and his mother the year following, leaving two children, Aaron, and
his sister Sarah. She subsequently became the wife of Judge Tappan
Reeve, of Connecticut. On the decease of his father, Colonel Burr
inherited a handsome estate.

In the year 1760 Aaron was sent to Philadelphia, under the care of an
aunt and Dr. Shippen. For the family of the doctor he entertained a
high degree of respect. He frequently spoke of them in the kindest
terms, and recurred to this early period of his history with emotions
of gratitude for their care and protection.

Boswell, in his Life of Johnson, remarks that, "In following so very
eminent a man from his cradle to his grave, every minute particular
which can throw light on the progress of his mind, is interesting."
Johnson himself, in the Life of Sydenham, says "There is no instance
of any man, whose history has been minutely related, that did not, in
every part of life, discover the same proportion of intellectual
vigour."

These high authorities are now quoted in justification of some of the
details which will be given in the progress of this work, and which,
in themselves, may appear trifling and unimportant. When Aaron was
about four years old, he had some misunderstanding with his preceptor,
in consequence of which he ran away, and was not found until the third
or fourth day after his departure from home; thus indicating, at a
tender age, that fearlessness of mind, and determination to rely upon
himself, which were characteristics stamped upon every subsequent act
of his life.