30 LIFE OF BENJAMIN SILLIMAN. 



sea ; for the Acropolis cannot be more than two hundred 

 feet above the plain. The modern city now contains about 

 twenty-five thousand inhabitants, and is in general miserably 

 built, resembling much one of our Western towns, which 

 have arisen in a hurry amid the stumps of newly-felled 

 wood. There are, however, some good houses, and the 

 palace is quite a respectable building. You are acquainted 

 with our Missionaries, Mr. Hill and Mr. King. They have 

 both treated us with every kindness, and in the ladies of 

 the former family my wife finds polished and excellent 

 friends, whose society she can enjoy. The scenery here 

 has far surpassed my expectations in its beauty, I may say 

 its loveliness. The plain is far greater in extent up the 

 valley of the Cephissus than I had imagined, and forms a 

 most agreeable contrast to the sterile mountains, Hymettus, 

 Pentelicus, Fames, JEgaleus, which enclose the landscape 

 on three sides. The fourth side, as seen from the Acropolis, 

 is that where the beautiful indentations forming the ports 

 of Phiilcrum, Munychia, and Piraeus, and the vicinity ap- 

 pear in sight, while beyond lie Salamis, JEgina, Poms, and 

 the Epidaurian coast, and the island of Hydra. At a dis- 

 tance we saw the Acropolis of Corinth, and above Mount 

 -ZEgaleus appear the tops of Cithaeron and Mount Geranea. 

 I have gazed upon few landscapes with more pleasure than I 

 did upon this yesterday from the threshold of the Parthenon, 

 or, to speak more accurately, from a spot just behind the 

 rear of this building 



The induction of Edward Everett into the office 

 of President of Harvard College, is thus described in 

 a letter of Professor Silliman. 



TO PROFESSOR KINGSM 



BOSTON, April 30, 1846, 9 P. M. 



MY I>I:AU SIR, I have had a busy day at Cambridge, 

 and now devote the remainder of it to you, agreeably to 



