218 Memoir of Rev. John Prince, LL. D. 



and usefully spent, it can look forward and upward with peace, hope 

 and joy. " Oh happy old age ! he is unworthy to reach thee, who 

 fears thee ; he is unworthy to have reached thee, who complains of 

 thee."* 



The last years of Dr. Prince's life realized the brightest picture - 

 of a happy old age. By the kindness of his people he was released 

 from labor and care, — a long respite was given him, after the day of 

 toil was over, and before the summons came to depart. In the 

 pursuits of philosophy and religion ; in the peaceful and cherished 

 society of a kindred spirit ; in the company of his friends ; in the 

 exercise of amiable affections towards man, and of admiring adora- 

 tion towards God, the glories of whose creation he was continually 

 exploring ; and in the enjoyment of enough of this world's goods 

 to meet his wants, he quietly descended the lengthened vale of 

 years. He had his trials, and at times they were severe indeed, 

 but his patience and faith were sufficient to sustain him while they 

 lasted, and when, they had passed away, the very memory of them 

 seemed to be obliterated by the pleasant engagements which, in 

 cheerful conversation, in instructive books, in philosophical experi- 

 ments, and in the employments of his workshop, were ever at hand. 

 His faculties of body and mind remained sound and bright to the 

 end, " his eye was not dim, nor his natural force abated ;" and at 

 last he came to his " grave in a full age, like as a shock of corn 

 comes in the season thereof." In contemplating such an old age, 

 we cannot but adopt the sentiment, although the conceit may be re- 

 garded as somewhat extravagant, which a quaint writer expressed 

 on a similar occasion — " What a lovely spectacle ! the angels of 

 heaven fly to the windows of heaven to look upon such a spectacle." 



It is highly honorable to the society, of which Dr. Prince was the 

 pastor, that they continued to him an unabated support, although he 

 was for a great length of time disabled from the discharge of his 

 ministry, and for twelve years it was necessary to supply his place 

 by the maintenance of a colleague. On his death bed he gave the 

 most affecting testimony that this generous fidelity was duly appre- 

 ciated. He bequeathed a most choice and valuable library, of four 

 hundred and fifty three volumes, being nearly the whole of his the- 

 ological books, for the perpetual use of his successors in the ministry 

 of the First Church in Salem. The last act of his life, was to cause 



* " O Felix ^tas ! Indignus est ad te pervenire, qui te metuit. Indignus per- 

 venisse, qui te accusat!" — Petrarch. 



