114 LIFE OF BENJAMIN SILLIMAN. 



FROM MR. CHARLES DENISON. 



December 5, 1802. 



I HAVE lately heard from Mr. Day. He is no 



better, but rather worse, than when he left us Dr. 



Dwight told me, a short time since, that he had given over 

 the expectation of ever seeing Mr. Day in the professor's 

 chair. What a loss to the Institution ! A character so 

 near perfection is not often found in this wicked world. 

 Indeed, I know but few who are his equals, and I never 

 saw his superior. That such a man should be cut off in 

 the very blossom of life is to the human eye dark and mys- 

 terious.* We must, however, submit to Him who seeth 

 not as man seeth 



The following are passages from a humorous let- 

 ter of one of his colleagues in the tutorship. In the 

 treatment of these light topics, the reader will detect 

 traits of style which reappear in the erudite essays 

 and commentaries of the author's later years. The 

 " Gazette " was a document composed by the tutors 

 for the entertainment of their absent associate. 



FROM TUTOR MOSES STUART. 



YALE COLLEGE, December 21, 1802. 



DEAR SIR, So much time has elapsed since the publi- 

 cation of our last " Gazette," that it becomes pleasing, and 

 in a degree necessary, to give you further information re- 

 specting the " gestion " of our affairs. To be very brief, 



Mr. has been rusticated, (for rolling barrels down 



my stairs,) for the term of two months* Sophomore 

 has received the darts of Dr. Dwight's quiver, until they 

 were exhausted, for cutting bell-ropes and blasphemy, but 

 without any harm ; he yet stands unhurt " amidst the war, 

 &c." Freshman - - has been suspended for crimes 



* Mr. Day is now (October 18G5) living, at the age of ninety-two. F. 



