A TEACHER: A STUDENT OF LAW, AND TUTOR. 67 



enjoyed five weeks of so great mental and bodily health as 

 that which I have experienced during the five weeks in 

 which I have resided here 



FROM MR. SETH P. STAPLES. 



NEW HAVEN, July 7, 1798. 



WE celebrated Independence here with great 



pomp and splendor. The morn was ushered in by the fir 

 ing of cannon and the ringing of bells, a cant expres 

 sion, and it will be in every Boston paper for this month. 

 At nine o'clock A. M. a procession was formed down in the 

 new township, consisting of 1st, the Governor's guard ; 2d, 

 the militia company ; 3d, the new-formed company of ar 

 tillery, John P. Austin, captain ; 4th, mayor and aldermen 

 of the city, the civil authority, the two orators Dr. Dwight 

 and Noah Webster, Jr., Esq., sheriffs, deputies, clergymen, 

 candidates, citizens, and students, and a military company 

 of boys. Perhaps I have not got them exactly in their 

 order. From the new township they moved up Chapel 

 Street in procession till they came to the brick [church] ; 

 then the military opened on the right and left, and the 

 procession walked through. After they were seated, the 

 President delivered an excellent sermon, and Mr. Webster 

 an oration equally good. After the exercise, formed again, 

 and walked again in procession to the State House, where 

 was prepared a public dinner with excellent liquors. After 

 dinner, drank a number of very patriotic toasts, which you 

 will probably see in your papers ; and a most ardent spirit 

 of patriotism appeared to diffuse itself through every rank 

 and grade of society. Many, before they left the tables, 

 got very high. The ladies in town, to a very great num 

 ber, took tea at Mix's, over in the new township. To give 

 you an account of their manoeuvres would exceed this let 

 ter. They drank toasts, sang songs, and appeared equally 

 gay with the gentlemen. 





