ajority, with a letter of credit whose amount the banker,
Hottinguer, thought it best not to impart to the young student, so much
did he consider it beyond his needs.

My brother's career in Europe, where he spent some years at this time,
was not altogether in accordance with the promise of his early devotion
to mathematical science. He saw much of German student life, and studied
enough to obtain a degree from the University of Tuebingen. Before his
departure from America he had written two articles for the "North
American Review." One of these was on Locke's "Essay on the Human
Understanding," the other on Euler's works. In Paris, he became the
intimate friend of the famous critic, Jules Janin, and made acquaintance
with other literary men of the time. He returned to America in 1835,
speaking French like a Parisian and German as fluently as if that had
been his native language. He had purchased a great part of the
scientific library of La Grange, and an admirable collection of French
and German works. At this period, he desired to make literature, rather
than science, the leading pursuit of his life. He devoted much time to
the composition of a work descriptive of Paris. He wrote many chapters
of this in French, and I was proud to be allowed to render them into
English. He brought into the Puritanic limits of our family circle a
flavor of European life and culture which greatly delighted me.

[Illustration: SAMUEL WARD JR. _From a painting by Baron Vogel._]

My brother had spent a great deal of money while in Europe, and my
father, who had done so much for him, began to think it time that this
darling of fortune should take steps to earn his own support. The
easiest way for him to accomplish this was to accept a post in the
banking house of Prime, Ward and King, with the prospect of partnership
later. He decided, with some reluctance, to pursue this course. His
first day's performance at the office was so faulty that my father, on
reviewing it, exclaimed, "You will play the very devil with the
check-book, sir, if you use it in this way." He, however, applied
himself diligently to his office work, and soon mastered its
difficulties, but without developing a taste for business pursuits.
Literature was still his ruling passion, and he devoted such leisure as
he could command to study and to the composition of several lectures,
which he delivered with some success.

I have already spoken of his marriage with a daughter