1st. A school of medicine, 2d. a theological seminary in which the education and all the wants of the students are paid for by subscription. This subscription is completely filled by persons who are devoted to the public good. 3d. a law school for those who are destined to the bar.
The library contains about 20,000 valuable works, and is augmented annually by private donations.
In short, this university by its revenues, its library and cabinets, the merit of its professors, and the means it furnishes for the acquisition of all the branches of education, has not its equal, not only in the rest of the union, but perhaps even in Europe.
General Lafayette was received at the door of the chapel, in which the exercises were to take place, by the President of the university, Mr. Kirkland, who addressed him with an eloquence springing from the profound emotions of his heart. When the general entered the hall, the acclamations and transports of the crowd, and especially of the ladies were so great, that the business of the meeting was for a long time delayed. It certainly was an enchanting spectacle to behold the vast galleries filled with young ladies wreathed with flowers, waving their handkerchiefs in salutation of him, whom they called their father, friend, defender, and companion of the Great Washington. In vain the president frequently called for silence, without which it was impossible to be understood; every voice was drowned with the cries and plaudits for Lafayette. At length after half an hour had elapsed, quiet was established, and the exercises began, but were often interrupted by the eagerness, with which the audience seized upon all the allusions to Lafayette, that occurred in the discourses.
We returned next day to the university, to be present in the same hall, with the same audience, animated with equal enthusiasm, at a meeting of the Hellenic Society.[[8]] Professor Everett, whose early talents and eloquence promise a distinguished senatorial orator, delivered the opening discourse. If mine were a more practised pen, I should attempt to repeat here this discourse, which notwithstanding its length, was throughout listened to with vivid interest, and was often suspended by well merited applause.
The orator proposed to investigate the particular causes which contribute most to the developement of intelligence in the United States, and without difficulty proved that they were to be found in the democratic character of our institutions. After a long, but vigorous demonstration of the superiority of a republican government as it is understood and practised in the United States, over the monarchic system, which after having divided a part of the nation into nobles, privileged priests, and soldiers always armed as an inquisitorial police, makes of the rest a class of political outcasts. The orator concluded by paying to Lafayette his tribute of gratitude.
Early on the morning of the 27th, carriages, an escort of cavalry, the civil and military authorities, and a great number of citizens came to convey the general to the navy yard at Charlestown, which is only separated from Boston by an arm of the sea, over which we passed on a fine bridge a mile in length. We were received at the navy yard by Commodore Bainbridge, whose name is associated with more than one glorious engagement with the English navy. After inspecting the works we ascended Bunker’s hill.
Bunker’s hill is one of those glorious monuments, unfortunately too rare on the face of the earth, which will remind the latest posterity of the noble struggles of liberty against tyranny and oppression. It was at Bunker’s hill that the Americans first dared in a regular fight to brave the arms of their tyrants. It was there, that men almost without arms, undisciplined, and far inferior in numbers to their enemy, but encouraged by the presence of their wives, children and fellow citizens, who from the heights of Boston made them feel the magic of the words Independence, Posterity, sustained with a courage worthy of the heroic ages, three successive attacks from numerous battalions, which their experience and skill in the art of war, appeared to lead to an easy victory. Forced at length to retire before superior numbers, the Americans withdrew, but in good order, leaving bloody proofs of their courage and vigorous resistance. It was but a moment before this retreat, which revealed to the friends of liberty their powers and hopes, of this retreat which was equal to a victory, that the young and interesting Gen. Warren fell. Though incessantly engaged in daring death, he passed through the battle unharmed. But on returning to the entrenchments which he had left to pursue the English, who had thrice fallen back in confusion, he received a fatal wound in the loins. He now rests under a simple pyramid erected precisely on the spot where his blood stained the soil. It was at the base of this modest monument that General Lafayette was received by some veteran soldiers, a glorious remnant of this first combat of the war of Independence. In their presence Dr. A. R. Thompson addressed the general on behalf of the citizens of Charlestown. Lafayette was much moved by his address, and his emotion was communicated to all the byestanders. His answer was received by the acclamations of the multitude and the roar of artillery. Immediately after some battalions of young troops led by Governor Eustis and Generals Brooks and Dearborn filed off before the general to the sound of cannon and martial music which performed that sublime air, dear to French patriots, which reminds them that they too have had their Warrens whose generous blood has watered the tree of liberty, in whose shade they would at present gloriously repose, had it not been shaken by anarchy and struck to the heart by the sacrilegious steel of an audacious soldier.
A simple repast served under a tent terminated this ceremony, after which we returned to the city to visit the military arsenal; the ancient city hotel whence the people set out in crowds for the port to destroy two cargoes of tea sent by the British East India Company, and the Hall where the declaration of Independence was signed in Massachusetts. During the course of these visits I collected the details relative to the history and present situation of this state which will be found in the following chapter.