110 LIFE OF BENJAMIN SILLIMAN. 



introduction to him by correspondence, and he favored me 

 with a list of books for the promotion of my studies. 

 Among these were Chaptal's, Lavoisier's, and Fonrcroy's 

 Chemistry, Scheel's Essays, Bergman's Works, Kirwan's 

 Mineralogy, &c. I also passed a few days with Dr. Mac- 

 lean in my different transits to and from Philadelphia, and 

 obtained from him a general insight into my future occu- 

 pation ; inspected his library and apparatus, and obtained 

 his advice regarding many things. Dr. Maclean was a man 

 of brilliant mind, with all the acumen of his native Scot- 

 land ; and a sprinkling of wit gave variety to his conversa- 

 tion. I regard him as my earliest master of chemistry, and 

 Princeton as my first starting-point in that pursuit ; al- 

 though I had not an opportunity to attend any lectures 

 there. Mrs. Maclean was a lovely woman, and made my 

 visits at the house very pleasant to me. She was a sister of 

 Commodore Bainbridge, afterwards signalized by the cap- 

 ture of the British frigate Java, in the war of 181215. 

 Mrs. Maclean gave me an introduction to the family of 

 Commodore Bainbridge in Philadelphia, in which I was 

 an occasional visitor. Dr. Maclean, the President of 

 Princeton College at this time and for some years past, is 

 the worthy son of Professor Maclean, and does honor to 

 his father and to the institution over which he ably pre- 

 sides. President Samuel Stanhope Smith was the head of 

 the college during my early acquaintance with Princeton, 

 and I had the honor of an introduction to him, and of din- 

 ing in his family. Mrs. Smith, a grave, taciturn lady, was 

 a daughter of the celebrated Dr. Witherspoon, of Revo- 

 lutionary memory, a member of the Congress which de- 

 clared the independence of the Colonies, to which instru- 

 ment he added his signature. The personal presence of 

 President Smith was noble and commanding ; but there 

 was a stately gravity about him which did not encourage 

 freedom, and I felt much constraint in his society. He was 

 a powerful writer and an eloquent speaker. 



