Philip Fithian discloses the "

Shameful, mean, un

manly Conduct" of sundry students

Written at PRINCETON, Jan. 13, Anno 1772

VERY DEAR, & MUCH RESPECTED FATHER,

I am in good Health, & have much Cause to be delighted Through the distinguished Kindness of Heaven, with my Lot. I would not change my Condition nor give up the Prospect I have before me, on any Terms almost whatever.

I am not much hurried this Winter with my Studies; but I am trying to advance myself in an Acquaintance with my fellow-Creatures, & with the Labours of the "Mighty Dead."

I am sorry that I may inform you, that two of our Members were expelled from the College yesterday; not for Drunkenness, nor Fighting, not for Swearing, nor SabbathBreaking. But, they were sent from this Seminary, where the greatest Pains and Care are taken to cultivate and encourage Decency, & Honesty, & Honour, for stealing Hens! Shameful, mean, unmanly Conduct!

If a person were to judge of the generality of Students, y the Conduct of such earth-born, insatiate Helluo's; by the detested Character of wicked Individuals, (which generally soonest & most extensively propagated & wn abroad,) how terrible an Idea must he have! ease to remember my kind Regards to my Brothers; Becka, and the whole Family. I feel my H with Esteem for them! but can onl

, write myself, dear Father

The President's Pears

William H. Prescott eats pears and appears very well

while being examined

EAR FATHER,

DEAR

BOSTON, Aug. 23, [1811]

I now write you a few lines to inform you of my fate. Yesterday at eight o'clock I was ordered to the President's, and there, together with a Carolinian, Middleton, was examined for Sophomore. When we were first ushered into their presence, they looked like so many judges of the Inquisition. We were ordered down into the parlor, almost frightened out of our wits, to be examined by each separately; but we soon found them quite a pleasant sort of chaps. The President [Dr. Kirkland] sent us down a good dish of pears, and treated us very much like gentlemen. It was not ended in the morning; but we returned in the afternoon, when Professor Ware examined us in Grotius de Veritate. We found him very good-natured, for I happened to ask him a question in theology, which made him laugh so that he was obliged to cover his face with his hands. At half past three our fate was decided, and we were declared "Sophomores of Harvard University."

As you would like to know how I appeared, I will give you the conversation, verbatim, with Mr. Frisbie, when I went to see him after the examination. I asked him, "Did I appear well in my examination?" Answer. "Yes." Question. "Did I appear very well, Sir?" Answer. "Why are you so particular, young man? Yes, you did yourself a great deal of credit.”

I feel to-day twenty pounds lighter than I did yesterday. I shall dine at Mr. Gardiner's. Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner both say that on me depends William's going to college or not. If I behave well, he will go; if not, that he

certainly shall not go. Mr. W. P. Mason has asked me to dine with him on Commencement Day, as he gives a dinner. I believe I shall go. As I had but little time, I thought it best to tell a long story, and write it badly, rather than a short one written well. I have been to see Mr. H― this morning;- no news. Remember me to your fellow-travellers, C., & M., &c., &c. Love to mother, whose affectionate son I remain,

WM. HICKLING PRESCOTT

(To George B. Cary)

EAR GEORGE,

DE

CAMBRIDGE, Dec. 15, '44

Here am I, down in Divinity Hall (!) enjoying to my heart's content that otium cum dignitate which you so affectionately admire; while you, poor devil, are being jolted in English coaches, or suffering the cramp in both legs on the banquette of a French diligence. Do you not envy me in my literary ease? a sea-coal fire a dressing-gown-slippers a favorite author; all set off by an occasional bottle of champagne, or a bowl of stewed oysters at Washburn's? This is the cream of existence. To lay abed in the morning, till the sun has half melted away the trees and castles on the window-panes, and Nigger Lewis's fire is almost burnt out, listening meanwhile to the steps of the starved Divinities as they rush shivering and panting to their prayers and recitations then to get up to a fashionable breakfast at eleven - then go to lecture-find it a little too late, and

Ambition is a Humbug

screaming garçon in vain hope of relief. If I am not mistaken, George, this is leading a happier life, by your own showing, than to be encountering the hard knocks and vexations of a traveller's existence. After all, man was made to be happy; ambition is a humbug- a dream of youth; and exertion another; leave those to Freshmen and divinities. I think the morbid tendency to unnecessary action passes away as manhood comes on; at any rate, I have never been half so quiescent as since I was qualified to vote against Polk and Dallas.

And now, what are you doing; a cup of coffee at Véry's, perhaps; then a lounge, quizzing glass at eye, in the Louvre, followed by a ditto on the Italian Boulevard, and a fifty-franc dinner at the Trois Frères. What supplement shall I add to this? You will not be sorry, I dare say, to hear a word of some brethren of your noctes ambrosianæ, though I imagine those noctes do not now appear very ambrosial on the retrospect. Hale vibrates between Law and Gospel. I fear the chances are a little in favor of the Devil.

Snow is established in Graduates' Hall, with two pianos, Shelley, and a half-cask of ale. He now and then appears at the one o'clock lecture, rubbing his eyes and gaping. Clarke is here, taking boxing lessons. Ned is in town, a counter-jumper by day, and a literary character by night; on the way to make a very sensible and accomplished man. Perry has been hunting deer and killing partridges, and would fain persuade a quiet fellow like me to leave Cambridge and join him; but I preferred a pleasant fireside. Old Treadwell is splashing about in the muddy waters of politics and law. Our brothers, whilom of XX, accused me in the beginning of the term of an intention of authorship! probably taking the hint from the circumstance of my never appearing till eleven o'clock, à la Scott; but I

intention. It would run a little counter to principles, though I do remember the time when G. B. C. meditated the Baron of B-; and Snow felt sure (in his cups) of being Captain General of Transatlantic literature, while your humble servant's less soaring ambition aspired to the manufacture of blood and thunder chronicles of Indian squabbles and massacres. . . You will answer this, will you not? I am very eager to hear from you.

Yours truly,

F. PARKMAN

Ulysses Grant likes West Point in spite of drawbacks

September 22, 1839

EAR COZ: I was just thinking that you would be

DEAR

right glad to hear from one of your relations who is so far away as I am. So I have put away my algebra and French, and am going to tell you a long story about this prettiest of places, West Point. So far as it regards natural attractions it is decidedly the most beautiful place that I have ever seen. Here are hills and dales, rocks and rivers; all pleasant to look upon. From the window near I can see the Hudson that far-famed, that beautiful river, with its bosom studded with hundreds of snowy sails.

Again, I look another way I can see Fort Putt, now frowning far above, a stern monument of a sterner age, which seems placed there on purpose to tell us of the glorious deeds of our fathers, and to bid us to remember their sufferings to follow their example.