IDENTITY OF PARENT AND OFFSPRING. 199 



oncl rank. President Walker in 1814 was a leading 

 scholar of his class. President Felton in 1827 wag 

 graduated with high distinction. President Hill in 

 1813 was the second scholar in his class at Cam- 

 bridge. Professor Bowen, who leads now the philo- 

 sophical department at Cambridge, was the first 

 scholar of his class in 1833. Professor Peirce in 

 1824 excelled his classmates as much in the knowl- 

 edge of mathematics as he does now his fellow-pro* 

 fessors. Professor Dana in 1833 was the fourth 

 scholar in his class. Leonard Bacon in 1820 was 

 the fourth. Professor Tyler of Amherst College in 

 1830 was only one-half of one per cent behind that 

 scholar who afterwards became known to the world 

 as Professor Hackett, and whose rank at Amherst 

 in 1830 was ninety-seven and one-half per cent for 

 the whole course. It is well understood that there 

 is no infallibility in college-marks. Who knows 

 which was the better scholar, Tyler or Hackett ? 

 They were both excellent scholars, and have been 

 very distinguished men. The little differences be- 

 tween the ranks are not insisted on in forming col- 

 lege estimates. Something, however, must be taken 

 as the rule by which to rank men, if you appoint 

 the parts according to the ranking list ; and so such 

 ar apparent injustice may occur as here. The gen- 

 eral rule stands, nevertheless, that the upper quarter 

 furnishes as many distinguished men as the lower 

 1 lire 3 quarters. 



You say that these scholars are all professors and 

 piesidents, and were peculiarly influenced in after- 



