years afterwards, that the first idea of the electric telegraph found
lodgment in his brain, and this certainly resulted in improvement to
himself and society.

In February, 1809, he writes: "My studies are at present Optics in
Philosophy, Dialling, Homer, beside disputing, composing, attending
lectures etc. etc., all which I find very interesting and especially Mr.
Day's lectures who is now lecturing on _Electricity_."

Young Morse's thoughts seem to have been gradually focusing on the two
subjects to which he afterwards devoted his life, for in a letter of
March 8, 1809, he says: "Mr. Day's lectures are very interesting. They
are upon Electricity. He has given us some very fine experiments. The
whole class taking hold of hands formed the circuit of communication and
we all received the shock apparently at the same moment. I never took an
electric shock before. It felt as if some person had struck me a slight
blow across the arms.... I think with pleasure that two thirds of this
term only remain. As soon as that is passed away, I hope I shall again
see home. I really long to see Charlestown again; I have almost forgotten
how it looks. I have some thoughts of taking a view of Boston from
Bunker's Hill when I go home again. It will be some pleasure to me to
have some picture of my native place to look upon when I am from home."

And in August, 1809, he writes to his parents: "I employ all my leisure
time in painting. I have a great number of persons engaged already to be
drawn on ivory, no less than seven. They obtain the ivories for
themselves. I have taken Professor Kingsley's profile for him. It is a
good likeness of him and he is pleased with it. I think I shall take his
likeness on ivory and present it to him as my present at the end of the
year.... I have finished Miss Leffingwell's miniature. It is a good