44 



matter in hand, and appearing before the corporation, at 

 their annual meeting, at commencement, in 1846, 

 presented the importance of having such a professorship 

 in some way connected with the college. This proposal 

 was made at a most fortunate time. It had long been 

 the wish of the college officers to have a department, in 

 which some of the collegiate studies, such as philosophy, 

 philology, pure mathematics, and the like, might be 

 prosecuted by graduates under systematic instruction, 

 and in which also, not only graduates, but others not 

 graduates, who should be properly qualified, might be 

 trained to fulfill in a manner creditable to the country, 

 the office of the civil engineer, of the scientific miner and 

 geologist, of the scientific agriculturist, and the like ; 

 thus furnishing society with a body of highly educated 

 men, in its various departments, and introducing in fact, 

 new liberal professions among the learned professions. 

 This movement in behalf of the physical department, fell 

 in with this long cherished desire ; the matter was dis- 

 cussed on general principles ; and from this discussion 

 arose what has since been called, The Philosophical 

 Department of Yale College. As we regard this movement 

 one of great importance to the college, and to the country, 

 and as Mr. Norton was the founder and architect of one 

 of the most important branches in this department, we 

 have thought it best to put on record all the documents 

 relating to this subject. 



