360 LIFE OF BENJAMIN SILLIMAN. 



sponsors. Everything had been entirely prosperous ; noth 

 ing of all my undertakings had failed, and I was not with 

 out a pensive religious impression, deeply seated in my 

 mind, that goodness and mercy had followed me all the 

 time, and in our solitary car, it was pleasant to me to in 

 dulge in silent gratitude. 



In May 1835, he was called to deliver a course of 

 geology in Salem. Here he was received with the 

 same cordial hospitality. The next passage relates 

 to the introductory lecture. 



Rev. Mr. Williams, Professor Park,, of Amherst, Rev. 

 Mr. Worcester, and Ex-Senator Phillips, walked with me 

 to Crombie-Street Church, which was almost full when we 

 arrived, and soon was crowded. Mr. Phillips, in a very 

 handsome manner, introduced me to the audience, and I 

 addressed them during one and a half hours. I was as 

 sured on all hands that the lecture gave great satisfaction, 

 and such was the appearance of the audience. After the 

 lecture, ladies came up to the table to see the meteoric 

 stones and meteoric iron. The evening was warm, and the 

 effort of speaking so long to a crowded audience, was some 

 what fatiguing Theodore D. Prince, at seventy- 

 four years of age, was still performing his duties as a Uni 

 tarian clergyman, and had been established there between 

 forty and fifty years. He said to us that when, after his 

 probationary preaching was finished, and the question was 

 raised in the meeting of the society, whether, in New Eng 

 land phrase, they should give a call, that is, invite him to 

 become their minister, at this moment a venerable man 

 rose in his place and said, " That he had but one objection to 

 the young gentleman ; his health was so delicate that they 

 would probably be called to bury him within the first year." 

 " But," said Dr. Prince, " I have lived to bury every indi 

 vidual of the assembly that voted on that occasion." Dr. 



