COMMENCEMENT OF 1862. 299 



I had occasional meetings with him in successive years ; 

 and after my marriage, that connection brought me into 

 familiar intercourse with that portion of Hartford society 

 with which Mr. Williams was intimate. 



This season the winter of 1861-2 has been distin- 

 guished by the removal of many eminent and excellent 

 persons. Among them no one has struck me with more 

 surprise than President Felton. He was a very interest- 

 ing man, and it is a subject of regret with me that an 

 Address, when he was inaugurated, has lain on my table 

 unread and not acknowledged. I intended to do both, 

 but the opportune moment seemed never to arrive. Being 

 at Cambridge with Mrs. Silliman in August last, we called 

 at President Felton's door, and I left my card, he not 

 being at home. I think I should have then thanked him 

 for his Address, but it is now too late. Harvard now 

 numbers four ex-presidents living and in health, President 

 Quincy, Dr. Walker, Mr. Sparks, and Mr. Everett, and I 

 can remember President Willard, President Webber, and 

 President Kirkland. Yale and Harvard are both in 

 mourning, we for Prof. Larned. President Day, Rev. 

 Dr. Fitch, and myself are all that remain of the old Fac- 

 ulty of Yale. 



July 30 and 31, 1862. Commencement Season. The meet- 

 ing of the Alumni was held as usual My own class 



is now reduced to five persons, John Harvey Tucker 

 of Bermuda, Levi Rollins of Wethersfield, Timothy Bishop 



of New Haven, and the two Silliman brothers 



Prof. Thacher gave interesting reminiscences of the late 

 Mr. Edward C. Herrick, and Prof. Porter of the late Prof. 

 Larned. Judge Ellsworth brought forward, and by a pow- 

 erful speech supported, a strong resolution regarding the 



war Seventy Commencements have been held 



since I entered the Institution with my brother in 1792, 



