218 Notice of the late Sheldon Clark. 



peared to him to involve a waste of time and money ; and he 

 does not appear to have granted him any extraordinary opportu- 

 nities for education, except a period of instruction at Litchfield, 

 South Farms, in 1805 and 1806. But the active mind of young 

 Clark could not be restrained, entirely, within the prescribed 

 bounds; he diligently read such books as he could find, and 

 early indulged in habits of intellectual exercise — reflecting and 

 reasoning upon a wide range of topics, and often adopting pecu- 

 liar views of his own, in neglect of those more generally received, 

 or in opposition to them. This independence of thought he 

 carried through life, and it appears to have been the more firmly 

 established, because his solitary walks did not lead him to contend 

 with intellectual rivals and competitors ; he measured himself by 

 himself, and thus became confident in the correctness of his own 

 opinions. 



This independence appears to have led him to seek those 

 opportunities of obtaining knowledge which were denied him 

 by his aged friend. Soon after his grandfather's death, he first 

 called on me, and introduced himself, as one desirous of acquiring 

 learning. The impression made by his first appearance was 

 pleasing. He was a florid, handsome young man, well dressed, 

 of plain but respectful manners, very intelligent, — having the 

 appearance of one conscious of mental power, and extremely de- 

 sirous of making additional advances in knowledge. Restated, 

 that by the prudential views of his grandfather, he had been de- 

 barred from obtaining a liberal education, and eagerly inquired, 

 whether there was any thing in Yale College to which he could 

 have access, without being a regular member of the institution. 

 He was, of course, encouraged to expect the use of the libraries, 

 with access to the lectures on science, and a hope was held out 

 that he might, perhaps, by special favor, be admitted to the reci- 

 tations and discussions of the senior class, under the direction of 

 President Dwight. The death of his grandfather a short time 

 before, left him the liberty to pursue his own course, and the 

 means also of doing it, as he gave him his estate, except a few 

 legacies. Accordingly, in the succeeding season of 1811-12, re- 

 sorting to New Haven, he passed the autumn and winter and part 

 of the spring in a course of study, connected with the recitations 

 and discussions of President Dwight, and with the lectures in the 

 departments of natural philosophy and chemistry. He took notes 



