ty; his visage is thin, long, and features rather delicate, with a fine, full dark eye; his hair is plentiful, parted from the crown to the forehead, and drops off on each side; it is gray but not perfectly white; his head is remarkably small, rather more oval than common. He is quite an active man for his years, and still pursues writing geographies; but our country increases so fast, that the old gentleman hardly gets one geography out before it is out of date, and he has to commence a new. He speaks very slow and soft, without the least ostentation of learning. I called upon him often in his study, and found him always pleasant and communicative; he lives in plain style; his first wife is living, and quite as rgreeable in her manners as her husband. He told me he had three sons living in New-York, and one on his travels in Europe. He dresses in a plain gown, and looks very venerable. After Mr. M., the next man I called on was the celebrated Mr. W. I knocked at the door with more than common enthusiasm; for though we back-woods folks are not learned ourselves, we have a warm liking for learned people. In a few minutes, a low chubby man, with a haughty air, stepped into the room; his face was round and red, and by no means literary looking. He was dressed in black broadcloth, in dandy style; in short, he comes nearer the description of a London cockney, than any character I can think of; he eyed me with ineffable scorn, and scarcely deigned to speak at all. I am sorry for his sake I ever saw the man, as it gave me infinite pain to rescind an opinion I had long entertained of him. He appears to be about sixty years of age. The next person I waited upon was President Day, who gave me a reception worthy the principal of Yale College. This celebrated man is of middle age, tall, and well made; his complexion inclining to dark, his face is oval, with a keen hazel eye, his countenance grave and dignified, and plainly marked with the lines of deep thinking; his features are regularly proportioned, mauly and striking, with a high smooth forehead; his manners are those of a perfect gentleman. With respect to President Day's natural and acquired abilities, it is superfluous to say any thing, as he is universally known icate, from side; kably ite an geog de old is out ks velearnd him plain in her SODS rope. rable. orated nmon not arned with a round ? was ort, he , than ffable sorry ⚫ pain He Day, Yale tall, his nance nes of oned, 1; his spect it is nown to be a man of general science, and one of the first mathematicians of the present age. Professor Silliman is in appearance very like President Day, about the same age and size; his complexion fairer, with the same hazel eye, but a shade darker, sparkling with genius; his countenance more luminous and striking, and his manners more captivating. As a writer, chemist, and mineralogist, Professor Silliman ranks among the first men of this or of any other country. He visited Europe when a young man, with a view of prosecuting his studies, particularly of chemistry, where he travelled three years; during which he wrote a journal of his travels, a rare and invaluable work, which does honor to the American character. His remarks in this work are concise, but pointed, and display the most striking evidence of talent, industry, and research, to be found; nothing dry nor volatile, not a line in the whole work, which is considerable, but conveys both pleasure and instruction. He delivers lectures on chemistry in Yale College, during the winter months, which, for elocution, science and sentiment, are said to afford a perfect intellectual feast. I was honored with a ticket of invitation to attend the lectures whilst I remained in New-Haven, but was prevented by indisposition, a circumstance I deplore, the more so, as the opportunity is lost for ever, it being the last lecture for the season. These gentlemen, with Professors Smith, Taylor, Kingsley, and Knight, are all of the faculty I had the pleasure to see. Doctor Smith is one of the finest men in the world. I do not speak of his abilities, as the whole faculty is one constellation of learned men. But Dr. S. is so singularly good, so easy and simple in his manners and conversation, as much like Dr. M. of New-York, as one man can be like another; about the same age, though Dr. Smith is tall and thin visaged, but fair, with a soft blue eye. Professors Knight and Taylor were also men of very engaging genteel manners. Professor K. did not strike me particularly: I thought him rather stiff and formal, though he is remarkable for his personal endowments, and he is said to be equal, if he does not surpass any of the faculty, for talen and profound learning. There are several more literary men in New-Haven, buti my limits compel me to conclude, enkle ogah, ti Beside these, New-Haven is the seat of several distinguished families, viz. the Ingersolls, Edwardses, Kimberlys, Whitneys, Hillhouses, and Bristols, have their residence in this town. The celebrated Whitney, who invented the cotton gin, now deceased, was of New-Ha ven. Besides the college, New-Haven has three academies, and several grammar schools, which are well conducted, and yet the dialect is subject to the like exceptions with other places. I think it rather an improvement, upon that of New-York and Boston, for they have a great many on'um here, with allwhile and alltime, besides swarms of bes; and guess has taken such deep root, that one might as well attempt to overturn the Andes as to erad. icate this word from the dialect of New England, and yet I should think a few well directed lectures in the common schools might be attended with happy consequences, for although the yankees cannot be drove, no people are more easily led. But one fact is settled, that, excepting these vulgarisms, they pronounce the English language with great distinctness, clearness, and uncommon melody. The citizens of New-Haven, in manners and appearance, differ little from the neighboring towns; same hospitality peculiar to New-England. A town, however, is no correct specimen of national appearance. Great disparity as to size, is visible between those who are brought up in towns, and those who are reared in the country, the latter being much the stoutest men. Legislature of the state is now in session in New-Haven, and amongst the members, are many from the country, who are elegant looking men, of good stature. The The inauguration of the governor took place on the day previous to the meeting of the Legislature, which was celebrated with great military eclat. His excellency Gov. Wolcott, former secretary of the United States treasury, is descended from the distinguished family of Wolcotts, mentioned in these sketches, who settled Massachusetts; a man of unblemished reputation, and unequalled generosity, the worthiest of the worthy, and the ven, stin Kim their who ·Ha nies, cted, with apon ma arms one erad. 1 yet com ices, e are pting lage elo i apSame →ver, Great > are the best amongst the good. I was much gratified to witness New-Haven was settled by a company of gentlemen, The following is a statement of the duties and ton- New-York The ven, Boston $1,183,294 60 1,098 20 11,227,794 94 4,216,325 45 436,966 08 llen tates 'y of Mas une ithe Providence* Newport 250,474 19 54,063 10 75,612 38 94,334 60 97,383 01 12,743 97 * Providence lost over a million of dollars worth of shipping by a rise of the river, a few years back, of which it will not recover for many years to come. |