BENJAMIN SILLIMAN 10$ 



Among the treasures of the Peabody Museum in New Haven 

 are the collections in mineralogy and geology, which were once in 

 the foremost rank and are still among the most extensive and valu- 

 able in this country. The contrast is very great between these 

 well-filled cases and drawers, enriched by many contributions, se- 

 cured by many able investigators, and the meager outfit provided 

 for Silliman. He often told the story that, when he was desig- 

 nated a professor, he put all the minerals belonging to the College 

 in a candle box and took them to Philadelphia to be named by Dr. 

 Adam Seybert. Some purchases were soon afterwards made, 

 and at length an opportunity occurred which Silliman was quick 

 to improve. Colonel George Gibbs, a lover of science, had re- 

 turned from Europe and was resident in Newport, R. I., where 

 he was often visited by the Yale professor. He had formed an 

 extensive and valuable collection of minerals, ten thousand or 

 more specimens, and Silliman persuaded him to place them on 

 public exhibition in Yale College where they remained from 1810 

 until 1825, attracting great attention. A subscription was then 

 taken up for its purchase, and the collection became the prop- 

 erty of the College. Many additions were subsequently secured 

 from Robert Bakewell, William Macclure, Alexander Brongniart 

 (of Paris), and G. A. Mantell. 



Fisher tells this characteristic story: 



"When Mr. Edward Everett came to New Haven to deliver his 

 discourse upon Washington, he related in a short speech to the 

 college students, an anecdote connected with the purchase of the 

 Gibbs Cabinet. Understanding that this collection was offered 

 for sale, Mr. Everett had suggested to several friends of Harvard 

 that it might be secured for that institution. 'But,' said Mr. Ev- 

 erett, 'they hung fire; and after the bargain was concluded by 

 Mr. Silliman, I observed to him that I hoped the affair would 

 give a useful lesson to our people against delay in such matters.' 

 1 You are welcome,' said Mr. Silliman with a smile, ' to any moral 

 benefit to be derived from the matter; we, meanwhile, will get 

 what good we can from the Cabinet.' ' 



For many years the Trumbull gallery of paintings shared with 

 the cabinet of minerals the interest of visitors to New Haven. 



