the Academy of Arts had been removed. Nor was he wholly over-looked by prominent characters. His acquisitions were known by many to be extensive if not profound; his industry through a long life knew no idle hour; his talents were admitted to be above the ordinary standard; his plans were sometimes pronounced visionary, but his conversation was instructive, and his genius in mechanics sufficiently original to command approbation. His nature was benevolent: his morals void of offence toward God and man. He was the advocate of an enlarged toleration in political as well as in religious opinion; and cordially as well as practically adopted the sentiment of Jeremy Taylor, "The way to judge of religion is by doing our duty; and theology is rather a divine life than a divine knowledge." It was his constant aim to be useful. If his occupation was not always elevated, he was too frequently the victim of controlling circumstances. He knew Poor Richard by heart, yet he overlooked his aphorism, "Three removes are as bad as a fire," and was wont to substitute, in justification of his numerous transitions in life, the maxim, "A nimble sixpence is better than a sluggish shilling." Many paid deference to him amid all his disappointments. De Witt Clinton included him among the prominent promoters of internal improvement, and with philosophical liberality, uttered this noble sentiment in reference to Colles as well as others: "For the good which has been done by individuals or communities in relation to the work, let each have a due share of credit." Dr. Mitchill often visited him and lauded his services in the advancement of public works. Jarvis, the painter, pronounced him a genius, and painted his portrait with great fidelity. "My pencil," said Jarvis, "will render you hereafter better known: you have done too much good to be forgotten." The picture is, or ought to be, in the Historical Society. Dr. Hosack commemorated him, in his Life of Clinton, as an early pioneer in behalf of the canal policy of New-York, and caused an engraving of his portrait to occupy a niche on the column of his canal worthies. Senator Seward has not overlooked him in his elaborate introduction to the Natural History of New-York, Trumbull, the historical painter, often cheered him onward, and bid him hope, for on that article he himself had long lived. Nor was that genuine Knickerbocker, G. C. Verplanck, indifferent to
