him, with apparent ease, to trace quan- 

 tities in their remotest relations, and disentangle the most 

 complicated theorems. That he would be eminent in this 

 department of science, wa^ then easily foreseen ; if his fu- 

 ture situation in life should be such, as to allow him an op- 

 portunity to cultivate his favourite studies. He rec-'^ived his 

 Bachelor's degree, in the year 1813, and left the College 

 with a reputation, which few at the same period of their lit- 

 erary life, have attained ; a reputation created by nothing 

 casual or adventitious, and which did not exceed his merits* 



" The two years which followed, he spent pardy in his 

 native town in attending to moral and metaphysical science, 

 and partly in commencing a theological education at the 

 Seminary in Andover. In the year 1815, he was elected 

 to the office of Tutor in Yale College, a place for which he 

 was known to possess the highest qualifications, and in which 

 no doubt was entertained he w^ould contribute, in the full 

 proportion of his talents, to the usefulness and reputation of 

 the seminary. Nor were the expectations which the friends 

 indulged of his success, in any respect disappointed. He 

 at once en^a^ed in all the duties of his station, both as an 



o"o 



instructor and a governor, with a readiness, an ability, and 

 a devotion to his object, which soon satisfied those, who had 

 an opportunity to observe his progress, that great as was 

 his capacity for the acquisition of knowledge, his talent for 

 communicating it to others, and for distinction in the whole 

 routine of academic life, would not be less conspicuous. 



"In the year 1817, he was elected Adjunct Professor of 

 Mathematics and Natural Philosophy in the College, and in 

 1819, entered upon the full duties of his office. From the 

 nioment he wa« designated to this place, all his views, wishes 

 and exertions seemed directed to the single object of quali- 

 fying himself for the entire discharge of its obligations. His 

 ambition looked to no other station of usefulness and dis- 

 tinction; he well knew- his own peculiar talents, and that 

 here was the station where he could exert himself the most 

 successfully and honorably. From the time of his gradua- 



f 



