8 MEMOIROF 



trusted; and thus, without resources, and without 

 suitable protection, he was left exposed to adversity 

 and temptation. It appears, however, that the moral 

 and religious impressions which had already been 

 made upon his mind, though obscured for a time, 

 were never obliterated. In his last illness he bore 

 this testimony to the affectionate religious care of 

 his pious aunt. " If/' said he, " I have ever been 

 led to do any good, it has been through the influence 

 of her example, instruction, and prayers." 



Little is known of the next ten years of his life. 

 He appears to have had some opportunities for at- 

 tending school; but to his own native energy and 

 uncommon intellectual endowments, self cultured 

 under many obstacles and discouragements, is his 

 future superiority of mental attainment to be chiefly 

 attributed. An interesting incident of his character, 

 after he had attained his fifteenth year, has been fur- 

 nished by a physician who was, in 1810, a senior 

 student in the office of Dr. Thomas E. Bond, of Bal- 

 timore. " The office/' says he, " was fitted up with 

 taste, and boys, attracted by its appearance, would 

 frequently drop in to gaze on the labelled jars and 

 drawers. Among them I discovered one evening *an 

 interesting lad, who was amusing himself with the 

 manner in which his comrades pronounced the ' hard 

 words' with which the furniture was labelled. He 

 appeared to be quite an adept in the Latin language. 

 A strong curiosity soon .prompted me to inquire, 

 ' What is your name, my little boy ?' He was small 

 of his age. ( My name is John D. Godman.' e Did 



