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Through his long life, the Doctor has been a devoted student of eloquence; this is as evident in his common conversation, as from his sermons and writings. His words are not so select, as his manner is impressive; consequently you cannot hear him speak, without being more or less influenced. The best feature in the evening's entertainment was the good Doctor's address to the whole assembly. He dwelt with great emphasis upon the fact, that men do not live out half their days, in consequence of infractions upon the physical laws of their being. He said one-fifth of the human race die before they are twelve months old, one-third before they are two years, and one-half before they are twenty. Now nothing analogous to this is found among other animals; all other species live, with but few exceptions, to a certain and uniform age. Whence, then, this fearful mortality among men? If you give as a reason the fall of Adam, to this I reply, that even after the fall of Adam men lived to near a thousand years. The truth is, young gentlemen, that man, the only animal endowed with reason and the higher attributes, is almost the only animal that outrages the plain and obvious laws of his nature. The Doctor then, by way of illustration, remarked upon his own plain mode of living, his constant use of cold baths, and his abstaining from all stimulants, both in food and drink. Life, said he, is the most precious of Heaven's gifts, and I have no doubt all before me would like to extend it to the greatest number of years possible. In the early part of the evening, one of the students, Mr. McCoy, (a young man of decided talent,) read aloud some very appropriate passages from the bard of Avon, one from Henry IV., another from the speech of Adam in "As you like it;" which seemed written almost expressly for the occasion and the venerable person for whom it was selected:

"Though I look old, yet I am strong and lusty:
For in my youth I never did apply
Hot and rebellious liquors in my blood,
Nor did not with unbashful forehead woo
The means of weakness and debility;
Therefore my age is as a lusty winter,
Frosty, but kindly."

Just before the company dispersed, the venerable Doctor referred in a touching manner to the separation that would soon take place between the teachers and the class before him, and besought them to live in constant reference to the judgment-day, to prepare for which all others are given. "I charge you," said he, "let not one before me, on that tremendous day, be absent from the right hand of God; that should it be my happiness to be found there also, I may be permitted to exclaim, 'Here, Lord, am I, and the children Thou hast committed to my care." And then in behalf of all present, offered a most affecting and solemn prayer to the Father of all our mercies. His reference to the pestilence that walketh in darkness, and the destruction that wasteth at noonday, was very affecting. In compliance with his petition, one could almost see the destroying angel returning his raging sword to the scabbard, and pronouncing it enough.

This morning we had a delightful drive in the Doctor's three-wheeled buggy which is a singular sort of vehicle, but exceedingly convenient for getting in and out, besides it is quite impossible to upset it.

I enjoy Mrs. Nott's society here even more than at Long Island, she is so amiable and lovely. Though there is seemingly no end to her duties and calls, yet she always finds a little time for every one. The most important star in all the sky shines with a mild but steady ray; such is ever the influence and power of woman; noiseless, but constant, she rarely competes with man in the varied departments of science and literature, yet, by her silent labors and gentle teachings, she often roles the fate of empires and decides the destinies of kings.

The evening I left you at your residence, I had no idea that in forty-eight hours I should become so much of an alarmist as to leave New-York so hurriedly. But when people are so congregated and necessarily so many in one room, as at the Institution; the liability to contagion is greatly increased. I believe you purpose remaining in the city during the entire season. May God protect you, and, among his richest blessings, prolong your invaluable life. I am going to a remote part of the country, where the mountains lift their heads and stretch out their arms to protect; and the river that flows at their feet has never borne on its wing the breath of disease: still insidious cholera may come even there.

Le Roy Female Seminary, July l3th, 1849.

DEAR MARY: -- Nearly 2500 years ago the Persian armies, commanded by Xerxes, entered ancient Athens, and in an evil hour behold that great city wrapped in flames; its walls broken, and its white marble edifices and temples, dedicated to the gods, enveloped in smoke and marked for ruin. Where so late art and science, life and beauty reigned, destruction, fire, darkness and decay made their homes. Now the meanest reptiles crawl in the halls of kings, and solitary toads go noiselessly over the banquet floors and the dark bat sleeps where the birds of Jove plumed their glittering wings -- and the moss and ivy grow and feed upon the dust of princes -- and the owl, sacred bird of the Athenians, for ever booms above its ruins.