tron of the University. As Mr.
Sheffield was an Episcopalian, he took us to his church, where we heard
a most striking sermon, and afterwards received the Communion. The
number of communicants was very large. We are very much struck at seeing
how well Sunday is observed in America. There are about thirty churches
in New Haven, and they are all, we are told, well filled. These churches
are of various denominations; but there seems a total want of anything
like a parochial system.

Papa went afterwards to the College chapel, or rather church, where the
young men attached to the University were assembled in the body of the
building. Papa was in the gallery, which is appropriated to the
Professors and their families. There are no less than forty-one
Professors at Yale, including those of theology, law, and medicine,
which are all studied here.

The sciences take greatly the lead over the classics. When we remarked
to Professor Silliman how great the proportion of scientific Professors
seemed to be, he said the practical education which was given in this
country, rendered this more necessary than in England, where men have
more time and leisure for literary pursuits. This is no doubt the case,
and in this country the devotion of every one's time and talents to
money-making is much to be regretted, for it is the non-existence of a
highly educated class that tends to keep down the general tone of
society here, by not affording any standard to look up to. It is curious
what a depressing effect is caused in our minds by the equality we see
every where around us; it is very similar to what we lately felt when on
the shores of their vast lakes,--tideless, and therefore lifeless, when
compared to the sea with its ever-varying heights. If I may carry this
idea further, I might say there is another point of resemblance between
the physical and moral features of the country, inasmuch as when the
waters of these lakes of theirs are stirred up and agitated by storms,
they are both more noisy and more dangerous than those of the real
ocean.

New Haven is considered to be the most beautiful town in America, and it
is marvellously beautiful. The elm is a very fine tree on this
continent. It is of a peculiar kind, rising to a great height before
any branches shoot out, thus producing large overhanging branches like a
candelabrum. It is common in all American towns, but this is called by
pre-eminence the City of Elms. There are broad aven