Sketches of History, Life, and Manners, in the United States

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geographies; but our country increases so fast, that the old gentleman hardly gets one geography out before it is out of date, and he has to commence a new.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

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NEW-HAVEN.

389

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
countenanee more luminous and striking, and his man-
ners more captivating. As a writer, chemist, and mine-
ralogist, 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, par-
ticularly 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 Amer-
ican character. His remarks in this work are con-
cise, 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 con-
siderable, but conveys both pleasure and instruction. He
delivers lectures on chemistry in Yale College, during
the winter months, which, for elocution, science and sen-
timent, are said to afford a perfect intellectual feast.
was honored with a ticket of invitation to attend the lec-
tures whilst I remained in New-Haven, but was prevent-
ed 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 Profes-
sors 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 learn-
ed 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 vis-
aged, but fair, with a soft blue eye. Professors Knight
and Taylor were also men of very engaging genteel man-
ners. Professor K. did not strike me particularly: I
thought him rather stiff and formal, though he is remark-
able for his personal endowments, and he is said to be
equal, if he does not surpass any of the faculty, for tal-
en and profound learning.

There are several more literary men in New-Haven, but my limits compel me to conclude,

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 com mon 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. The 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 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

best amongst the good. I was much gratified to witness
the honors showered upon his gray hairs, by an enlight-
ened, brave, and generous people. Gov. Wolcott is far
advanced in life, the whole of which has been devoted to
his country.

New-Haven was settled by a company of gentlemen,
the principal of whom were the Rev. John Davenport,
and Theophilus Eaton, Esq. in 1639; the natives were
called Quinnipicks. This town is famous for giving re-
fuge to the regicides Goff and Whalley, who were con-
cealed many years in a cave, under one of those large
rocks already mentioned, called the west rock; also fa-
mous for the residence of a hermit, who lived on it many
years, and at length was found dead in his hut it is said
he was partially deranged. I was on the east rock,
which is 370 feet in height; it stands nearly two miles..
from N. H. and commands a prospect of thirty miles,
not so richly diversified as the prospect from the state-
house of Boston, but much more romantic and pictur-
esque.

The following is a statement of the duties and ton-
nage of the towns and cities visited by the author, for
the year 1824.
Baltimore
Philadelphia

Wilmington, (Del.)

$1,183,294 60
4,325,427 16

1,098 20

11,227,794 94
4,216,325 45
436,966 08

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 rise of the river, a few years back, of which it will not recover for many years to come.