262 Reminiscences of the late Mr. Whitney. 



His amiable and generous dispositions also prompted him strongly 

 to social intercourse ; his countenance and person were so prepossess- 

 ing as to excite an active interest, especially whenever he spoke ; his 

 gentlemanly manners, marked by a calm but dignified modesty, were 

 still those of a man not unconscious of his own mental powers; he 

 was therefore self possessed, while a winning affability and an agree- 

 able voice, made his conversation as attractive as it was instructive. 

 He abounded in information and in original thoughts ; he was always 

 welcome in the best society, both at home, and when he travelled ; 

 the first men of the country, and from almost every state in the Union, 

 called on him, and much of his time was necessarily passed in society. 

 Before he had a family, his carriage was often observed standing, till 

 a late hour in the evening, at the doors of some of his friends, and 

 he seemed reluctantly to withdraw to his manufactory, which was 

 two miles from the town. Mr. Whitney was constant and warm in 

 his friendships, and his efficient pecuniary aid, (after he came to be 

 possessed of the means,) was often afforded, not only to his friends, 

 but to persons who had sometimes no claims except those that ad- 

 dressed themselves to his kindness and generosity. Those who re- 

 lied upon these trails were rarely disappointed, but he did not con- 

 sider himself as being always requited, either with substantial justice 

 or with gratitude ; a case which is, however, not altogether singular 

 in the world. Many thousands of dollars, amounting to a consider- 

 able fortune, were lost to Mr. Whitney, through his generosity. 



It is perhaps worthy of being mentioned, that Mr. Whitney's 

 amiable dispositions and power of pleasing were manifested in 

 the pleasure which he took in caressing children, and in the ease 

 with which he won their attachment. In my own family, as a visit- 

 ing friend, he always allured the children, at once, around him, 

 and neither he nor they were soon tired of the little gambols and 

 pastimes, started for their amusement. Such happy dispositions em- 

 inently fitted him for the high domestic happiness which he found 

 in his own family, during the few years that he was permitted to 

 enjoy their society. After he became convinced that he could not 

 survive his disease, he manifested a wise prospective forecast for their 

 welfare, and it is characteristic of his peculiar turn of mind, that 

 the ample house which, had he lived, he had intended to have erect- 

 ed, he ordered to be built after his death, for his lady and their chil- 



