134 LIFE OF BENJAMIN SILLIMAN. 



Our stay was therefore one week. This period I have spent 

 very usefully and agreeably. I have met with very polite 

 and friendly attention from people of the first respectability. 

 I have secured letters of introduction to Scotland, England, 

 Holland, and France ; from Samuel M. Hopkins, Dr. Ma 

 son, the house of Murray and Son, Oliver Wolcott, Dr. Per 

 kins, Col. Trumbull, and Mr. King. All these gentlemen 

 offer me every information and assistance in their power. 

 Mr. King will introduce me to Sir Joseph Banks, President 

 of the Royal Society, to Sir Charles Blagden, late Secre 

 tary of it, &c. Col. Trumbull, in addition to letters, will 

 give me in writing directions for travelling to advantage, 

 particularly to enable me to make a respectable appearance 

 with the least possible expense ; for he remarked that he 

 had visited Europe in circumstances very similar to mine, 

 and therefore knew how to direct me. In company with 

 Dr. Dwight and Mr. Rogers, I spent two hours one morn 

 ing at Mr. King's. I was gratified to find in a man who 

 had been so long conversant with Courts, and who had so 

 long enjoyed the admiration of Europe and America, the 

 utmost affability and a total freedom from formality and 



that repulsiveness so commonly mistaken for dignity 



While in New York I dined with Moses Rogers, in com 

 pany with James Watson, Dr. Mason, Mr. Hopkins, Mr. 

 Gracie, Oliver Wolcott, &c. I dined also with Wm. Wool- 

 sey, Lynde Catlin, Mr. Winthrop ; breakfasted with Peter 

 Radcliff, Mr. Hopkins, and Mr. Rogers, &c., &c. I must 

 stop to-morrow night with brother John, and reach New 

 Haven on Saturday evening. On Monday I shall go to 

 Middletown to spend a day or two with Hon d - Mother, and 

 this will close the vacation. I must then give an assiduous 

 application to the duties of my professorship and to 'my 

 preparations, till my departure 



A voyage to Europe sixty years ago was a far 

 more serious undertaking than now; and the fare 

 wells exchanged were proportionately serious. 



