342 LIFE OF BENJAMIN SILLIMAN. 



on the Sabbath had attracted his attention, should be sent 

 to him for private admonition. On the other hand he was 

 somewhat impatient of rules against petty offences, and 

 reminded us that he had protested against the adoption of 

 the system of rules which culminated in dismissing from 

 College every student who incurred twenty marks for ab 

 sence from College exercises in a term. 



Toward the younger members of the Faculty, those who 

 had recently come from the rank of pupils, where they had 

 looked up to him with reverence, his considerate bearing 

 was such as to make them feel at home in their new and 

 delicate position. He at once called them his colleagues in 

 the grave business of the instruction and government of the 

 College, and seemed disposed with unaffected sincerity tq 

 take them to a full equality with himself as such. Not that 

 there was any want of this respect on the part of others 

 toward the younger officers, but he was more carefully 

 demonstrative. So when any tutor announced his purpose 

 of soon laying down his office, Professor Silliman almost 

 invariably improved the opportunity to utter some com 

 plimentary word, and to express his regret that the services 

 of the retiring officer should cease. 



There was one thing which may be mentioned in this 

 connection, interesting in itself and also as illustrating 

 further the traits of character in Professor S., of which I 

 have spoken. I refer to the marked respect and affection 

 with which he invariably spoke to and of his only senior 

 colleague. This was very observable from the earliest time 

 of my association with him, and continued to the close of 

 life, and it was the more striking from the fact that that 

 colleague was only one year before him as a graduate, and 

 was appointed to a professorship in the College at the same 

 session of the Corporation, at which he was himself made 

 Professor of Chemistry. But the truth is, the very nature 

 of Professor Silliman found enjoyment in the manifestation 

 as well as the entertainment of such feelings. He met all 



