stitution but its extensive reputation, would indeed be astonished, were they told how small is the amount of benefactions which it has received. The men of wealth in the State where it is situated have not sufficiently realized its importance to bestow upon it their bounty. The State, also, though at times she has assisted it; has not yet rivalled the munificence of her neighbours on the North and West towards their seminaries of learning. In her public funds, she is, in proportion to her population, the richest State in the Union; yet the College, emphatically her ornament and her glory, has but too sparingly enjoyed her patronage. We have already seen its situation, when Dr. Dwight was inducted into the Presidency. Under all these disadvantages, in his hands, and by his unwearied assiduity and exertions and those of his companions in office, it assumed a new appearance. Its numbers increased, its discipline was revived and invigorated, its morals were purified, and its relative character greatly elevated.

The period during which he presided over the College was attended with peculiar difficulties. A general sentiment of insubordination, growing out of the political situation of the civilized. world, had seized the minds of the young as well as the old. High notions of freedom and personal independence prevailed among all ages. And the first impulse, to which in many instances the minds of youths as well as of men were disposed to yield, was resistance to authority. Many of our higher seminaries of learning have witnessed its effects in scenes of riot and insurrection; which have, for the time, subverted their authority and destroyed their usefulness. Yale College wholly escaped these evils. No general combination of the students to resist its government ever occurred during his Presidency. This fact is to be ascribed to the wisdom and firmness of the President and his associates in office. He well knew that the tranquillity of such an institution must depend on the respect and affection of the students and the steady watchfulness of its officers. Deeply read in the human character and emphatically so in the character of young men, he foresaw the approaches of the storm which so extensively prevailed and provided in season the means of defence and security. On every occasion of this kind he derived the utmost benefit from one trait of his character, his energy;

a trait which no man ever possessed in a more eminent degree. His decision and inflexibility to his purpose cannot be surpassed.

At the Commencement of his Presidency the Professorship of Theology was vacant. The Corporation proposed to appoint him, in form, to the office. For the first ten years he would consent to none but an annual appointment. In 1805, it was made permanent. During the whole period, he preached twice every sabbath; with almost no assistance from his brethren; and very rarely having an opportunity to exchange with the neighbouring clergy. Early in the year following his induction, he commenced the delivery of a Series of Lectures on the Evidences of Divine Revelation. This was no part of the duties of either office; but, owing to the extensive prevalence of infidelity in the country at that period, he viewed it as necessary to guard his pupils against the contagion. These lectures were not written out the weak state of his eyes forbad his employing them for such a purpose. After collecting materials for about fifty; the same difficulty compelled him to desist and prevented him from delivering even the whole of that number. They were on a plan entirely new; and were listened to with great interest. Had not the battle with Infidelity been fought, and the victory won; we should regret, still more than we now do, that they were left unfinished. No one, not personally acquainted with the facts, can realize how great, at this period, were his sufferings from weakness of sight. For years, it was with extreme difficulty that he could read or write even a sentence. He was greatly alarmed, for a long period, with the symptoms of an approaching gutta serena. Repeatedly the pressure on the brain was so great as to produce momentary blindness, and obviously to threaten apoplexy. Occasionally for weeks together the anguish of his eyes was so intense that it required powerful exertion to draw off his mind to any other object. And often after attempting in vain to sleep, he has risen from his bed; and, to promote a free perspiration, has walked for miles in the middle of the night.

In the prosecution of his duties as Professor of Divinity, he early began to deliver the Lectures in these Volumes. His practice was to preach one on the morning of each sabbath in term time. By this arrangement he finished the course once in four years. VOL. I.

E

Thus each student, who completed his regular Collegiate period, had an opportunity to hear the whole series. He first conceived the plan of the work at Greenfield. While there he completed it in short notes in about one hundred sermons; and delivered them twice to his people before his removal. At New Haven he twice went through with them in the same state; frequently however adding to their number, and altering their arrangement.

In 1805, when he was permanently appointed Professor of Theology, the Corporation allowed him fifty pounds per annum to employ an amanuensis. Though the compensation was trifling, yet the place was coveted, and regularly applied for, a length of time before it became vacant. He began immediately to write out these Lectures; and wrote one a week during term time, or forty a year until they were completed. If not prevented, he commenced this task on Monday morning. His progress depended, with the exception of casual interruptions, on the rapidity of the amanuensis; which always fell short of the rapidity with which he dictated. Sometimes, though rarely, the sermon was finished in a single day; usually in the course of the second day. The remainder of the week was employed in writing his Travels, and Occasional Sermons. When interrupted by company, if propriety did not forbid, he would proceed with two trains of thought by the hour together: conversing with the company; and also dictating to his amanuensis.

