Litchfield enquirer., 1860-03-22
Sketches of the Early Lights of the
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SketchesEof the Eariy Lights of the
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 -ay .ssie9 aAs NEW MILFORD, Jan. g, 1855. F
 Dear Sir: The request, which is the subject of yours of the 4th inst is too allurng in it's nature to be long unattended, to. So nearly am alone in the world that an invitation to hold converse about those of my age and standing in life, and who have now slumbered in the grave for more than forty years, and especially those who were SO much beloved and esteemed as were those to whom you soEcit my attention, is quite irresist- able
 In.speaking of Mir. Slosson, I must first observe that had formed tolerably correct notion of him before ever saw him. When was boy his father was often at my fathers house, inti-, mately acquainted there, and believe, scarcely eyer passed that way without calling and holding apretty long chat for he was never in a hurry, and his peculiar turn of mind, abundance of com mon sense, and great fund of wit, joined to his singularly slow, emphatic and sententious mode of talking, was such as to secure the attention of any one, and especially of boy. He used, occa- sionally to speak of his children; and especially of his oldest son Barzillai, of whom he was mani festly very proud, representing him to be always at the head of the school when small, and after wards used to speak with high qualification of his industry and tact at acquiring the higher branch es of Knowledge without the aid of an instructor, and'more particularly the knowledge of the dead languages, of which he knew nothing himself. And this account given by the old gentleman, from intimate. intercourse and frequent converse tons with his son, when afterwards became ac- quainted with him found was by no means ex- aggcrated. And to his excellent and accurate common school education, he owed much, very mucho his character for exact accuracy and correctness in all that he said and did through life. He was about the best reader ever saw. wrote . fair, handsome and legible hand, and in the unfailing correctness of his orthegraphy and use of terms, no Photographer ,excelled him, and in everything pertaining to mere English, home common school education, no one appeared to be more thorough profciedt. And in Greek and Latin never saw his superior, except old Presi- dent Stiles, nor with that exception perhaps, his equal unless it was old Parson Farrand of Ca- naan, and in the other branches of collegiate edu cation he was, to say the least, above mediocrity As he entered college not until the senior year and, believe, did not even attend during the whole of that year. he could not of course, expect to shine and did not shineain the college honors depending upon the faculty, but he availed him. self of the right to become a candidate for the honors of Dean Scholav', and obtained the first premium for excellence in Greek and Latin, in a class of unusually high reputation. This, I sup- pose he did merely, out of laudable pride, for he did not avail himself of the pecuniary reward which would have required him to reside in New Haven for he went, immediately after his gradu- ation with one of his classmates (Mr. afterwards the Rev. Dr. Smith,) to reside in Sharon as one of the instructors in the Sharon Academy, then in full and successful operation. He soon after became a student at law under Gov. Smiths in struction, and the first County Court which sat after his two years clerkship had, expired being in Fairfield County, he went there for exarnina- ton and admission to the Bar. This was be- leve at the November Term, 1793 It was not until he began to attend Court at Litchfeld, and while was in the law school there, that first became personally acquainted with Mir. sSldsson though had barely seen him once or twice be- fore. After my admission to the Bar, being To- eated in adjoining towns, weoften met each other before Justices, and consequently before the uu- per courts. Espm eur frequent meetiups and in tercourse at I Iitchfeld and elsewhere, I became greatly attached to him, and finally, for numbar of years he and I with Southmayd for our con. stant companion, always occupied the same room at Catlin's Hotel during every court until his dsath and there was the last time | ever saw hin !. in life, Soon after the Court adioarned hearing of his rapid decline sat out to visit him, andor the way, that he had died the night before T however went on and stayed, with the family E until I, assisted in burying him. This was il
 January, 1913, and in that grave felt that I ha, buried sincere, and am sure, Q, much love, : friend ;on whose character and conduct in life could reflect with melancholy satisfaction, unmar
 red by single reproachfdl recollection or on s''which could wish to have forgotten.
 MT. slosson had been ont of health for a yer
 considerable time, and fears were apprehended oi
 ms account, in which he fully and nationally par $ hcipated. So gradual, however, was the opera
 ton ofhis' disorder, that he continued his atteD
 tion to business until some three or four week
 before hisIaeathh. h He attended the court at Iitch field the first and I think the second week If th, ' December Term the month before his decease ~ MT, sosson's great fondness for ancient lite
 nature, rendered him scascely just in his compar sasive estimate of that with modern improvement,
 Asa lawyer he was highly respectable in theor