35 



of himself, which was increased by his inaptitude to the 

 ordinary studies of the schools, had hitherto hindered the 

 free, natural development of his powers; and he did not 

 get upon the right track, till the sagacity of Mr. Dwight 

 pointed it out, and set him forth upon it. 



Tt had been determined he should be a farmer. It 

 was his own choice, and his father had readily acquiesced 

 in it, although very wisely making it a condition of his 

 assent, that he should be educated for that business. It 

 may seem strange that we give prominence to this cir- 

 cumstance. But a specific education for the pursuits of 

 the agriculturist, on a broad scale, was a thing almost 

 unknown at that time in this country, and if it is more 

 common now, it is in great part owing to this very ex- 

 ample. This education was to be no superficial one ; it 

 was to be both practical and theoretical. The summers 

 were to be spent in work, and the winters in study. We 

 will draw out the course of his education a little in de- 

 tail, as we think it a very good one, and it may suggest 

 valuable hints to others. The farming season of 1838 

 was spent with E. C. Delavan, at Ballston Centre, N. Y., 

 who had an extensive farm, worked by intelligent Scotch 

 laborers, with whom he was employed almost constantly. 

 The fall and winter of 1838-39 was passed in Albany, 

 studying French, mathematics, music and drawing. 

 The working season of 1839 was spent on his father's 



