member of the Alpha Delta Phi and the Phi Beta Kappa societies, and was graduated in the class of 1854. III. On June 1, not long before his graduation, Potter received the appointment of "Hopkins classical teacher" in the Cambridge High School, being the first to hold this position, and continued to discharge its duties till 1856, when he resigned it. During the year 1856-1857, he was a student in the Harvard Divinity School, but was never graduated there. On August 9, 1857, he started from New York for Europe in the "Louis Napoleon," a German sailingvessel, together with Gerald Fitzgerald (Divinity School, 1859) and Henry W. Brown (Harvard College, 1852, and Divinity School, 1857). Arriving at Hamburg on September 14, he immediately proceeded to Berlin, and on the 19th was matriculated as a student of philosophy at the University, engaging lessons in German at the same time from a private teacher. When the term began, October 22, he listened to lectures by Haupt on the Satires of Horace and Trendelenburg on the history of philosophy; but he writes, "I scarcely understood a dozen words of both of them." Later in November, he heard lectures by Wuttke on the history of Christian dogma and on Hegel's philosophy and its relation to Christianity-by Michelet on the philosophy of modern history since 1775,-by Vatke on some metaphysical questions,- and by Althaus on Goethe's "Faust;" and now, he writes, "I begin to discover a little progress in understanding the lectures." remained at Berlin, studying, visiting the art-galleries, and observing German life, till March 1, 1858, when he went to Dresden. Here he stayed about a month, devoting much of his time to the picture galleries; then, passing rapidly through Leipzig, Bamberg, Nuremberg, Munich, Ulm, and Stuttgart, he repaired to Tübingen, April 13, where he remained to study, rooming with Mr. Brown. Here he heard Baur on an uninteresting subject, and Fichte on the history of modern philosophy ("the students here call him 'der wortreiche Sohn des geistreichen Vaters'"); but the lecture courses were not sufficiently attractive to induce him to matriculate. On May 10, he writes: "Concluded to give up attending lectures and devote myself to study in my room. Still read Baur and his school of theology with great pleasure." On July 1: "To-day we are packing for Switzerland. Our Tübingen race is run. Though we make it a short term, I feel that I have got much from it much from my reading. I now see what Baur and his school have done, and am better able to give a scientific reason for my disbelief in the oldschool theology than I was before." And on July 2: "Left Tübingen at 12 o'clock in company with Brown and Brooks for Switzerland, by way of Baden and Freiburg." The itinerary of the Swiss-Italian journey, which occupied about six weeks, can be made out to have been as follows: 9. 10. II. 46 12. 46 13. 14. 46 66 15. Baden-Baden. Freiburg. Schaffhausen. Dachsen and the Rhine Falls. Zürich. Horgen, Zug, Arth, Mt. Rigi. Fluelen, Amstag, Gothard Pass, Hos- Furka Pass, Grimsel. Guttanen, Reichenbach. Greater Scheideck, Faulhorn. 16. Wengern Alp, Lauterbrunnen, Inter From Munich, where he stayed a few days, Potter went to Heidelberg on August 22, made a five-days excursion to Mannheim, Mainz, Cologne, and Coblenz, and returned to Heidelberg, where he remained studying until October 4. Then he started for Italy once more, by way of Frankfort, Carlsruhe, Strassburg, Basle, Zürich, Rapperschwyl, St. Gall, Ragatz, Coire, and the Splügen Pass. In Italy he went to Chiavenna, Colico, Bergamo, Brescia, and Venice, where he stayed three days,-to Padua, Ferrara, Bologna, and Florence. The last entry in his journal is that of October 22, and ends abruptly, in the midst of a description of Florence by moonlight. IV. During the winter of 1858-1859, after his return from Europe, Potter remained in Cambridge as a candidate for the ministry. He preached at New Bedford several times in July, 1859, and finally re ceived an invitation from the wealthy Unitarian society there to become its minister. His ordination took place on December 28, 1859, the ordination sermon being preached by Rev. Dr. William H. Furness; and his first sermon as pastor, printed in the volume which he published in 1885 with the title, "Twenty-five Sermons of Twenty-five Years," was delivered on January 1, 1860. In the spring of that year, he began keeping house with his sister, Mrs. Ruth Almy, and her husband. In July, 1861, he preached at Washington on the day of the first battle of Bull Run; and he visited the camps in the vicinity during the terrible confusion that ensued. On July 23, 1863, he was drafted; and on the following Sunday, July 26, he delivered a sermon on "The Voice of the Draft," declaring his resolution not to disobey the call of his country in her hour of need. He tendered his resignation as minister of the Unitarian society, which, however, refused to accept it, granting him leave of absence for a year and giving him five hundred dollars. the latter part of August, he went to Washington at the special request of Secretary Stanton, who had heard of his patriotic course, and who had written the following letter to Hon. John H. Clifford of New Bedford: My dear Sir: In WAR DEPARTMENT WASHINGTON CITY, Aug. 9, 1863. I am infinitely obliged to you for the sermon delivered by Mr. Potter. Such outpouring of a noble spirit cannot fail to do good. I have directed its |