my memories of eighty years-第2节
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t when a Chinese army was beleaguered and besieged in a fortress their provisions gave out and they decided to escape。 They selected a very dark night； threw open the gates； and as they marched out each soldier carried a lighted lantern。
In the faculty were several professors of remarkable force and originality。 The professor of Greek； Mr。 Hadley； father of the distinguished ex…president of Yale； was more than his colleagues in the thought and talk of the undergraduates。 His learning and pre…eminence in his department were universally admitted。 He had a caustic wit and his sayings were the current talk of the campus。 He maintained discipline； which was quite lax in those days； by the exercise of this ability。 Some of the boys once drove a calf into the recitation…room。 Professor Hadley quietly remarked： 〃You will take out that animal。 We will get along to…day with our usual number。〃 It is needless to say that no such experiment was ever repeated。
At one time there was brought up in the faculty meeting a report that one of the secret societies was about to bore an artesian well in the cellar of their club house。 It was suggested that such an extraordinary expense should be prohibited。 Professor Hadley closed the discussion and laughed out the subject by saying from what he knew of the society； if it would hold a few sessions over the place where the artesian well was projected； the boring would be accomplished without cost。 The professor was a sympathetic and very wise adviser to the students。 If any one was in trouble he would always go to him and give most helpful relief。
Professor Larned inspired among the students a discriminating taste for the best English literature and an ardent love for its classics。 Professor Thacher was one of the most robust and vigorous thinkers and teachers of his period。 He was a born leader of men； and generation after generation of students who graduated carried into after…life the effects of his teaching and personality。 We all loved Professor Olmstead； though we were not vitally interested in his department of physics and biology。 He was a purist in his department； and so confident of his principles that he thought it unnecessary to submit them to practical tests。 One of the students； whose room was immediately over that of the professor； took up a plank from the flooring； and by boring a very small hole in the ceiling found that he could read the examination papers on the professor's desk。 The information of this reaching the faculty； the professor was asked if he had examined the ceiling。 He said that was unnecessary； because he had measured the distance between the ceiling and the surface of his desk and found that the line of vision connected so far above that nothing could be read on the desk。
Timothy Dwight； afterwards president； was then a tutor。 Learning； common sense； magnetism； and all…around good…fellowship were wonderfully united in President Dwight。 He was the most popular instructor and best loved by the boys。 He had a remarkable talent for organization； which made him an ideal president。 He possessed the rare faculty of commanding and convincing not only the students but his associates in the faculty and the members of the corporation when discussing and deciding upon business propositions and questions of policy。
The final examinations over； commencement day arrived。 The literary exercises and the conferring of degrees took place in the old Center Church。 I was one of the speakers and selected for my subject 〃The Hudson River and Its Traditions。〃 I was saturated from early association and close investigation and reading with the crises of the Revolutionary War； which were successfully decided on the patriots' side on the banks of the Hudson。 I lived near Washington Irving； and his works I knew by heart； especially the tales which gave to the Hudson a romance like the Rhine's。 The subject was new for an academic stage； and the speech made a hit。 Nevertheless； it was the saddest and most regretful day of my life when I left Yale。
My education； according to the standard of the time； was completed； and my diploma was its evidence。 It has been a very interesting question with me how much the academy and the college contributed to that education。 Their discipline was necessary and their training essential。 Four years of association with the faculty； learned； finely equipped； and sympathetic； was a wonderful help。 The free associations of the secret and debating societies； the campus； and the sports were invaluable； and the friendships formed with congenial spirits added immensely to the pleasures and compensations of a long life。
In connection with this I may add that； as it has been my lot in the peculiar position which I have occupied for more than half a century as counsel and adviser for a great corporation and its creators and the many successful men of business who have surrounded them； I have learned to know how men who have been denied in their youth the opportunities for education feel when they are in possession of fortunes； and the world seems at their feet。 Then they painfully recognize their limitations； then they know their weakness； then they understand that there are things which money cannot buy； and that there are gratifications and triumphs which no fortune can secure。 The one lament of all those men has been： 〃Oh； if I had been educated I would sacrifice all that I have to obtain the opportunities of the college； to be able to sustain not only conversation and discussion with the educated men with whom I come in contact； but competent also to enjoy what I see is a delight to them beyond anything which I know。〃
But I recall gratefully other influences quite as important to one's education。 My father was a typical business man； one of the pioneers of river transportation between our village and New York； and also a farmer and a merchant。 He was a stern man devoted to his family； and； while a strict disciplinarian； very fond of his children。
My mother was a woman of unusual intellect bordering upon genius。 There were no means of higher education at that period； but her father； who was an eminent lawyer； and her grandfather； a judge； finding her so receptive； educated her with the care that was given to boys who were intended for a professional life。 She was well versed in the literature of the time of Queen Elizabeth and Queen Anne； and； with a retentive memory； knew by heart many of the English classics。 She wrote well； but never for publication。 Added to these accomplishments were rare good sense and prophetic vision。 The foundation and much of the superstructure of all that I have and all that I am were her work。 She was a rigid Calvinist； and one of her many lessons has been of inestimable comfort to me。 Several times in my life I have met with heavy misfortunes and what seemed irreparable losses。 I have returned home to find my mother with wise advice and suggestions ready to devote herself to the reconstruction of my fortune； and to brace me up。 She always said what she thoroughly believed： 〃My son； this which you think so great a calamity is really divine discipline。 The Lord has sent it to you for your own good； because in His infinite wisdom He saw that you needed it。 I am absolutely certain that if you submit instead of repining and protesting； if you will ask with faith and proper spirit for guidance and help； they both will come to you and with greater blessings than you ever had before。〃 That faith of my mother inspired and intensified my efforts and in every instance her predictions proved true。
Every community has a public…spirited citizen who unselfishly devotes himself or herself to the public good。 That citizen of Peekskill in those early days was Doctor James Brewer。 He had accumulated a modest competence sufficient for his simple needs as bachelor。 He was either the promoter or among the leaders of all the movements for betterment of the town。 He established a circulating library upon most liberal terms； and it became an educational institution of benefit。 The books were admirably selected； and the doctor's advice to readers was always available。 His taste ran to the English classics； and he had all the standard authors in poetry； history； fiction； and essay。
No pleasure derived in reading in after…years gave me such delight as the Waverley Novels。 I think I read through that library and some of it several times over。
The excitement as the novels of Dickens and Thackeray began to appear equalled almost the enthusiasm of a political campaign。 Each one of those authors had ardent admirers and partisans。 The characters of Dickens became household companions。 Every one was looking for the counterpart of Micawber or Sam Weller； Pecksniff or David Copperfield； and had little trouble in finding them either in the family circle or among the neighbors。
Dickens's lectures in New York； which consisted of readings from his novels； were an event which has rarely been duplicated for interest。 With high dramatic ability he brought out before the audience the characters from his novels with whom all were familiar。 Every one in the crowd had an idealistic picture in his mind of the act
