EZRA STILES was born at North Haven, in the State of Connecticut, on the 10th of December, 1727. His ancestor, John Stiles, came from Milbroke, Bedfordshire, England, in 1634, and settled in Windsor, Conn., in 1635. His son, John Stiles, was brought, an infant, from England. His son, John, the president's grandfather, had fourteen children, two of whom, Isaac and Abel, were ministers of the gospel. Isaac was born at Windsor, Conn., July 30, 1697, and graduated at Yale college in 1722. In June, 1725, he married a daughter of the Rev. Edward Taylor, of Westfield, Mass. She died on the 15th of December, 1727. Her only child, Ezra, was born with a feeble constitution, and it long remained doubtful, whether he would survive the age of childhood. At the age of nine years, he began to learn his Latin grammar; and, having finished his preparatory studies, under the instruction of his father, at twelve he was prepared to enter college. An admission at so early an age being judged inexpedient, he waited three years longer; and in September, 1742, entered Yale college, in the 15th year of his age. His principal tutor was Thomas Darling, afterwards judge Darling, of Woodbridge, a faithful teacher, and a man of science. While at college, he was dependent, in a degree, on the patronage of friends. President Clap, among others, was his benefactor, and, by various acts of friendship, lessened the expenses of his education. Among the proofs of his diligence at college, are observations on a comet, made in his sophomore year; an account of the number, periods, distances, velocity, and other properties of comets; numerous geometrical mensurations; and a copious chronological compend of Bible history. He was naturally inquisitive, fond of books, patient of application, and always delighted with literary society.

Having finished his academic course, he delivered, by the appointment of the president, an oration, in the college hall, at the public examination of his class in July. On the 3d of September, 1746, at the age of nineteen, he received the degree of bachelor of arts. On this occasion, he had as distinguished a part, as a syllogistic exercise would admit; and, at that period, the candidates for the first degree had no higher appointment

For nearly all the facts in the following brief memoir, we are indebted to the full and val uable Life of Dr. Stiles, written by the Rev. Abiel Holmes, D. D., LL. D., of Cambridge, and published in one vol, Evo., Boston, 1798. Brief notices of president Stiles, with remarks on his character, may be found in Trumbull's History of Connecticut; Holmes's Annals; Chancellor Kent's Phi Beta Kappa Oration; Baldwin's History of Yale College; and in professor Kingsley's Historical Sketch of Yale College, published in the present volume of this work. The portrait in this number, is from the plate engraved for Dr. Holmes's Life of Dr. Stiles. It will be observed that a period, inserted by mistake, occurs after the first L, in the title LL. D. 25

VOL. VIII.

at commencement, except a salutatory oration. He was respondent in defence of the following thesis, "The hereditary right of kings is not of divine authority." In professor Meigs's funeral oration on president Stiles, it is stated that "he was esteemed one of the most perfect scholars, that had ever received the honors of the seminary."

Believing his religious principles to be settled, and impressed with a conviction of the duty and importance of making a Christian profession, he united with the church at North Haven, under the pastoral care of his father, on the 23d of November, 1746. He then returned to the enjoyment of his beloved literary privileges at New Haven. A new benefactor appeared in Capt. David Wooster, (afterwards Gen. Wooster, mortally wounded at Ridgfield, April 27, 1777,) who invited him to reside in his family. About this time, he drew up the following rules for his own use. "Ratio vivendi.

"1. In every action and station of life, act with judgment, prudence, calmness, and good humor of mind. 2. Endeavor to make the business of your life your pleasure, as well as your employment. Labor ipse voluptas. 3. Be contented with whatever condition and circumstances Providence shall allot you in the world; and therein endeavor, some way or other, to be useful to your fellow men. 4. Persuade yourself that to live according to the dictates of reason and religion, is the surest, and indeed the only way to live happily in this world, and to lay a foundation of happiness in the other. 5. Extirpate all vicious inclinations; cultivate and improve the mind with useful knowledge, and inure it to virtuous habits; think, live, and act rationally here, that you may be progressively preparing for heaven. Nulla dies sine linea."

To these rules of his own, he added others, drawn from various sources, and closed the whole with the following sentiment and resolution:

"I consider myself as a citizen of the intellectual world, and a subject of its almighty Lawgiver and Judge; by him, I am placed upon an honorable theatre of action, to sustain, in the sight of mortal and immortal beings, that character and part which he shall assign me, in order to my being trained up for perfection and immortality; and shall, therefore, from this time forth, devote my life to the service of God, my country, and mankind.”

In 1749, he was chosen a tutor of Yale college, and was inducted into office on the 25th of May. In the spring of this year, Dr. Franklin sent an electrical apparatus to Yale college. Nothing could have been more opportune than this to Mr. Stiles. In connection with his fellow tutors, he made a variety of curious experiments, above twenty of which are entered into his manuscripts. These were the first electrical experiments made in New England. Having received a license from the New Haven Association of Ministers, he preached his first sermon at West Haven, in June, 1749. At the commencement in September, he received the degree of A. M., and delivered a valedictory oration.

In April, 1750, he took a journey, and preached to the Housatonic Indians, at Stockbridge, Mass. This occasioned an earnest application to him, from the Society for Propagating the Gospel among the Indians, to undertake the mission to this tribe, as successor to the Rev. John Sergeant, who died July 27, 1749. But his health being unequal to so arduous a

* The members of his class were eleven in number. Among them were Hon. Lewis Morris, and Hon. John M. Scott, members of congress. Rev. Elihu Spencer, Ď. D., and Rev. John Brainerd, a missionary, and brother of David Brainerd.