32 LIFE OF BENJAMIN SILLIMAN. 



and eloquent discourse, pronounced in his splendid manner, 

 without a MS., and with the utmost readiness, and yet 

 with perfect deliberation. You will see it by and by in 

 print. The subject was learning, and its influence ; Colleges 

 and Universities, their proper objects ; discipline (mental) 

 and course of instruction. He based the whole upon a 

 proper moral and religious influence which he regarded as 

 more important than all the rest. This discourse was en- 

 tirely worthy of himself, and fully sustained his high reputa- 

 tion. Governor Briggs inducted him into office in a very 

 dignified manner, and with very impressive remarks. 



At the dinner I was taken by Dr. Pierce of Brookline, 

 and placed with the overseers, or corporation, (I do not 

 know which,) between Dr. P. and Judge Fay, and in the 

 society of Professor Beck, Dr. Harris, Professor Pierce, &c. 

 The dinner was served in a fine room constructed for a 

 picture-room and banqueting-hall in old Harvard. There 

 was no wine, only lemonade ; the very first instance of 

 the kind that has ever occurred here, but they were quite 

 as joyous in their toasts and speeches as if excited by alco- 

 hol, and as it was all moral and intellectual excitement, it 

 was all so much the better. Among the speakers was the 

 President himself, who conducted the ceremonial with ad- 

 mirable tact ; then the ex-President, speaking partly from 

 notes and with some hesitancy, but with very good effect, 

 and no small share of humor, of which I may give some 

 account in conversation ; it would take too much time and 

 paper now. Mr. Webster was lauded and superlauded, 

 and indeed they all " put it on very thick upon " each other. 

 Mr. W. disclaimed speaking on politics, especially on party 

 politics, but evidently alluding to Ingersoll, he said that if 

 he were to speak on politics it would not be in the lingua 

 academica^ nor in the vernacular, but in HIKJIKI pcssima 

 jfir(/nnce. They say he does not excel on such occasions, 

 and I did not think he was sibi cequalis. Dr. Holmes read 

 a very humorous poem, full of fun and full of puns. 



