282 LIFE OF BENJAMIN SILLIMAN. 



Dr. J. P. Kirkland, of Ohio, wrote to his niece, 

 residing in New Haven, under date of January 1, 

 1860 : i-4 



" It hardly seems possible that Professor Silliman can be 

 active. In the year 1806, soon after his return from his 

 first visit to Europe, I listened with great interest to the 

 details of his tour, while he was relating them to Augustus 

 and Chauncey Cook in Wallingford, where he was visiting 

 his mother. I was a mere boy, but looked upon him as 

 quite a mature man. His first journal of travels I read 

 and re-read soon after its publication. To him I feel that a 

 heavy debt of gratitude is due from me. In the autumn of 

 1813, I commenced attending his chemical and mineral- 

 ogical lectures in New Haven, and they awakened a taste 

 for scientific investigations which have afforded the larger 

 share of my enjoyments and pleasure through life. Be 

 sides, he extended to me, on several occasions, some little 

 favors, principally through the medium of Lyman Foot, 

 who then was a lad in the employment of Professor Silli 

 man. These favors to me were trivial, to be sure ; but he 

 had a way of doing acts with an unaffected kindness which 

 few possess. From childhood I had heard the College, its 

 Faculty, and especially its President, spoken of with dis 

 respect. The epithet of Pope was ever attached to the 

 name of Dr. Dwight. I viewed him and his associates as 

 imperious tyrants. Personal knowledge of Professor Silli 

 man induced me to make him an exception. Prejudice 

 thus imbibed had led me to pursue my studies at the Epis 

 copal Academy at Cheshire rather than in Yale. When 

 about to attend medical lectures, I prepared to resort to 

 either New York or Philadelphia. A kind message, sent 

 from Professor Silliman, caused me to visit New Haven 

 and to enter the Yale Medical College. Either by design 

 or accident, I was thrown in the way of President Dwight, 

 and made his acquaintance. After a brief period, I formed 



