were well adapted to develop the knowledge or
the ignorance of the student, as the case might be, but not to give
him undue assistance. If there was anything in the text-book which was
obscure, the questions made it plain. A clearly wrong opinion advanced
by an author was briefly, yet thoroughly, exposed. His own opinions
were lucidly stated and sustained, and for the time being, at least,
we seldom saw reason to differ from him. The recitation was enlivened
with anecdote, illustration, and wit, and never dragged heavily. If
our objections were sometimes curtly silenced, it was so effectually
and handsomely done that we bore it with perfect good-nature. He ever
lent a willing ear to our real difficulties, and assisted in their
removal. Together with unusual freedom in the mode of conducting the
recitations, there was good order and earnest attention to the subject
in hand. He knew how to control us, while he had with us all the
sympathy of a young man and an equal. I think it was the opinion of
the class that Professor Shurtleff, in his ripe manhood, had few
equals as an instructor.

"At the time of his retirement, in 1838, Dr. Shurtleff had been in the
service of the college thirty-eight years. After what manner he has
lived among us since that time, most of this audience know. He has not
been noticeably active in the affairs of the village, but when you
have met him in private intercourse, you have known that he retained
the fine social qualities--the love of story-telling, and the keen,
yet harmless wit--for which he was always remarkable. Those whose
memory goes back thirty years, must have noticed, I think, that he
became more uniformly serene and cheerful in the latter part of his
life. The old graduates of the college who revisited the place know
how cordially he received them, and with what hearty zest he recalled
with them the scenes of their college days. He continued to be deeply
interested in the prosperity of the college, and he was the means of
eliciting in its behalf the interest and the benevolence of his
friends. He continued the habit, commenced at an early period, of
assisting students who were in needy circumstances. These were
objects of benevolence toward which he was naturally drawn. In his
feelings he never grew old, but carried forward the vivacity of youth
into old age; and always enjoyed the society of the young. He loved to
have young men about him; and he has thus, by his unobtrusive
chari