John Harrison Wilson, The life of Charles Henry Dana

[10] friend says, “The general impression he made upon all in Buffalo at that time was that of a student bound to gain knowledge, and that he was blessed by an intelligence superior to most of the young men with whom he associated.”

That the prevalent impression of young Dana, at the period alluded to above, must have been highly favorable is strongly supported by the fact that on January 29, 1839, he delivered before the “Coffee Club” of Buffalo, of which he was a member, an exceedingly interesting lecture on “Early English Poetry,” the manuscript of which, in his own clear and distinct handwriting, is now in my possession. It shows the wide range of his reading on the subject of his lecture, and exemplifies his poetical theories, his power of statement, and his canons of criticism. While his style at that time appears somewhat stilted, it was surprisingly clear, direct, and comprehensive for a lad of his years and opportunities.

Speaking in after years to an old friend, Dana declared, that “the best days of his life, as regards health and happiness, were spent in Buffalo, whence he went to fish in the Niagara, to hunt in the American and Canadian woods, to hobnob with the Indians at their reservation near by, and to make trips down the river to the falls.” It was surely a delightful region, which he must have left with regret, and to which he returned with pleasure whenever he had the opportunity. His best and most intimate friends still lived there, and were always ready to receive him with open arms and a generous welcome. He had passed his teens and reached his adolescence among them, and in entering upon a still broader field of life and intellectual development, he naturally turned to these friends and this home of his youth for sympathy and encouragement.

It should be stated that his father, who appears to have always been somewhat of a dreamer and never a successful