228 Notice of the late Sheldon Clark. 
His death was tragical. Being, the preceding evening, ona 
scaffolding in his barn, moving on his hands and knees—an infirm 
pole, concealed by straw, suddenly broke ;—being very heavy; 
a fall.of fourteen feet upon a timber and stones, crushed in the 
sternum and some of the ribs, and he at once pronounced himself 
a dead man. With difficulty, aided by the arm of an attendant, 
he walked into the house, and: lingered fifteen hours in agony, 
although with a clear disposing mind ; he was able to command his 
hands to examine his pocket-book and papers—giving perspicuous 
directions as to his affairs, the college, and his sisters, and then 
he expired, in the full energy of a strong frame, not so much ex- 
hausted.even by intense pain, as drowned by the extravasation 
and.secretion of fluids, impeding, and at length arresting the play 
of his lungs. 
Under his extreme sufferings, not a word escaped him as to his 
future prospects; he remarked only, that he had endeavored to 
do all the good in his power, and we trust the preceding pages 
have shewn, that his endeavors were not in vain. - 
A large concourse of friends and neighbors and people of the 
vicinage, with several of the officers of the college and the clergy 
attended him to his last home. A long retinue of rural vehicles 
wound slowly down the high hills and along the deep valleys to 
a secluded burying ground, which he had. been instrumental in 
arranging, ona quiet and beautiful. plain, shaded by pines and 
watered by the murmuring current of a branch of the Housaton- 
ick. A neat marble slab records his name as “a distinguished 
benefactor of Yale College.” Such indeed he was. His bene- 
factions to the institution, including the funded interest that-had 
accumulated -to the time of his death, amounted to full thirty 
thousand dollars—three times as much as any other individual 
ever gave.* 
Allowing all that belongs to human nature, of the love of pres- 
ent or posthumous fame, (and there is no doubt that Mr. Clark 
fully participated in this common feeling,) still he has set a noble 
example, which it is equally our duty and our pleasure to presen 
in strong relief, to our country and the world. In proportion t 
his means, few have done as much, and it would not be easy 
ose who have done more.. 
“ Only one individual, the late Dr: Alffed Perkins of Norwich, gave $10,000 98 
a library fund, and there are a few living men who have given from $0000 © 
