360 LIFE OF BENJAMIN SILLIMAN. 



his good temper, never breaking out in sallies of 

 passion, made perpetual sunshine in the household. 

 Here, too, his vivacity and humor had full play ; and 

 his kindness towards all men shone out in his just 

 and charitable judgments. And here the sincerity 

 and warmth of his heart were most manifest, and his 

 reverence for God and sacred things made an atmos- 

 phere of peace around him. That this is not an 

 exaggerated picture of the domestic character of 

 Professor Silliman, can be established by the best 

 of testimony. We are permitted to insert the fol- 

 lowing communication from his eldest daughter, 

 Mrs. Church : 



My earliest recollections are of a loving, sympathizing 

 and reasonable parent. I cannot recall any instance of im- 

 patient or unjust treatment at his hands. When very young 

 children we were allowed to be with him in his busiest 

 hours, if only we played quietly without needing his inter- 

 ference. Even now I can recall the kind tone in which he 

 would say, " My little girl will not trouble papa." He 

 always entered the house with a smile, if. we were near, 

 would make some playful remark, often joining in our play, 

 throwing his large cloak over one or two at our game of 

 hide-and-seek. Among my pleasant memories are long 

 drives with him when it was the custom to travel in one's 



own carriage. A journey to H was recreation to him ; 



he would drive, and tell us stories, help us to count all the 

 vehicles of various kinds we met on the road, ask us ques- 

 tions in our lessons, repeat scraps of poetry, and allow us 

 to hold the reins while he walked up the hills. After tea, 

 when we were older, he would give us lessons on the globe, 

 explaining the latitude and longitude, and different geo- 

 graphical terms and divisions. He, first of any one, crit- 

 "cized my compositions and youthful effusions, and so kindly 



