secured for such accumulations as liberality may hereafter furnish.

But aside even from these advantages, resulting from the antiquity of the establishment, it may be properly mentioned as an incident to the College, that literary men have been attracted to New Haven by the allurements held out by its advantages. If it were proper to allude to names; such men as Noah Webster, in Philology, Percival, in Poetry, and other ardent votaries of science, who have adorned the annals of our national literature, might be referred to, as residents of New Haven, who were attracted to it, not less by its literary advantages than by its local beauty.

But the influence of the College, combined with other favorable circumstances, has been more strikingly manifested in the literary character of the city. Numerous Schools, for the education of both sexes, have recently been established in New Haven, and are conducted with much talent and general approbation. It is probably not an over estimate of pupils to say, that, including the members of Yale College, one tenth part of the inhabitants of New Haven is composed of male and female students, residing in the city for the sole purpose of education.

The city, therefore, affords all the means of elementary as well as mature instruction; and so long as the economical and salutary system now existing, shall be continued, will deservedly rank among the most desirable places for education that our country affords.

To relieve his narrative from tabular statements, the writer has inserted such matters in relation to Cabinets, Apparatus, Library, &c. as he considered interesting, in the Appendix.

Before closing this chapter, intended to illustrate the facilities and advantages for literary pursuits at New Haven, arising from the long established influence of the College and other incidental circumstances, it would be unpardonable to omit a notice of the "American Journal of Science and Arts;" a periodical work of the highest merit, and which, under the able editorship of its projector, Professor Silliman, has exercised, for several years, a powerful and salutary influence on American literature. This ably conducted Journal was commenced in July, 1818, and may be fairly considered, although not subject to its control, as having received its birth in the generating influence of the University. As a valuable repository of facts and speculations, in regard to the arts and sciences, it has attracted greater attention than any periodical work of the kind has ever received in our country. It has been sustained with untiring industry and unabated vigor, from the commencement, and has probably been the means of collecting and preserving a larger mass of valuable facts, in relation to the arts than any original work which has issued from the American press. It were to be wished that the pecuniary profits of this excellent work, bore some nearer proportion to the value of its contents, and that the learned Editor might be

saved from the painful necessity of making any further appeals to his fellow citizens, for additional patronage to a Journal which is honorable to the science of our common country. It derives an additional value, as being adopted as the acknowledged organ of the Connecticut Academy of Arts and Sciences.

CHAPTER XV.

A Review of the Past and Present Condition of the College, with reference to the Character of its Treasurers.

In closing this Sketch of an ancient and venerable Institution, already extended beyond the original plan of the writer, but a brief space is allowed for a review of its past history, or present condition.

It has grown from a feeble Ecclesiastical School, into a distinguished University, embracing in its range of instruction almost the whole circle of sciences, and affording to those who have completed the usual course of collegiate studies, the means of acquiring accurate knowledge in the professions of active life.

The progress of the Institution and the changes, both in its government and instruction, furnish a beautiful illustration of the literary and political progress of society, during the last century.

New England was founded by pious pilgrims, who abandoned the comforts of European life and the delights of cultivated society to enjoy religious freedom in a wilderness. But though their choice was prompt, they could not forget the ecclesiastical oppression that had forced them to quit the abodes of civilized man. In the depths of the forests, they remembered with occasional bitterness of spirit, the

unjust persecutions, which had driven them from the refinements of polished life, and their sentiments with regard to those who differed from them in religious opinions, were imbittered by their sufferings. A rigid ecclesiastical discipline was established in the colonies, which, though generally wise, was sometimes exercised, in mere matters of conscience, with a severity amounting to persecution.

Ministers were not only the ecclesiastical, but the civil officers and guides of the colonists; and every new establishment was formed in express reference to the interests of the church. Hence, Theological studies occupied almost exclusively their attention. The ancient languages, as auxiliary to these, also formed an important branch of education. Hebrew and Greek, as the original Scripture tongues, were indispensable; and the Latin had long been established, not only as the language of general science, but particularly of ecclesiastical literature. The perfection obtained by many of the early scholars of New England, in these branches, it is believed, has rarely been equalled by educated men of modern times.

The cultivation of polite literature was attempted to a limited extent, under the rectorship of Mr. Williams, but yielded under the presidency of Mr. Clap, in a great degree to the graver pursuits of mathematics and philosophy. During President Daggett's administration the classical departments were chiefly confided to the Tutors, who embarked in the cause of reform with equal zeal and ability.