354 LIFE OF BENJAMIN SILLIMAN. 



boy will put himself in the way of the good influence which 



F writes me is hopefully abroad in the College, and I 



wish that the dear little girls may feel it too." 



March 24 Dinner at Dr. Shattuck's ; met a very agree- 

 able party of gentlemen ; among them were Rev. Dr. 

 Charles Lowell, Mr. Bowditch, Jr., Rev. Mr. Adams, Dr. 

 Charles T. Jackson, and Mr. Washington Allston, the dis- 

 tinguished artist in painting. I saw Mr. Allston in New 

 Haven many years ago, then a bright young man with 

 black hair, now an old man with snowy locks. Dr. Lowell, 

 a moderate Unitarian, almost Orthodox, remarked to me 

 that theology was not always Christianity. Dr. Shattuck 

 said there were some ideas so established that we could not 

 go behind them to examine their origin, e. g., a man's 

 paternity. 



March 26. Dined at Governor Winthrop's, a noble and 

 perfect gentleman of the old school, his person grand, 

 being large and handsome, and his locks white, man- 

 ners dignified, but courteous and encouraging to strangers. 

 Guests: Edward Everett, Jared Sparks, Alden Bradford, 

 Judge James Savage, Mr. Williams from Northampton, 

 Judge Davis, Rev. Dr. Harris, and two sons of Governor 

 Winthrop. Thus this noble house is continued from the 

 pilgrim ancestors down to our time. Dinner and enter- 

 tainment excellent. I, rather early, retired with French 

 leave, and, as I afterwards thought, too abruptly, as I sat 

 on the Governor's right hand. I went home to rest, and 

 to prepare for the lecture of the evening, which went off 

 very well. After lecture, although fatigued, I was pre- 

 vailed upon, contrary to my resolution, to attend a large 

 and brilliant party at Mr. Abbott Lawrence's. Mrs. Law- 

 rence kindly provided me a seat, and insisted that I should 

 occupy it. I made some efforts for the "American Journal 

 of Science," and wrote a circular which was approved by 

 Dr. Ticknor and other judicious friends. 



March 29, Sabbath. In the morning I went with Mrs. 



