138 LIFE OF BENJAMIN SILLIMAN. 



her favorite parts, the Grecian Daughter; he re- 

 ceived the hospitalities of Mr. Thornton, member of 

 parliament and friend of Wilberforce, and by that 

 gentleman was introduced to the illustrious states- 

 man, with whom he spent several hours most agree- 

 ably ; and he was brought into personal intercourse 

 with the distinguished scientific professors, Davy and 

 Allen. Taking the University of Cambridge on his 

 way, and passing through York and Newcastle, he 

 arrived in Edinburgh in the latter part of Novem- 

 ber, 1805. He found everything to delight him in 

 this ancient and beautiful city, and in the University, 

 where he found the ablest instructors in the depart- 

 ments of study to which he was devoted. Here he 

 remained until the following spring, when he set sail 

 from Greenock, and reached New York on the 27th 

 of May. 



In his Reminiscences, Mr. Silliman has presented 

 fresh and lively details of this early sojourn in Europe, 

 and especially of the winter at Edinburgh. To no 

 part of his long life does he seem to revert with more 

 pleasure than to this. The following passages em- 

 brace but a part of what he has written : 



My travels and residence in Europe in 1805-6, although 

 undertaken chiefly for the interests of Yale College and of 

 science, did not preclude observations of popular subjects 

 along with notices of science and the arts. These observa- 

 tions were preserved in a Journal which was published in 

 1810, and two other editions followed. 



The ride from Liverpool made me acquainted with a gen- 

 tleman, Mr. John Taylor, who proved to me an invaluable 

 friend through a long life. He died Dec. 9, 1857, aged 78. 

 (For a fuller notice of him see the 8vo. edition of my first 



