LETTER FROM HON. ROBERT Y. HAYNE. 295 



where I lived from 1773 to 1777, and then visited South- 

 east Town, in Putnam County, where my father once re- 

 sided. I went to the house, and to the very room where I 

 was born, where I saw my blessed mother die, fifty years 

 ago next December. I never viewed any scene with deeper 

 interest or more affecting recollections. Everything looked 

 decayed and melancholy, and the features of nature seemed 

 to have dwindled since the eye of youthful exaggeration 

 was withdrawn. I was astonished to find how much the 

 enchantment of youth had disappeared, and how much 

 forty years had disrobed the spot of the brightness and 

 charms with which it once contributed to transport me. 

 But, my dear sir, excuse my. wandering pen. I set out to 

 thank you for your friendship and goodness, and to assure 

 you of the interest I take in whatever concerns your wel- 

 fare and your character. I am, with the highest esteem and 

 regard, 



Yours, &c., 

 PROP. SILLIMAN. JAMES KENT. 



The letter of invitation to the Presidency of South 

 Carolina College, with Professor Silli man's reply, is 

 presented below. 



FROM HON. ROBERT T. HAYNE. 



CHARLESTON, January 19, 1835. 



DEAR SIR, You have probably seen that the trustees 

 of the South Carolina College have made a radical reform 

 in that institution, the president and all the old professors 

 (except one, Mr. Nott) having gone out with a view to give 

 place to others to be chosen. Three only have as yet been 

 elected professors : Dew, of "William and Mary, to the pro- 

 fessorship of History and Political Economy ; Professor 

 Davis, of West Point, to the professorship of Mathematics, 

 and Mr. Cogswell, formerly of Northampton, to the profes- 

 sorship of Languages ; the presidency with the professor- 



