THE BEGINNING OF HIS WORK AS PROFESSOR. 133 



they will afford Selleck but little entertainment, because 

 they all go upon the supposition that the experiments elu- 

 cidating the principles are exhibited at the same time, I 

 will, nevertheless, send them; they with the Spectacle de la 

 Nature will just fill a small trunk, which I will forward. 

 The lectures must be returned as soon as I return next 

 fall, that I may have them to begin my course with. 



The feeling and eloquent, though too flattering, manner 

 in which you urge me to leave behind a copy of my face, as 

 a sad remembrance, should I never return, took strong hold 

 of my feelings, and drew tears from eyes very little prone to 

 weep. I felt the request to be reasonable, and I will not 

 be so fastidiously delicate as to doubt that a faithful copy 

 of my face would be to my friends a dear memorial of one 

 whom they loved living, and would lament if dead 



I intended to tell you how I am delighted with the de- 

 tails which maternal tenderness, and not weakness, has led 

 you to give me of those dear babes ; if you insist that it is 

 weakness, continue to be weak whenever you write. Your 

 pencil is so successful that I see them both now in my 

 mind's eye. Kiss them six times apiece for me, and tell 

 them Uncle Ben dearly loves his little " pappoose " and his 

 little '" bo\v-wow." On Monday evening my friend Day is 

 to be married. I stand bridesman. The connection prom- 

 ises mutual happiness on the most rational grounds. I 

 assure you I feel very much disposed to go and do likewise, 

 but at least six thousand miles of water lie between me and 

 any glimpse of matrimony 



TO MR. G. S. SILLIMAN. 



RYE, (State of New York,) 

 January 24, 1805. 



DEAR SELLECK, I left New Haven on Wed- 

 nesday morning of last week with Dr. Dwight, and pro- 

 ceeded to New York, which we reached on Thursday at 

 eleven o'clock A. M. We left it to-day at twelve o'clock. 



