The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1855-11-21
al / s1cllan .
The late Samuel M. Conant, of
Brandon.

Brandon.
1t was sweetly said of one departed,
that his memory yet remained, a hal
lowed aud impalpable presence, like
"the thought of God in the soul, or as
"the fine odor which seems to haunt the
"vasc, where gathered perfumes once
" distilled their richest sweets"
This thought is peculiarly appropriate
to his memory of whom the present rec
ord is made; 50 susceptible was he to all
that is tender and poetcal. But it is
inadequate 10 those who knew him
well to those who loved him; to those
who felt the influence of his mind or
heart to all, who, under these circum-
stances, were capable of sympathy with
the high order of emotions and thoughts
in which his spirit moved his memory
remains, in presence and ;uauencc,with
power aud reality. which cannot be eX-
pressed by mere figure Of rhetoric, or
measured by sentiment, or mourned,
"By the tonng Of a tear"
In the circle Of lis friends, which in.
deed was not narrow and especially in
that lesser circle privileged by conf
Dental relation to him this record of
his virtues requires no apology. There
are those who feel that the place which
he has left vacant, can never be filled !;
there are hearts, accustomed to the inter
change Of sympathy SO tender and
complete, that they cannot hope, or iu
reason expect to find it in another there
are minds which had relied SO long upon
his steady judgment and clear pcrcop.
tions, for comparison, encouragement, or
criticism, that they must ever realize an
intellectual bereavement, which would
be sad enough, if that were all But it
must be added that whatever was the
relation there is no one who had fire.
quent or even occasional, intercourse with
him who docs not now, with tenderer
emotions than business, or iptellecton,
or sociality can command, mourn a
friend.
| To these, we have said, this memorial
needs no apology. 1t is the expression
of natural feeling-not to be repressed
But they feel, that it may have uses, be-
sides, to others that some record of
what lie was and what he attained, may
stand as an encouragement, as an exam
pie or as an invitation.
Samuel Mills Conant was born in
brandon, on the 22d of November, 1870
His family and parentage are well known
in his native state. His grandfather (yet
living) was one of the pioneers; and one
of the genuine old whig blood of the re-
volutiou. Roger Conaut, more remote
ancestor, came with the Puritans, and
was once Governor in New England
Nor on the maternal side (whose patron.
ymic was included in his name) was the
pedigree of our departed friend, less
distinguished for either patriotism or pi,
ETY..
"The sparks Of nature were not hid
den in his childhood The moral capa,
city is the foundation Of the intellectual;
its issues are first observable in the mi.
mic man, and from them alone can any
prognostic be drawn. In his earliest
volilions, there were observable, q sin
cerity, an earnestness. an nncalculating
truthfulness, and spirit OF self sacrifice;
and in boyhood advancing, GOODNESS iu
circumspection,a thoroughness in thought
correctness of judgment, just
ness OF memory,a pertinacity of pursuit
and in manhood, a maturity and balance
of mind a certainty in mental acquisi.
tion, moral courage,a high enthusiasm,
a modest independence, vehement alb
horrenoe Of oppression and of meanness,
and geniality of spirit and bouevolcnce
of heart, which were as broad as the y
were unusual aud benefcept
In whatever u man can be the archi
tect of himself, our departed friend was
in the utmost sense, a selfmade man.
This is true, not only in the ordinary,
the worldly and lesser sense but in the
opinions which he adopted, tho philOso'