and both riders disappear in the distance, from which the rolling of drums and rattle of musketry are heard. The boy pursues his way wrapped in deep thought; a morass lies to one side of the roadway, over which comes the wailing of the wintry wind, and great storm-clouds veil the sun. The snow begins to fall - thicker and yet faster its great flakes come; and by the border of the morass lies an aged man as if asleep; the large flakes fall upon his upturned face, and play amongst his silvery locks-and the night falls The boy shudders and passes his hand across his eyes to know if he is really awake. The wind has fallen and the sun is brightly shining; the aged sleeper has vanished, and with him the wintry storm. It is now what it was a moment ago, -a beautiful, bright morning in December, the eighteenth of the month. On the fourteenth day of February in the year 1766, Philip's father left him in the care of the Reverend Mr. Mitchell, where he remained until November the seventh, of sixty-eight. His father had died the previous year, and, much as his widowed mother desired to retain Philip with her, she did not blind herself to the fact that his freedom-loving spirit needed the discipline that a set form of rules, enforced by a firm hand, alone could give. She also realized that, although there were many undesirable features in a college life, still the training of the intellectual capabilities received therein surpassed all other, and consequently his power of benefiting others would be enhanced. Therefore, in accordance with her late husband's views, Philip was harnessed into the routine of a collegiate course, in Nassau Hall, Princeton, New Jersey. During Philip's Philip's course John Witherspoon was president of the college. He was Scotch by birth, but had thrown himself heart and soul into the fortunes of his adopted country; and his great desire was to see it free from the galling yoke of servitude. Just before Philip's entrance General Gage had marched with seven hundred troops into Boston; and the colonies were thrown into a state of excitement by an Act of Parliament which declared the people of Massachusetts rebels; it had also issued an order for those considered the most guilty to be sent to England for trial. The young patriots of Princeton were not backward in denouncing this injustice; they kindled amongst themselves the fire of patriotism, that was never to be extinguished, and their efforts were encouraged by their patriotic president. Many of Philip's classmates took an active part in later troubles, and left their names inscribed in their country's annals. Nearly all his college-mates obtained prominence in the paths they entered in after life. Amongst these were Hugh Henry Brackenridge, the talented author and judge; Brockholst Livingston,' future Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States; William Bradford, Attorney General during Washington's second term of office; Gunning Bedford, a framer of the Constitution; Samuel Spring, chaplain to the Revolutionary army; who, by a strange coincidence, carried wounded from the field another old classmate, Aaron Burr, afterwards Vice President of the United States; Aaron Ogden, afterwards Governor of New Jersey; Henry Lee, Light-Horse Harry; and James Madison, the fourth President, who was Philip's room-mate while in college, as well as his warm personal friend, and an aspirant, as we have already seen, for the hand of his sister. Philip Fithian, class of 73, in a letter to his father,2 1 This college-mate was afterwards related to Philip by marriage. 2 Philip Vickers Fithian, Journal and Letters. gives us an idea of the routine of college life in Nassau Hall during President Witherspoon's administration. He says the rules were exceedingly well formed "to check & restrain the vicious & to assist the studious, & to countenance & encourage the virtuous." The bell for rising was rung at five o'clock, and lest any one might oversleep themselves, the servant, after ringing the bell, knocked at each door until the sleeper awoke. Half an hour was allowed for them to dress, after which prayers were said in common. The grammar scholars, being mostly small boys, were excused during winter from morning prayers. On Sundays no student was allowed, except by reason of sickness, to be absent from public worship. Two sermons were preached, one in church in the morning, and another in the college hall in the afternoon. He styles Dr. Witherspoon's sermons almost inimitable. It is to be feared that some of the gifted preacher's moral lessons were lost upon a few of his hearers, as in a later letter Fithian writes: "I am sorry that I may inform you that two of our members were expelled from the college, not for Drunkenness, nor Fighting, nor for Swearing, nor Sabbath-Breaking. But they were sent from this Seminary, where the greatest Pains and Care are taken to cultivate and encourage Decency, & Honesty, & Honour, for stealing Hens!" In 1773, one Israel Evans mentions some delinquencies of a higher grade, in which the future Justice of the United States along with some others were fined for " stealing Turkies." In that year 1770 there were upward of one hundred students, including the grammar scholars. The Senior class contained ten, the Junior twentyeight, the Sophomore twenty-five, and Freshman eighteen. Freneau was a Senior at the time. During Philip's first year we are told he made such rapid progress as to cause the President to [75] May D. S. Freneau Jersey City. 10. |