LETTER II.

Saddle Mountain-Williamstown-Col. Williams-Williams College.

Dear Sir,

SADDLE MOUNTAIN, which derives its name from its resemblance to a saddle, is the highest land in this State. Its whole length, from North-East to South-West, may be about six miles. Its SouthEastern front is extensively visible throughout Berkshire; and, from high elevations, in the States of New-Hampshire, NewYork, Vermont, and Connecticut, at very great distances. Its figure is remarkably fine; and its aspect majestic in the highest degree. On its Northern side ascends the mountain of Williamstown; another part of the same spur, of great elevation.

The South-Western summit has, by repeated mensurations, differing very little in their results, been found to be about 3,700 feet above the subjacent valley, and therefore at least 4,000, above the level of the ocean. During a great part of the year, it is either embosomed, or capped, by clouds; and indicates to the surrounding inhabitants the changes of weather, with not a little exactness.

This mountain is a spur from the range of Taghkannuc, connected with it by the hills of New-Ashford. From the Green Mountain range it is entirely separated by the valley, and river of Hoosac.

The township of Williamstown lies principally in a triangular valley, bounded by Williamstown Mountain on the South, the range of the Green Mountains on the East, and that of Taghkannuc on the West. These ranges approach near each other on the North, leaving a narrow opening into Pownal. Between the former of these mountains, and the North-Eastern ends of Williamstown and Saddle mountains, there is another opening on the South-East; through which Hoosac river enters Williamstown from Adams; as it does Pownal from Williamstown, through the first of these openings. There is, also, a third passage out of this VOL. II.

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valley; viz. that, in which our road lay, between the SouthWestern ends of these mountains, and the range of Taghkannuc.

This triangular area may, at a loose estimate, be six or seven miles on a side. Its surface is irregular in the extreme; being every where made up of varieties. The borders of the Hoosac, and of Green River, which joins it from the South, are formed by beautiful successions of intervals. The scenery, as a whole, is pleasant but more distinguished for sublimity than beauty.

Williamstown is almost wholly settled by farmers, living on their respective plantations. The town is built near its centre. The principal street runs along a declivity, sloping from the Taghkannuc range toward the East. In its progress it passes over three small rising grounds; on the Westernmost of which stands a handsome church; and on the others, the two colleges, belonging to the Institution, denominated Williams College.

There are many good houses in Williamstown; and several handsome ones.

Williams College owes its existence to Colonel Ephraim Williams; a native of New Town in Massachusetts. This gentleman spent a considerable part of his life in the County of Hampshire, then including all that part of the Province of Massachusetts Bay, which lies West of the County of Worcester. During the war, which commenced in 1740, he commanded the line of forts, built on the Western side of Connecticut river; and resided principally at Hoosac, or Massachusetts Fort; which stood not far from the North-Eastern end of Saddle Mountain, within the present township of Adams, and on the Eastern border of Hoosac river. At this time a small number of persons began a settlement within the limits of what is now Williamstown. The hardships, suffered by these men, were of course great; and appear to have excited in the mind of Colonel Williams an intention of extending his beneficence to them at some future period. To encourage them in the dangers, and difficulties, which he saw them undergo, he at times intimated to them his intention.

In 1755, he commanded a regiment, destined to a post at the head of lake George. As he was proceeding through Albany, he

made his will in that city, on the 22nd of July. In this instrument, after giving certain legacies to his connections, he directed, that the remainder of his land should be sold at the discretion of his Executors, within five years after an established peace; and that the interest of the monies arising from the sale, and also the interest of his notes and bonds. should be applied to the support of a free-school in a township, West of fort Massachusetts; provided the said township fell within Massachusetts Bay, upon running the line between that Province and New-York; and provided, the said township when incorporated, should be named Williamstown.

