CORRESPONDENCE. 329 



a work of that general and comprehensive kind, I appre- 

 hend, extremely wanted on the subject concerning which it 

 treats ; and it is admirably qualified to excite and direct the 

 attention to its object. Be assured, sir, I take great delight 

 in observing the regular and rapid extension of your fame 

 and usefulness, and particularly am I happy to find that the 

 public have given you so substantial and encouraging evi- 

 dence of their sense of your merits by the recent enlarged 

 subscription to your " Journal of Science." Wishing you 

 every success, 



I am, very respectfully, 



Your obedient servant, 



JOSIAH QUINCY. 

 BENJAMIN SILLIMAN, LL. D. 



FROM HON. JOSIAH QUINCY (SENIOR.) 



CAMBRIDGE, March 10, 1831. 



DEAR SIR, I have received your kind favor of the 18th 

 ult, and your excellent work on chemistry of which your 

 letter was a precursor. It will not be, I assure you, 

 among " the mutes " of my library. Its station is at present 

 on my parlor-table, where it is seen, examined, and ap- 

 proved by the many intelligent men, who are my occasional 

 or weekly visitants. When it takes its station in my library, 

 it will be often resorted to for reference or comparison, 

 and with the more interest from the deep personal respect 

 I entertain for its profound and laborious author. From 

 the cursory survey I have yet been alone able to give it, I 

 cannot question that the effort has been successful to the 

 extent of your hopes, and that it will be a most useful text- 

 book, subserving powerfully the cause of instruction in the 

 branch to which it relates. 



Present me respectfully to President Day and the learned 

 gentlemen in your vicinity to whom you may know I am 

 not unknown. It gives me great pleasure to find that Dr. 

 Webster is reaping late in life the harvest, at least of ap- 



