252 LIFE OF BENJAMIN SILLIMAN. 



in my eyes, since it affords me an opportunity of subscribing 

 myself, with sentiments of gratitude and respect, 

 Your obliged, humble servant, 



B. SILLIMAN. 



Mr. Silliman received the following letter from the 

 eminent statesman and philanthropist whom he had 

 met in England, and to whom he had sent a copy 

 of the Journal of Travels." 



FROM MR. WILBERFORCE. 



(Near) LONDON, January 28, 1811. 



SIR, I fear I may appear chargeable with the imputa 

 tion of making a very unfriendly return for the kindness 

 which obtained for me the obliging marks of your remem 

 brance with which I was favored about three weeks since, 

 in delaying for so long a time to make my acknowledg 

 ments ; but I can truly assure you that my dilatoriness has 

 not arisen from my having been insensible to your obliging 

 conduct towards me ; but I have been, and indeed I still 

 am, exceedingly occupied both with public, and, as it hap 

 pens, with private business, and being thus circumstanced, 

 I have naturally put off sitting down to a letter which I 

 conceived might probably wait in the post-office a week or 

 more before it would depart. But in justice to myself, I 

 must no longer remain silent, though I can now do little 

 more than thank you for the kind recollections which 

 prompted you to send me a proof of your regard. I shall 

 avail myself of some of my first leisure intervals for pe 

 rusing your book, convinced that the remarks of an intel 

 ligent writer (I do not like to call a subject of the United 

 States, stranger or even foreigner, though a member of a 

 different community) who lives in a circle different from 

 our own, may afford both profit and pleasure. I should 

 have been happy to introduce you to Mrs. H. More, whom, 

 besides respecting her as one of the mos elegant writers 



