VISIT TO EUROPE: RESIDENCE IN EDINBURGH. 197 



York May 27, 1806, being then twenty-six years and nine 

 months old. 



On Thursday the 29th, I breakfasted with Oliver Wolcott, 

 Esq., who arranged the business concerns of my mission, 

 and with whom I corresponded. Mr. Wolcott was succes- 

 sor to Gen. Alexander Hamilton as Secretary of the Treas- 

 ury of the United States under President Washington. Mr. 

 Wolcott was a highly dignified and intelligent gentleman, 

 and was now a merchant of high position and connections 

 in New York. With him I called on Col. John Trumbull, 

 who had acted as my patron and friend in England. I 

 dined with my old friend, Mr. Zachariah Lewis. Although 

 Mr. Wolcott had lost his wife, who is remembered as a lady 

 of great excellence and loveliness, he, notwithstanding the 

 derangement of his family, held at his house a soiree of 

 some of the most eminent men of the city, among whom 

 were Mr. Hoffman, Mr. William W. Woolsey, Col. Trum- 

 bull, Archibald Gracie, Judge RadclifFe, and many more. 

 Probably not an individual of them is now living. The 

 gentlemen thus assembled were members of a social club, 

 and this was one of their meetings. On looking into my 

 journal written at the time, I find that I was admitted in 

 courtesy. The meeting was social, easy, and agreeable, and 

 was characterized by good sense, intelligence, and politeness. 

 I received of course many warm greetings from the friends 

 whom I met on this occasion. On Friday, May 30, I break- 

 fasted with Mr. Samuel Miles Hopkins, a delightful man 

 with a polished and intelligent wife (Miss Rogers, daughter 

 of Moses Rogers, an eminent New York merchant). I 

 dined with Mr. Codman, uncle of my Edinburgh friend, 

 and like him, an agreeable and friendly gentleman. 



Steamboats and railroads were in those days unknown, 

 and stage-coaches were slow. Dr. Gorham and myself 

 prepared to take our chance in a New-Haven packet, the 

 Maria, Capt. Bradley, in which we embarked at four o'clock 

 p. M., on Friday. With a continuance of the fair wind with 



