THE BEGINNING OF HIS WORK AS PROFESSOR. 129 



suited the Committee, and Rev. James Dana, D. D., the 

 other member of the Prudential Committee, is here in town, 

 and can be readily seen. 



The proposal of President D wight was immediately 

 adopted and carried into effect. I was too much interested 

 to make any delay, and hastened to those excellent patrons 

 and guardians of the college, explained to them the pro- 

 posed plan, and had the happiness to find that it met 

 their cordial approbation. I had now a prospect of grati- 

 fying the cherished desire of visiting Europe, and under 

 auspices that would insure my favorable reception. This 

 arrangement was adopted, it is to be observed, in the 

 autumnal vacation. I entered, therefore, upon the labors 

 of my course of chemistry already referred to, with a fresh 

 stimulus for exertion, and was cheered through the winter 

 with prospects brightening on my view as the spring drew 

 near. As yet the plan was not spoken of except to a few 

 friends ; but I was making my arrangements to carry into 

 execution the proposed undertaking. 



The lectures were given at the rate of four in a week, 

 which furnished a course of sufficient length, sixty lectures 

 or more, including some notices of mineralogy. By the 

 middle of March I had accomplished all that I proposed 

 to do in that season, and was now ready to finish my final 

 arrangements and to take my departure, which was fixed 

 for the 22d of March, from New Haven for New York and 

 Philadelphia, to obtain additional letters of introduction, 

 to select a ship, and engage my passage for Liverpool, not 

 expecting to return again to New Haven before sailing. 

 Four years and eight months had elapsed from the time 

 when President Dwight gave me the first confidential in- 

 timation of his views and plan, and three years and a half 

 since my appointment. Chemistry was a favorite with Dr. 

 Dwight, and he looked forward to its establishment with 

 the connected sciences with a high and evident interest, 

 which increased in strength as the department advanced 



