34 



York, who had the direction of his studies the first winter 

 he was sent from home to school. Mr, Dwight says : 

 " In my first interview with John, I found he had a de- 

 cided aversion to every branch of study, especially Latin 

 and Greek. I sought for some pursuit in which he might 

 feel some interest, but went through the whole range of 

 sciences and literature without success, when at last I 

 mentioned mineralogy. There I found him alive, and 

 willing to answer questions, and I soon learned that he, 

 for two years or more, had appropriated his money to the 

 purchase of minerals, and had a large collection. I in- 

 quired anxiously how he had arranged them ; and he re- 

 plied that he had made three attempts to arrange them, 

 according to their colors and names, and had found that 

 they could not be classified by anybody. I assured him of 

 the contrary, and told him that the proper principle was 

 that of their composition. He immediately inquired how 

 any person could know what stones are made of. I ex- 

 plained, in a simple manner, analysis and synthesis, and 

 promised him that he should begin the next day to de- 

 compose minerals, and (what pleased him more, although 

 he did not half believe it possible) compound and form 

 some himself." Henceforth, there is no want of interest 

 in his studies ; and from the hour of this conversation, 

 he became one of the most hard-working scholars of his 

 time. A certain modesty of disposition, and a diffidence 



