Sheffield, an influential person in
this neighbourhood, and a great patron 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.
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