LECTURES IN BOSTON. 359 



were more numerous than I could comfortably accept. I 

 concluded the courses, therefore, with a mind not elated 

 and vain, but soberly satisfied with what I had faithfully 

 and laboriously done for the people, and with what they 

 had done for me. But there was a concluding act which 

 touched my feelings, and the effect of which remains to this 

 day. When I had made my bow, and the crowded audi 

 ence were beginning slowly to retire, a committee of ladies, 

 five or six in number, came upon the stage, and their leader 

 requested me to linger a moment. She then expressed for 

 herself and her companions, their satisfaction and grateful 

 estimation of my efforts for their instruction and entertain 

 ment, and on behalf of the ladies who had attended the 

 course, they earnestly requested that I would return the 

 next season and give them a course of chemistry. I 

 thanked them, of course, and engaged to take their re 

 quest into respectful consideration, but did not allude to the 

 overture of Mr. Lawrence. One of the ladies, the leader, 

 a matron, gave me a little book on Christian Union, on 

 a blank leaf of which was inscribed by her, "I thank 



my God upon every remembrance of you." 



Saturday, April 11. At six o'clock A.M., in company 

 with my faithful Robert, I left Boston for Providence. As 

 objections might be made to the admission of a colored man 

 into the passenger cars of the first class, and being unwill 

 ing to disturb the feelings of one who had served me so 

 well, and contributed materially to my success, I went with 

 him into one of the unoccupied cars of the second class. 

 I was the more willing to do this, as my mind having been 

 for many weeks under great tension and excitement, repose 

 and quiet were very grateful to me, and I gladly avoided 

 the necessity of conversing with strangers or of reviving 

 the accidental acquaintances which I had formed. *I had 

 just concluded successfully an arduous and responsible 

 enterprise. I had been permitted to sustain the honor of 

 my College, and to justify the favorable opinion of my 



