THE BEGINNING OF HIS WORK AS PROFESSOR. 131 



so that his instructions were not etymologically lectures 

 or readings, but free, fluent talks, prepared for evidently 

 with care, and delivered in a style, as some would say, 

 rather ornate for a strictly scientific discourse. Severe and 

 sensitive critics might go so far as to say that there was in 

 his style of lecturing a slight affectation of the exquisite ; 

 while others would say " nay, but a very natural elegance." 



In his demonstrative experiments he was always success- 

 ful, and in all his manipulations there was uniformly a 

 grace and nicety that was pleasant to those of us whose 

 ideality had begun to be developed. 



His elocution was distinct, sometimes rather too rapid for 

 those of us who were slow of apprehension, but it seemed 

 to go so fast because he feared there would n't be time 

 enough for it all to get out there was so much of it 

 before the clock would strike and shut the laggards in. 



It was, I think, in 1829, that, at the request of the first 

 association for a course of popular lectures in Boston, I 

 called upon Mr. Silliman to solicit from him a course of 

 lectures in that city. As to his manner in that course, I 

 could see in it but little change. It seemed almost identi- 

 cal with what it was when I first heard him. His style of 

 rhetoric was perhaps rather more severe, but his experi- 

 ments were equally graceful, and, as of old, equally and 

 always successful. What, under certain combinations and 

 mixtures, he said would come to pass, always did come to 

 pass. He was as a lecturer a true prophet, showing a full 

 knowledge of his subject, and because of that knowledge 

 able to predict the phenomena that would result from stated 

 conditions. 



Mr. Silliman's chemical lectures in Boston were emi- 

 nently successful. In regard to his manner of lecturing 

 when I just compared it with what it was when I first heard 

 him, if I speak as I have done, of its almost perfect iden- 

 tity, thereby implying that he had not improved much be- 

 tween those periods, you, sir, ougjht not to be greatly 