The property, designated in this bequest, was loaned on interest; and, after an accumulation of thirty years, was considered as a fund, sufficient to warrant the institution of the free-school, contemplated in the will. The spot, pointed out, was, June 20th, 1785, incorporated by the name of Williamstown. In 1785, nine gentlemen were appointed trustees for the management of the donation, and the free-school to which it was to give birth. In 1788, they voted to erect a building. The Legislature granted them a lottery, which yielded 4,000 dollars; and the inhabitants contributed 2,000 more. In 1790, they built a brick edifice, eighty-two feet in length, and forty-two in breadth, of four stories, on the middle eminence in the principal street. It contained twenty-eight rooms, and a chapel. The expense of erecting it was 11,700 dollars; and the remainder of the fund was about the

same sum.

The school was opened in October, 1791, under the superintendency of Mr. Ebenezer Fitch, now Rev. Dr. Fitch, President of Williams College. It consisted of two establishments; an Academy, and an English free-school; and, under the direction of this gentleman, immediately became prosperous. A considerable number of students resorted to it from Massachusetts, and the neighbouring States, and even from Canada. In 1793, the Legislature, being informed of its flourishing condition, erected it into a College, by the name of Williams College. The Trustees of the free-school were, by the act of incorporation, constituted,

together with four other gentlemen, including the President, Trustees of the College. The Trustees may be seventeen in number; may fill all vacancies in their Board; and may hold property, the annual income of which shall be 20,000 dollars. In October of the same year, the College commenced its operations by the admission of three classes of students. In 1794, a lot was purchased, and a house built, for the President. The same year the Legislature granted to the College 4,000 dollars; and in 1796, two townships of land in the District of Maine. One of these townships was sold the following year for 10,000 dollars. With this sum, and an addition of 2,400 dollars, the Trustees erected another brick building one hundred and four feet in length, twenty-eight in breadth, of four stories, and containing thirty-two chambers. The Seminary possesses a well chosen library, of about 1,000 volumes; and a small, but valuable, philosophical apparatus. Towards the increase of these each student pays a trifling tax. Two private libraries, belonging to the students, contain, perhaps, 500 volumes. The Faculty consists of a President and a Vice President, a Professor of Mathematics and Natural Philosophy, and three, or four Tutors. The number of students may be averaged at one hundred. The government and instruction, the learning and morals, of the students are all honourable to the Institution. The expectations of its founder are therefore more than fulfilled.*

I am, Sir, yours, &c.

For most of these facts I am indebted to a history of Williams College, written

by the Rev. Dr. Fitch, and published in Hist. Col.—V. viii.

LETTER III.

Donations for the promotion of learning-Insect--Rev. Mr. Swift.

Dear Sir,

A MAN of reflection is naturally led, when reviewing the principal subject of the preceding letter, to feel strongly the advantages, derived by mankind from the destination, made of his property by Col. Williams. The original sum, given for the foundation of a free-school, was probably not more than four or five thousand dollars. By the accumulation of interest, and various other additions, flowing from both public and private sources, such as donations of this kind are apt to receive in their progress, it has become the means of supplying education, science, and usefulness, to a multitude of mankind. Recent as is its origin, it has already sent into the world a considerable number of respectable Clergymen, Lawyers, and Physicians; together with many other men, scarcely less useful in their several departments. From the same fountain new waters are annually issuing; and will in all probability continue to issue through a series of ages. These will spread the same happy efficacy still farther and farther. Upon the whole, a mass of benefits will be here originated, communicated, and enjoyed, many millions of times transcending that, which usually results from much larger sums, disposed of in any customary manner. At the same time, the Founder has transmitted his name to distant ages, and will be remembered with gratitude and honour, long after the period, at which, otherwise, he would have been forgotten; and very long after the names of multitudes, richer, but less wise and munificent, than himself, will have perished.

With this subject in view, I have often wondered, that, among the numerous wealthy men in the United States, there should always have been found such a paucity of benefactors to literary Institutions. The benefactors of the principal Colleges in NewEngland have been already mentioned. Among these the Uni