To his son he writes: "Learn as much as you can of farming; for the work of your hands in this way may prove the best resource in securing comfort to you."

To a friend he writes: "From the commencement of my course I practiced upon the maxim, Business before friends."

Again to a friend: "On the 23d ult., I was blessed by the birth of a fine little daughter. I wish you were a married man. S has put her eye on a rib for you. She has a good constitution, is acquainted with domestic matters, has the most desirable of the accomplishments; and my only objection to her is, as far as I have observed her, that she has a few thousand dollars in cash.”

To Mark Hopkins he writes: “.... And now let us turn to matters of more importance; the awakening of the young men of your college to their highest interest,-the salvation of their souls. I pray God to perfect the good work thus begun. I have much to think of to-day,-my sixty-sixth birthday. The question comes, 'What am I rendering to the Lord?' The answer of conscience is, 'Imperfect service.' If accepted, it will be through mercy; and with this feeling of hope, I keep about, endeavoring to scatter good seed as I go forth in my daily ministrations."

Mr. Lawrence was twice married: first to Sarah Richards; second to Mrs. Nancy Ellis, widow of Judge Ellis, of New Hampshire. His son, William R. Lawrence, M. D., edited "Diary and Correspondence of Amos Lawrence;" first published in an edition of one hundred copies, afterwards given to the public at the solicitation of the Boston Young Men's Christian Union, Boston Young Men's Christian Association, and the Students of Williams College.

WILLIAM LEETE.

GOVERNOR OF CONNECTICUT, 1676.*

WILLIAM LEETE, a native of England, died in Hartford, Conn., April 16, 1683.

Bred a lawyer, he was for a considerable time Clerk, in England, of a Bishop's Court. In this service, he became acquainted with the transactions between the bishops and the Puritans. He himself became a Puritan, left the Bishop's Court, and, in 1638, came into New England, in company with Eaton and Hopkins.

His name is among the six planters who signed the writings at New Haven, in Newman's barn, September, 1639, when they purchased the lands of the Squaw Sachem. He became a resi dent of the town of Guilford, and "was one of the seven pillars of Mr. Whitfield's church." When Mr. Whitfield went to England, several of the first planters went with him, but Mr. Leete remained at Guilford.

He was chosen Magistrate for the Colony of New Haven in 1643; was annually re-elected until May, 1658; was then chosen Deputy-Governor of that Colony, holding the office until elected Governor in 1661. He held the office of Governor of New Haven Colony until the union in 1665, with Connecticut Colony. He was then chosen one of the Magistrates of Connecticut; was elected Deputy. Governor, in 1669; when he was chosen Governor, changing his residence to Hartford.

For more than thirty years he sustained the responsibilities of civil office, in one or other of the Colonies. "He presided in times of the greatest difficulty, yet always conducted himself with such integrity and wisdom, as to meet the public approbation."

*Trumbull's "History of Connecticut"; "Eliot's "Biographical Dictionary"; Hinman's Antiquities"; Appleton.

Twenty-seven queries were sent from the authorities in England to the Governor of his Majesty's Colony of Connecticut, to which answers were returned signed by Governor Leete. The last inquiry was as follows, with answer and signature.

"What course is taken for the instructing of the people in the Christian Religion; how many churches and ministers are there within your government; how many are yet wanting for the accommodation of your corporation; what provision is made for their maintenance; as also for relieving poor and impotent persons; and have you any beggars and idle vagabonds?"

[ANSWERS.]

"Great care is taken, for the instruction of the people in the Christian Religion, by ministers catechising them, and preaching to them twice every Sabbath day, and sometimes on Lecture days; and so by masters of families instructing and catechising their children and servants; being required so to do by law. In our Corporation are twenty-six towns, and twenty-one churches. There is in every town in our colony a settled minister, except in two towns new begun, and they are looking out for a minister to settle amongst them. For the maintenance of the ministers, it is raised upon the people by way of rate; and in some places it is 100 lbs. per annum, some 90 lbs., some 80 lbs., and in no place less than 50 lbs. per annum, as we know of. . . . For the poor it is ordered that they be relieved by the towns where they live. It is seldom that any want relief; because labor is dear, and provisions cheap. Beggars and vagabond persons are not suffered; but when discovered are bound out to service.

66 Per order,

...

"JOHN ALLYN, Sec'ry.

"HARTFORD, July 15, 1680."

"WILLIAM LEETE, Governor.

Mr. Leete had a large family of children. His son Andrew was for several years a Magistrate of the Colony.

An island near Guilford bears the Governor's name.