Through the attention of the corporation of New York, three members of which had been appointed to accompany us until our return, numerous and excellent relays had been arranged on the whole rout. Notwithstanding this necessary precaution, our march was very slow, as we could not pass a hamlet without being detained some moments by collections of people from more than 20 miles around. Every village had its triumphal arch, upon which was almost always inscribed the names of Washington and Lafayette or the dates of the battles of Brandywine and Yorktown. Every where announced by the sound of cannon, every where received and complimented by the magistrates of the people, and every where obliged to alight to receive the testimonials of the love of the entire population, it was not until after five days and almost five nights that the general arrived at Boston, which is but two hundred miles from New York; I say almost five nights, because we constantly travelled until near midnight, and set out again at five o’clock in the morning. However, amid these moving and sublime displays of the gratefulness of a whole people, we did not dream of fatigue; even our night marches had a charm which caused us to be forgetful of it. The long file of carriages escorted by horsemen bearing torches; the fires lighted from place to place upon the tops of the hills, and around which were grouped families whom the desire of beholding their guest had kept watching; the somewhat wild sound of the trumpet of our escort, repeated several times by the woodland echoes, the sight of the sea which occasionally came into view on our right, and the distant and decreasing peal of the bells which had announced our passage, all formed around us a picturesque and enchanting scene, worthy of the pen of Cooper. In this manner we passed through Fairfield, New Haven and New London in Connecticut; Providence in Rhode Island, and finally the route from Rhode Island to Boston.
New Haven is the largest town in the state of Connecticut, and is, alternately with Hartford, the seat of government. Its population amounts to more than ten thousand souls. It is delightfully situated on a bay formed by the East river. The shortness of our stay prevented us from making more than a hasty visit to the College, which enjoys a great reputation, not only in Connecticut but throughout the union. It was founded in 1701 under the name of Yale College, in honour of Elihu Yale Esqr. of London, its principal benefactor, then governor of the East India company. The favor which the people have constantly extended to it, has rendered it a very considerable establishment. At present the number of students is more than four hundred. It has a president, four professors, six tutors, a treasurer, housekeeper and purveyor. The college is directed by a corporation composed of a president, vice-president, six ancient members of the council, and of ten assistants, all clergymen. Business is arranged by a committee of three or four members who assemble three or four times a year. The studies pursued in the college are the following;—1st, Theology, of which the president is the professor; 2d. mathematics and natural history; 3d. chemistry and mineralogy; 4th. languages and ecclesiastical history; 5th. jurisprudence.
In order to enter the 1st class, the candidate must be able to translate the Greek testament, Virgil and Cicero; and to write Latin according to Clark’s rules; he must also be acquainted with arithmetic. The price of boarding is about two dollars a week.
The library contains more than 6,000 volumes, and a fund of about two hundred dollars a year is devoted to it. The greater part of the classical works, which are of great value, are the gift of Berkely, the celebrated bishop of Cloyne in Ireland, amounting to about 1,000 volumes, valued at four hundred pounds sterling.
The chemical laboratory is remarkable for the number and choice of its apparatus. The mineralogical cabinet which at first contained 2,500 specimens, has been greatly enriched by Colonel Gibbs who has bequeathed 24,000 specimens for the use of the students; these are estimated at 20,000 dollars.
Yale college has also a medical institution in which lectures are given on the following branches, 1st. theory and practice of medicine; 2d. surgery and obstetrics; 3d. anatomy; 4th. chemistry, pharmacy and mineralogy.
The president of the college, the professors and trustees conducted us through all parts of the establishment and gave us all the information in their power with a degree of complaisance worthy of our gratitude.
We were informed that there is near New Haven an admirable manufactory of arms, but the short time the general had to dispose of, would not allow us to visit it.
Public education, is in the state of Connecticut, as in New York, or even more so, the constant object of the care and attention of the people and government; it would be difficult to find in this state a child of twelve years old, unable to read and write. The law of the state directs that there shall be a grammar school in every town. There are every where a great number of academies in which the various branches of human knowledge are skilfully taught, at a slight expense. The single town of New Haven, besides Yale College, has sixteen public and eight private schools.
The school fund amounts to 1,500,000 dollars, the interest of which with 12,000 dollars arising from public taxes are annually expended for instruction; each town receives a share, proportioned to the amount of its contributions, and the schools are directed and superintended by a committee appointed by the inhabitants, who will not allow so important a matter as public instruction, one of the first safe-guards of liberty, to be monopolized by any religious sect, or university.