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The telegraph is one of America's gifts to the world。 The honor for this invention falls to Samuel Finley Breese Morse； a New Englander of old Puritan stock。 Nor is the glory that belongs to Morse in any way dimmed by the fact that he made use of the discoveries of other men who had been trying to unlock the secrets of electricity ever since Franklin's experiments。 If Morse discovered no new principle； he is nevertheless the man of all the workers in electricity between his own day and Franklin's whom the world most delights to honor； and rightly so； for it is to such as Morse that the world is most indebted。 Others knew； Morse saw and acted。 Others had found out the facts； but Morse was the first to perceive the practical significance of those facts； the first to take steps to make them of service to his fellows； the first man of them all with the pluck and persistence to remain steadfast to his great design； through twelve long years of toil and privation； until his countrymen accepted his work and found it well done。
Morse was happy in his birth and early training。 He was born in 1791； at Charlestown； Massachusetts。 His father was a Congregational minister and a scholar of high standing； who； by careful management； was able to send his three sons to Yale College。 Thither went young Samuel （or Finley； as he was called by his family） at the age of fourteen and came under the influence of Benjamin Silliman； Professor of Chemistry； and of Jeremiah Day； Professor of Natural Philosophy； afterwards President of Yale College； whose teaching gave him impulses which in later years led to the invention of the telegraph。 〃Mr。 Day's lectures are very interesting；〃 the young student wrote home in 1809； 〃they are upon electricity； he has given us some very fine experiments； the whole class taking hold of hands form the circuit of communication and we all receive the shock apparently at the same moment。〃 Electricity； however； was only an alluring study。 It afforded no means of livelihood； and Morse had gifts as an artist； in fact； he earned a part of his college expenses painting miniatures at five dollars apiece。 He decided； therefore； that art should be his vocation。
A letter written years afterwards by Joseph M。 Dulles of Philadelphia； who was at New Haven preparing for Yale when Morse was in his senior year； is worth reading here：
〃I first became acquainted with him at New Haven； when about to graduate with the class of 1810； and had such an association as a boy preparing for college might have with a senior who was just finishing his course。 Having come to New Haven under the care of Rev。 Jedidiah Morse； the venerable father of the three Morses； all distinguished men； I was commended to the protection of Finley； as he was then commonly designated； and therefore saw him frequently during the brief period we were together。 The father I regard as the gravest man I ever knew。 He was a fine exemplar of the gentler type of the Puritan； courteous in manner； but stern in conduct and in aspect。 He was a man of conflict； and a leader in the theological contests in New England in the early part of this century。 Finley； on the contrary； bore the expression of gentleness entirely。 In person rather above the ordinary height； well formed； graceful in demeanor； with a complexion； if I remember right； slightly ruddy； features duly proportioned； and often lightened with a genial and expressive smile。 He was； altogether； a handsome young man； with manners unusually bland。 It is needless to add that with intelligence； high culture； and general information； and with a strong bent to the fine arts； Mr。 Morse was in 1810 an attractive young man。 During the last year of his college life he occupied his leisure hours； with a view to his self…support； in taking the likenesses of his fellow…students on ivory； and no doubt with success； as he obtained afterward a very respectable rank as a portrait…painter。 Many pieces of his skill were afterward executed in Charleston； South Carolina。〃*
* Prime； 〃The Life of Samuel F。 B。 Morse； LL。D。〃； p。 26。
That Morse was destined to be a painter seemed certain； and when； soon after graduating from Yale； he made the acquaintance of Washington Allston； an American artist of high standing； any doubts that may have existed in his mind as to his vocation were set at rest。 Allston was then living in Boston； but was planning to return to England； where his name was well known； and it was arranged that young Morse should accompany him as his pupil。 So in 1811 Morse went to England with Allston and returned to America four years later an accredited portrait painter； having studied not only under Allston but under the famous master； Benjamin West； and having met on intimate terms some of the great Englishmen of the time。 He opened a studio in Boston； but as sitters were few； he made a trip through New England； taking commissions for portraits； and also visited Charleston； South Carolina； where some of his paintings may be seen today。
At Concord； New Hampshire； Morse met Miss Lucretia Walker； a beautiful and cultivated young woman； and they were married in 1818。 Morse then settled in New York。 His reputation as a painter increased steadily； though he gained little money； and in 1825 he was in Washington painting a portrait of the Marquis La Fayette； for the city of New York； when he heard from his father the bitter news of his wife's death in New Haven； then a journey of seven days from Washington。 Leaving the portrait of La Fayette unfinished； the heartbroken artist made his way home。
Two years afterwards Morse was again obsessed with the marvels of electricity； as he had been in college。 The occasion this time was a series of lectures on that subject given by James Freeman Dana before the New York Athenaeum in the chapel of Columbia College。 Morse attended these lectures and formed with Dana an intimate acquaintance。 Dana was in the habit of going to Morse's studio； where the two men would talk earnestly for long hours。 But Morse was still devoted to his art； besides； he had himself and three children to support； and painting was his only source of income。
Back to Europe went Morse in 1829 to pursue his profession and perfect himself in it by three years' further study。 Then came the crisis。 Homeward bound on the ship Sully in the autumn of 1832； Morse fell into conversation with some scientific men who were on board。 One of the passengers asked this question： 〃Is the velocity of electricity reduced by the length of its conducting wire？〃 To which his neighbor replied that electricity passes instantly over any known length of wire and referred to Franklin's experiments with several miles of wire； in which no appreciable time elapsed between a touch at one end and a spark at the other。
Here was a fact already well known。 Morse must have known it himself。 But the tremendous significance of that fact had never before occurred to him nor； so far as he knew； to any man。 A recording telegraph！ Why not？ Intelligence delivered at one end of a wire instantly recorded at the other end； no matter how long the wire！ It might reach across the continent or even round the earth。 The idea set his mind on fire。
Home again in November； 1832； Morse found himself on the horns of a dilemma。 To give up his profession meant that he would have no income； on the other hand； how could he continue wholeheartedly painting pictures while consumed with the idea of the telegraph？ The idea would not down； yet he must live； and there were his three motherless children in New Haven。 He would have to go on painting as well as he could and develop his telegraph in what time he could spare。 His brothers； Richard and Sidney； were both living in New York and they did what they could for him； giving him a room in a building they had erected at Nassau and Beekman Streets。 Morse's lot at this time was made all the harder by hopes raised and dashed to earth again。 Congress had voted money for mural paintings for the rotunda of the Capitol。 The artists were to be selected by a committee of which John Quincy Adams was chairman。 Morse expected a commission for a part of the work； for his standing at that time was second to that of no American artist； save Allston； and Allston he knew had declined to paint any of the pictures and had spoken in his favor。 Adams； however； as chairman of the committee was of the opinion that the pictures should be done by foreign artists； there being no Americans available； he thought； of sufficiently high standing to execute the work with fitting distinction。 This opinion； publicly expressed； infuriated James Fenimore Cooper； Morse's friend； and Cooper wrote an attack on Adams in the New York Evening Post； but without signing it。 Supposing Morse to be the author of this article； Adams summarily struck his name from the list of artists who were to be employed。
How very poor Morse was about this time is indicated by a story afterwards told by General Strother of Virginia； who was one of his pupils：
I engaged to become Morse's pupil and subsequently went to New York and found him in a room in University Place。 He had three or four other pupils and I soon found that our professor had very little patronage。
I paid my fifty