By a standing rule of the College, the President annually delivers a valedictory Sermon, on the sabbath preceding the Commencement, to the Candidates for the Bachelor's Degree. Perhaps no part of his clerical labours excited more public attention, or were listened to with a livelier interest, than the Sermons delivered on these occasions.

In the year 1797, he was applied to by the General Association of Connecticut to revise Dr. Watts' Version of the Psalms to versify such as he had omitted; and to make a selection of Hymns suited to the general purposes of public worship. The work was completed in 1800, and laid before a joint Committee of that body and of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church; by whom it was approved, and recommended to the use of the Congregational and Presbyterian Churches throughout the

United States. In the performance of this difficult task, he made alterations, of more or less consequence, in a considerable number of Dr. Watts' Psalms; and composed thirty three entire psalms, containing about twelve hundred and fifty lines.

From the time he recovered his health, after the severe attack of colick already mentioned, he habituated himself to a steady course of vigorous bodily exercise. While at Greenfield, notwithstanding the multitude of his avocations, he walked, and rode on horse-back, extensively; and constantly cultivated a large fruit and kitchen garden with his own hands. For this particular species of labour he had a high relish. His garden was distinguished for its beauty and its productiveness: for the excellence of its vegetables, the abundance and delicacy of its fruits, and the choice variety of its flowers. Nor did the habit cease with him after his removal to New Haven. He there pursued the same course-making it his constant practice, through the whole season for gardening, to work at least an hour every morning before breakfast. In other parts of the year, he walked much and daily; rode frequently; and often in the winter, when no other mode of exercise was convenient, he would cut his firewood. On this subject he exhibited the strictest uniformity and perseverance; and both by precept and example inculcated upon his pupils the necessity of a similar course. With reference, in a considerable degree, to the same object, in the year 1796, he commenced journeying on horse-back or in a sulky during the College vacations, particularly in May and September. This practice he continued through the remainder of his life, except the last year; when he was severely attacked by the disease by which it was terminated. In these various journies, it is computed that he rode about twenty thousand miles. His excursions were chiefly confined to the New England States, and the State of New-York. He experienced the highest gratification from the beauties of scenery; and scarcely a spot can be named within those limits where those beauties are to be found in high perfection, which he did not visit and describe. For his own amusement, he took notes of the most material occurrences of his several journies; and afterwards wrote them out, for the gratification of his family. This suggested to him the idea of collecting materials from time

to time for one or more volumes of travels; in which should be comprized, not only an account of the climate, soil, mountains, rivers, scenery, curiosities, and general face of the country over which he passed; but of the state of society, of manners, morals, literature, and religion; the institutions civil, literary, and religious; and the character of the governments and laws; of the above mentioned States. To the performance of this task, he was greatly prompted by the very unfair, and illiberal accounts, which are given of us by foreigners, who have done little else than caricature both the country and its inhabitants. In his opinion also, there was something peculiar in the circumstances of this country, which would render its history interesting to the philosopher, the statesman, and the christian. These circumstances arose from the singular character and romantic bistory of the aborigines; from the recent date of its settlement by civilized inhabitants; from the character, views, and history, of its first settlers; from the advancements it had made in wealth, science, the arts, the character of its government, laws, and institutions ;—and, in short, from its progress in all the great objects of a civilized and christian community, in the course of a hundred and eighty

years.

On these journies, he visited great numbers of the most intelligent and respectable inhabitants of those tracts of country over which he travelled; and derived from his conversation with them, a great collection of facts relative to the general state of morals, manners, and religion. The information thus gained was arranged, reduced to writing, and prepared for publication: the whole forming materials for three octavo volumes. It is believ ed, by those who have had opportunity to examine the manuscripts, that no work has appeared, which contains so much correct information concerning the subjects of which it treats, as this. It is also believed, that, should it ever be published, it will have the effect of redeeming our national character from the abuse and calumnies which have been heaped upon it by foreign travellers.

These journies also enabled him to form an acquaintance with great numbers of the clergy, and many other persons of a religious character, in the States through which he travelled; and to.