

LETTER FROM REV. DR. SPRAGUE. 375 



him, so far as everything pertaining to his countenance and 

 figure, his air and manner, was concerned, just about the 

 most perfect specimen of humanity that I had ever fallen 

 in with. During the first two years of my College life, I do 

 not remember ever to have spoken with Mr. Silliman, nor 

 indeed in my Junior year, except as he questioned me in 

 common with the rest of the class, to find out what we had 

 remembered of his chemical and mineralogical lectures. 

 But I used to gaze at him every Sunday, as he sat in the 

 gallery of the old chapel, in spite of Dr. Dwight's eloquent 

 and powerful preaching, as if part at least of my errand 

 there had been to admire a graceful and beautiful person. 

 If my memory serves me, the first time I ever spoke with 

 him was in April, 1815, less than six months before the 

 close of my College course ; and both the occasion and the 

 nature of the interview are embalmed in my memory. It 

 was during a revival of religion which swept with power 

 through the College, and brought the most thoughtless into 

 an attitude of serious reflection, and, in respect to not a 

 small number, seemed to work the great change decisive 

 of their eternal destiny. My own mind was drawn power- 

 fully in a new direction, insomuch that I felt myself obliged 

 to stay away from the recitations and lectures, I believe, for 

 two or three days. As I was coming up Chapel Street one 

 morning, I saw Professor Silliman at a little distance from 

 me, and as I knew that I had to render my excuse for 

 absence from his lectures, I thought I might as well do it 

 then ; and I accordingly approached him, stated to him the 

 reason of my absence, and begged him to excuse me. His 

 answer was so kind, I may say so sympathetic, that he not 

 only put me entirely at rest, but drew me to him in cords 

 of gratitude and affection ; and I suppose his kindly demon- 

 strations were all the more pleasing from my having just 

 been told that one of my classmates, in similar circum- 

 stances, had offered the same excuse to another member 

 of the Faculty, and had been given to understand that it 



