CHAPTER II 



YALE AND EUROPE 1850-1857 



A T the close of my year at the little Western New York 

 J\. College I felt that it was enough time wasted, and, 

 anxious to try for something better, urged upon my father 

 my desire to go to one of the larger New England univer- 

 sities. But to this he would not listen. He was assured by 

 the authorities of the little college that I had been doing 

 well, and his churchmanship, as well as his respect for the 

 bishop, led him to do what was very unusual with him to 

 refuse my request. Up to this period he had allowed me to 

 take my own course ; but now he was determined that I 

 should take his. He was one of the kindest of men, but he 

 had stern ideas as to proper subordination, and these he 

 felt it his duty to maintain. I was obliged to make a coup 

 d'etat, and for a time it cost me dear. Braving the cen- 

 sure of family and friends, in the early autumn of 1850 I 

 deliberately left the college, and took refuge with my old 

 instructor P , who had prepared me for college at Syra- 

 cuse, and who was now principal of the academy at 

 Moravia, near the head of Owasco Lake, some fifty miles 

 distant. To thus defy the wishes of those dearest to me 

 was a serious matter. My father at first took it deeply to 

 heart. His letters were very severe. He thought my 

 career wrecked, avowed that he had lost all interest in it, 

 and declared that he would rather have received news of 

 my death than of such a disgrace. But I knew that my dear 

 mother was on my side. Her letters remained as affec- 

 tionate as ever ; and I determined to atone for my disobe- 



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