It afforded no means of livelihood, and Morse had gifts as
an artist; in fact, he earned a part of his college expenses
painting miniatures at five dollars apiece. He decided,
therefore, that art should be his vocation.
A letter written years afterwards by Joseph M. Dulles of
Philadelphia, who was at New Haven preparing for Yale when Morse
was in his senior year, is worth reading here:
"I first became acquainted with him at New Haven, when about to
graduate with the class of 1810, and had such an association as a
boy preparing for college might have with a senior who was just
finishing his course. Having come to New Haven under the care of
Rev. Jedidiah Morse, the venerable father of the three Morses,
all distinguished men, I was commended to the protection of
Finley, as he was then commonly designated, and therefore saw him
frequently during the brief period we were together. The father I
regard as the gravest man I ever knew. He was a fine exemplar of
the gentler type of the Puritan, courteous in manner, but stern
in conduct and in aspect. He was a man of conflict, and a leader
in the theological contests in New England in the early part of
this century. Finley, on the contrary, bore the expression of
gentleness entirely. In person rather above the ordinary height,
well formed, graceful in demeanor, with a complexion, if I
remember right, slightly ruddy, features duly proportioned, and
often lightened with a genial and expressive smile.
Pages:
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136