APPOINTED PROFESSOR: STUDIES IN PHILADELPHIA. 107 



almost as if I had heard them recently. I should mention 

 that Dr. Wistar, when returning from Europe in his early 

 manhood, having finished his professional studies abroad, 

 landed at Boston, and in his journey to Philadelphia, 

 stopped at New Haven, visited Yale College, and had an 

 interesting interview with President Stiles. He admired 

 exceedingly his various and curious erudition, his enthusi 

 asm and eloquence, and the winning courtesy of his man 

 ners. He seemed fond of returning to the theme, which 

 was of course pleasing to me as a son of Yale, who passed 

 almost three years under the Presidency of Dr. Stiles. 



Dr. Wistar treated me with marked consideration, and I 

 was invited twice to dine at his hospitable table, which was 

 supplied with an elegant and tasteful liberality, but without 

 ostentation. I enjoyed these occasions exceedingly. Dr. 

 Wistar was childless ; but his wife seemed to be actuated 

 by the same spirit of hospitality. 



Meeting with Dr. Joseph Priestley. This celebrated 

 gentleman was also a guest on one of these occasions, 

 when I dined at Dr. Wistar's. As a very young man, (of 

 twenty-three or twenty-four years,) I felt it an honor and 

 advantage to be introduced to so celebrated an author 

 and philosopher. He had become obnoxious in his native 

 country on account of political and religious opinions, as 

 he was a friend of civil liberty, and his religious creed 

 was Arian, or Unitarian. At that time, during the early 

 part of the French revolution, there was a strong excite 

 ment in P^ngland against revolutionary sentiments and 

 movements. Dr. Priestley then resided at Birmingham, 

 and during an anniversary commemoration of the destruc 

 tion of the Bastile, although he was not then in the city, 

 the mob proceeded to his house, which they burned, with 

 his library, apparatus, and manuscripts. All were lost; 

 and the outrage was said to have been countenanced by 

 persons of consideration both lay and clerical. In 1794 



