4 LIFE OF BENJAMIN SILLIMAN. 



which it was my duty to explain. Astronomy stands side 

 by side with them in these respects ; while, in grandeur 

 and awful sublimity, as it presents in the starry heavens a 

 splendid record of the thoughts of God, it takes rank of all 

 other departments of physical science. 



Excepting a single spontaneous address before the Geo- 

 logical Association in Philadelphia, in April, 1841, I had 

 never spoken, as a lecturer, in any place south of New 

 York, except when I was in Baltimore. On my tour to 

 Pittsburg in April, 1843, my good friend, Dr. Nathan R. 

 Smith, expressed a wish that I might lecture in Baltimore, 

 and intimated that he might originate an effort to have me 

 invited to address an audience in that city in the ensuing 

 year. To this suggestion I did not raise any objection, and 

 the effort was made by Dr. Smith and his friends, and 

 especially his son-in-law, Dr. Theobald, in the winter of 

 1843-44. Accordingly, in December, 1843, 1 received an 

 earnest invitation from Baltimore to deliver a course of 

 geological lectures there. The letter was couched in cour- 

 teous language and in gratifying terms, and was signed by 

 seventeen of the most eminent citizens. Several of these 

 gentlemen were distinguished as men of science or for pro- 

 fessional eminence, and most of them by social position. 



The course in Baltimore was opened on the 4th 

 of March, 1844. 



My residence was, by previous invitation, at the house of 

 Dr. Nathan R. Smith, the most celebrated surgeon of this 

 part of the United States. Dr. Smith and his father and 

 family had been guests in my house, and they appeared, I 

 doubt not truly, to be happy in reciprocating the hospi- 

 tality. 



As at Pittsburg, I opened the entire subject, the ob- 

 ject of Geology, the means and the results already at- 

 tained ; also, the relation of the subject to the interests of 



