But I still persevered. Mr. Hodge and I devoted an hour each day to the study of the Latin and Greek writers, and continued this practice for eighteen months, during which time we had read several authors: and the effect has been a thorough revolution of my taste. I could now obey Horace's exhortation, and spend my days and nights in perusing these authors, but I do not think the time would be profitably spent. Of late, I have been engaged in reading our English poets, for whom I have a GREAT esteem. Cowper is my favorite among them all. He resembles very closely my other favorite Horace. As it regards pungency of satire, and close and powerful argument, I think these poets are unequalled by any of their own nations. If I except the odes of Horace, and a few blots in the satires, I think they are also parallel as to morals: I mean, of course, to measure each by the standard of the age in which he lived. Their faults are somewhat alike also; an apparent contempt of harmony of verse, where an idea would lose one morsel of strength by gaining in elegance. I hope you will determine not to forswear the reading of these authors as I did when I left college.

Thursday, September 12th.

You talk about my crying you mercy on your fourth page: what shall I say upon my ninth? May I presume that you have had patience to read thus far? For want of any thing to say, I tell you as another item in our domestic annals, that as I have not been well, I have been threshing in our barn for an hour, and consider it a very excellent kind of exercise, for cold weather especially.

Monday, 16th

I see no reason why I should not continue to write, even though I have nothing to say, until I am able to send this to you. I have avoided saying any thing of my father's health for some days, because I wished to inform you that he was recovered. This I am not yet able to do; he has been becoming weaker and weaker, and though the disease appears to be checked, yet his strength is completely prostrated; he has not sat up since his illness commenced. We believe that he will gradually recover now; but we have been much alarmed. We have, however, had the satisfaction of seeing him at ease under all his pain, perfectly willing to live or die, as the will of God might be.

TRENTON, November 4th, 1822.

I came down to this place on Friday last, and the solicitations of friends and other attractions, have kept me thus long, and shall keep me probably some days longer.

I rode down on Saturday with a friend to Point Breeze, the seat of his Ex-Majesty Joseph, or to use his proper title Le Compte De Survilliers. We spent a long time very agreeably, in strolling about his elegant villa and grounds, gazing upon his buildings, and lakes, and bridges, and splendid statues. I felt transported to some of those European palaces which we poor Americans are forced to hear of, with itching ears, without the pleasure of seeing them.

The improvements which are still almost in embryo, display much taste in the planner, whoever he was, and are in a style entirely new to me. He has a daughter lately arrived from Europe, La Comptesse, &c.

To go on in the journal style. I heard Mr. Armstrong' preach a most eloquent sermon yesterday morning; he is one of my favorites. At night, Mr. Lybrand, the Methodist,―a very good preacher, the coolest Methodist I ever heard. The Trentonians say that the Presbyterians have got the Methodist preacher, and the Methodists the Presbyterian.

My studies begin on Thursday, then I am in for a six months' siege. I am rather afraid that my health will fail. The college commences at the same time; a great accession is expected.

My father has entirely recovered his health; and rides about the country.

J The Rev. William J. Armstrong, pastor of the Presbyterian church. 2 In the Theological Seminary at Princeton, which he entered at the time specified.

CHAPTER II.

LETTERS FROM THE THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY.

1

1822-1824.

PRINCETON, November 22, 1822.

My studies and interruptions and engagements are so numerous as to leave me little time for exercise and recreation, and still less for the less imperative duties of correspondence, &c. Besides, our institution has been in a state of painful suspense and anxiety with respect to the case of Krebs for some days; he is at last taken away, and this left a gloom upon the minds of all of us. On Monday the 18th instant he was first confined to his bed; about Thursday he was seized with a delirium, his fever raged from that time with the utmost violence, and all hopes of his recovery were relinquished. On Friday night the Debating Society was adjourned, and an hour was devoted by the students to prayers for his recovery or his restoration to reason and happy deliverance from this life. During this hour, strange as it may appear, he enjoyed a lucid interval, and though unable to speak, yet by looks and signs he manifested to my father and all who surrounded him his entire resignation to the afflicting hand of God, and his joyful expectation of a happy eternity. Saturday was spent in religious duties in his behalf; on Saturday night his fever abated and left him prostrate as to animal and mental strength; his father and mother arrived on Saturday night, but were not recognized by him until the next day. On Tuesday morning at 1 o'clock A. M., I was called up to see him die, but I declined going into his room. He melted away without a groan or a struggle.

