276 LIFE OF BENJAMIN SILLIMAN. 



the Highland Society had offered for the best essay 

 on the chemistry of that plant, and of the soil on 

 which it grows. Meantime, the gradual development 

 of the new branch of scientific instruction led to the 

 design of giving it a recognized place in the Univer- 

 sity studies. A memorial, prepared chiefly by Pro- 

 fessor Silliman, embodying the outline of a School 

 of Science, and setting forth the reasons for the 

 establishment of such a school, was presented to 

 the Corporation of the College at their session in 

 July, 1846. As was his habit whenever he had any 

 subject of sufficient importance to be presented to 

 this Body, Professor Silliman went personally before 

 the Corporation to urge upon them the necessity of 

 meeting the growing demands of the public, in this 

 direction, by the establishing of such a new depart- 

 ment. The request of Professor Silliman w^as com- 

 plied with, and the scheme having been widened, at 

 the suggestion of Dr. Woolsey, so as to embrace ad- 

 vanced instruction in other subjects, a committee 

 appointed by the Corporation reported, at their ses- 

 sion in 1847, the plan of a fourth department, de- 

 voted to Philosophy and the Arts. But the first Pro- 

 fessors had been appointed at the earlier meeting in 

 1846. Correspondence had been opened with Mr. 

 Norton, then transferred to Utrecht, where he was 

 pursuing his chosen calling with Mulder, and it was 

 decided at that meeting to commence operations by 

 ill*- appointment of this gentleman to the new Chair 

 of Agricultural Chemistry, and of Mr. Silliman, Jr., 

 to that of Technical Chemistry. These appointments 

 h;ivin^ been made, and Professor Norton having 

 returned in the following year from Europe, the Yale 





