154 LIFE OF BENJAMIN SILLIMAN. 



ber 1805. At evening I rode out on horseback to his resi 

 dence at Holgate, a suburban village. I passed out under 

 a Roman arched gateway. This eminent man, early in life, 

 removed from New York to old York, on account of a 

 muscular weakness in his limbs, hoping for relief from the 

 climate of England ; and in this country he found a perma 

 nent home, although he did not obtain the desired relief. 

 His grammar of the English language was the best that 

 had been written, and he published several other works. 

 "In the chaste, perspicuous, and polished style of his writ 

 ings, and in the pure and dignified moral sentiments which 

 they contain, one may discern proofs of the character of 

 the man. Both he and Mrs. Murray retained the simplicity 

 of Quaker manners, while they were refined and polished 

 people. I was fortunate in finding him able to converse, 

 for at times he cannot utter even a whisper, and is com 

 pelled to decline even seeing his friends." 