On Tuesday afternoon his corpse was taken in a carriage to

1 William George Krebs, of Philadelphia, a classmate of Mr. Alexander in College as well as Seminary. He was a member of the Lutheran Church. A biographical sketch, written by his fellow student Mr. Joseph S. Christmas, (himself afterwards so celebrated in the ministry,) is in Dr. Green's Christian Advocate for October, 1823.

Philadelphia, accompanied by seven or eight of his fellow students. Perhaps I am wearying you with what dwells so heavily upon my own mind; it may not interest you. I feel it to be a loud call to me to be also ready for this great change. Within three weeks, three of my college classmates have left this world; all of them far more robust, and having the promise of longer life than myself.

My studies are overwhelming, and as we study subjects. rather than books, they are unlimited. I feel disposed to read all that I can on each subject, and when I have spent all my time thus, I find that I have only stepped upon the thresholds of these various apartments of science.

I thank you for your intelligence respecting the literary improvements in your city. I shall always rejoice to hear good tidings from the place where my early scenes of pleasure and pain were chiefly laid, and where I received the rudiments of my anomalous education. I always side myself with Philadelphians when New York is brought in competition with it, though I hardly know why. The associations of infancy ought not to bias the reason of more mature age.1

PRINCETON, Theol. Sem. Last day of 1822.

I wish you all the good wishes which are suggested by the return of this season of festivity, a happy and profitable New Year to you and all your family. You ask for particulars respecting the Seminary, our studies, &c.; and there is no request that I would grant with greater pleasure, for these several reasons: Imprimis, I love our institution so much, and am so happily situated in every respect, that I shall not be soon weary of my subject. Secondly, it is an inexhaustible subject, and therefore I shall have no difficulty in filling up this immense sheet. Thirdly, it is a subject on which I am at home, and therefore I shall write with more ease and pleasure. You shall be satisfied as to minutiæ, and so you have upon the third page of this epistle a brief but minute register of the members of our Seminary, in print too."

I said I was happy, never more so in my life. I enjoy good health, good spirits, and I have a most comfortable room, and a most delightful room mate. I never had so great a variety of

3

1 His residence in Philadelphia extended from December, 1807, to July, 1812-from his fourth to his ninth year. This gave him a short time to enjoy the exact and thorough initiation into Latin Grammar, for which the school of JAMES ROSS was so deservedly famous.

2 The annual catalogue, on a folio sheet.

3 Jared B. Waterbury, now D.D.

excellent company before: Metaphysicians, Wits, Theologians, &c., &c. I have here dearly prized friends, who endear Princeton to me. Books in the greatest abundance, as I have access to six public libraries, as well as my father's. Our studies are not burdensome, and far from being irksome. I saw a letter the other day from an alumnus of this institution to a member of it, in which he says: "My dear C, you are now enjoying your happiest days, and whether you realize it now or not, you will feel it deeply when you are cast out upon the world." These sentiments are not peculiar to this individual, I hear them from every one who has ever been here. Indeed, the greatest cares I experience, are such as arise from an oration to be spoken, or a tedious lecture. Will you not say with Virgil, O fortunati nimium sua si bona norint. I will now proceed to give you some account of my course of life. I rise at half after six. Public prayers in the Oratory at 7. Breakfast at 8. From 9 to 91, I devote to bodily exercise. From 9 until 12, Study. 12—1, Exercise. Dine at one. 2-3, I usually devote to works of taste, and to composing. 3-4 at Lecture. 4 Prayers. Until tea, at Exercise. After tea, until 12 (at which time I close my eyes) Societies, study, &c.

Perhaps you think I exercise my body sufficiently. I find it absolutely necessary to my well-being, or almost to my being at all. You may think, too, that I do not study a great deal; trueand moreover that I need not complain of want of time for correspondence; true, at present I need not complain; I have plenty of time for writing, and general reading. At the beginning of the term, before I had fairly got into the harness, our business appeared too much to grasp; but it is now methodized, and I find that I am quite a gentleman of leisure. To proceed: we recite twice in the week on Hebrew, once on Greek, once on the Confession of Faith, once on Biblical History. Hear Lectures once on Theology, (preparatory to the full and regular theological Lectures,) twice on Biblical history, once on the Criticism of the Original Scriptures, once on Jewish Antiquities. On Monday night, I attend a society for improvement in the criticism of the Bible; President, Mr. Hodge. On Tuesday night, the Theological Society, where every student delivers once in six weeks an original oration. On Thursday night, I am at liberty to attend an evening lecture at the college. On Friday night, Theological Society, where questions in ethics and divinity are discussed. On Saturday night, a weekly prayer meeting. On Sunday we have sermons from our three professors, and Prof. Lindsly,' in rotation.

1 Philip Lindsly, D. D., the Vice President of the College of New Jersey.