In the evening we dined at the Exchange Coffee-house with the governor and staff, the corporation, and all the other public authorities. The hall was decorated with devices which referred both to the actions of Lafayette, and the gratitude felt by the Americans for the assistance of France, when Fortune, still wavering, held her scales equally balanced between liberty and oppression. The French and American flags waved united over the head of the president of the banquet, and Chief Justice Parker gave a toast to the memory of Louis XVI. adding, that none of the friends of liberty should be forgotten, although they might have worn a crown.
On the 25th, at noon, we attended the commencement at Cambridge University, which was conducted with a pomp, the splendor of which was considerably increased by the presence of a very great number of ladies, attracted by the desire of seeing Lafayette, who it was known would be present.
Cambridge is one of the richest and most beautiful villages in New England: it is situated at three miles distance from Boston, and contains more than 3,000 inhabitants. Its university, called Harvard, in honour of its founder, has produced a great number of distinguished men, both in science and literature. The citizens of Massachusetts are proud of its success, and support it with a liberality which proves how much knowledge and education are esteemed in this state. Besides the chairs of divinity, anatomy, surgery, medical science, chemistry, theoretic and experimental physics, mathematics, natural philosophy, logic, metaphysics, Latin, Greek and the Oriental languages, which have been long established, six new chairs and three faculties have been founded for about twelve years, as follows.[[7]]
1st. A chair of natural history founded by private subscription for the establishment of a botanical garden and the support of a professor.
2d. A chair of Rhetoric and Eloquence, established by a donation of Ward Nicholas Boylston, Esq.
3d. A chair of Greek Literature founded in 1814, by an unknown benefactor of Boston.
4th. A chair of the Spanish and French languages, founded by a rich merchant of Boston, who bequeathed for this purpose a sum of 30,000 dollars.
5th. A chair founded in 1816, by Count Rumford, for the application of physical and mathematical sciences to the useful arts.
6th. A chair of natural theology, and moral philosophy, founded in 1817.
The three faculties which complete the course of instruction are,