The Three Secretaries 207 



in result, has been that of famiUes of diverse origin and 

 occupation, such as would scarcely have been likely to come 

 together in an old and established community. 



If one were asked to say what elements it would be best 

 to mingle to produce Mr. Langley's peculiar type of mind, 

 the theoretical response would probably be very close to that 

 which is found to exist in fact. Of the eighty male ancestors 

 who have been identified, the occupations of only about thirty- 

 five are certainly known ; most of the others were probably 

 farmers or others of quiet, retired pursuits, who lived to ripe 

 old age, handing down to their descendants great vitality and 

 powers of long-living. An unusual number, at least eighteen 

 or twenty, were skilful mechanics and artisans ; six at least 

 were mariners, and most of these were sea captains. On the 

 other hand is found a group of the most intellectual men of 

 early New England ; four of them clergymen, three school- 

 masters, one a physician, five at least graduates of Harvard, 

 one of Oxford, and one of Cambridge. Besides these, there 

 were a number who were leaders in public affairs, and who 

 aided in extending the frontier of the infant nation, and in 

 protecting it against invaders, Indian and European. Six 

 were members of Colonial legislative bodies, three were 

 lawyers and judges, eight held military commissions in the 

 Colonial wars, or in the Revolution, while among the col- 

 laterals closely related to these same ancestors were many 

 who held representative places in the intellectual life of the 

 young colony. 



Among the ancestors were the Reverend Richard Mather, 

 who came from Lancaster, in England ; his son, the Reverend 

 Doctor Increase Mather, President of Harvard College, and 

 author of the first American work upon astronomy; ^ and his 



1 Kometographia, or a Discourse Concern- Stars is Enquired into: With an Historical Ac- 

 ing Comets ; wherein the Nature of Blazing count of all the Comets which have appeared 



