the cold in winter, experienced in western Pennsylvania; nor much less could we account for the magnitude and suddeness of the changes, situated as we are under similar parallels of latitude with the city of Madrid in Spain, the islands of Minorca and Sardinia in the Mediterranean, the cities of Rome and Naples in Italy, and that of Constantinople in Turkey. Hence we must look, in the investigation of our climate, to our elevated || situation; our exposure to the north, north-west, and westerly winds, to our being protected by mountains more than two thousand feet high, from the east; and south-east to our being remote from the warm air of the gulf stream, or the general equalizing effects of the waters of the ocean on the atmosphere; to which may be added the large portion of our land which is yet under forest. From this combination of causes, the climate may be accounted for in the most satisfactory man ner. the chest and lungs; the latter is increasing among the sedentary population of our towns with fearful strides. As we are happily free from marsh miasmata, we are strangers to those forms of intermittents which are endemial east, west, north, and south of us. Our fevers are generally of the continued type, accompanied with the inflammatory diathesis, the synoclaus and synocha of Cullen, and characterized by deranged action of the brain and bowels. We seldom meet with any of the low forms of typhus mitior, and are strangers for the most part to typhus gra vior. Hence we have no contagious fevers. In summer and autumn our agricultural population are not unfrequently visited with dysentery. This is not so common among the inhabitants of the towns; which may be accounted for from the exposure of the agriculturists to the increased heat of summer and autumn. It is in most cases either during harvest, or immediately af ter it, that this disease breaks forth. It is to be regretted that we are not as yet in possession of any regular series of thermometrical observations from which the alternations of temperature might be ex-lent and laborious exercise under a burning sun, which actly known. This is a subject well worthy the attention of the practitioner of medicine, and comes immediately within his province, as without an accurate investigation of the effects of climate on the human body, it is impossible to arrive at any thing like scientific conclusions with regard to disease. However, we may appeal to the experience of every person of observation, resident in western Pennsylvania, for the high temperature of our summer heat and the piercing cold of winter, with the suddenness and magnitude of the changes throughout the year. The past winter indeed, forms an exception in point of mildness scarcely to be equalled within the remembrance of the oldest inhabitants. We have had, comparatively speaking, but little frost, and scarcely any snow, but we have had the most complete succession of continued rains from October to March. During harvest the farmer is exposed to the most viocannot fail to induce a high degree of excitement in the system. The body is bathed with perspiration, the clothes saturated with it. The thin linen pantaloons, the shirt, &c., the usual summer dress of the farmer, becomes as wet in the case of many persons as if they had been drawn through water. If he stops to rest for a little, that part of his dress not in immediate contact with his body, becomes cooled down so rapidly, that if it is alowed to touch the skin, it induces a sensation which can only be compared to the application of ice to the body under other circumstances. Here is a fertile source of disease. His thirst is intolerable; he must drink large quantities of fluid; nature calls for a reduction of the febrile excitement of the system; the increased perspi ration must be supplied; the usual drink is ardent spirits with water. To enable him to undergo his increased labour, his food is rendered more luxurious, and for the most part more indigestible. He swallows large and frequently repeated quantities of solid animal food. His night of rest is short, and his day of labour long. He is frequently found out in his light dress, with the system yet hot with the excitement of the day, under the dews of the evening. He is out in the morning with the rising of the sun, while the fields are still wet with the dews of the previous night. Here are other fertile sources of disease. The fever which is attendant on this disease, is of a highly inflammatory type, the bowels and peritoneum partake most seyerely of the diseased action. It is not usually fatal under any well regulated mode of treatment. It is not contagious, although its spreading over entire sections of adjoining country, induces a belief among the people that it is so. But this arises from all having been exposed less or more, to the original exciting causes of the affection, and not from the powers of contagion. During the months of July and August, it is not uncommon for the thermometer of Fahrenheit to rise to upwards of 96° in the shade. This high temperature how ever is not durable for any number of days or even hours of the same day, and can only exist during a southerly wind. The wind veering about to the north or particularly the north-west, will lower the thermometer 10, 20, 30, or 40° in the course of a few hours. During the 27th, 28th, and 29th of January, 1821, the thermometer stood at from 13 to 14° below zero of Fahrenheit's thermometer; this may be taken as a specimen of our most intense cold, but in almost every winter, the mercury sinks to or below zero; this can only last during the continuance of a northerly or north-westerly wind, particularly the latter; on a change of wind to the southward, the temperature will rise 10, 20, or 30° in the course of twenty-four hours. In the latter end of March, 1828, the thermometer rose for a few days above 60° of Fahrenheit; in the beginning of April it was down below the freezing point. Such is our vicissitude of climate that it is impossible to calculate on any invariable range of temperature for any given time during any season of the year. In winter the north-westerly winds bring us the most intense degrees of cold; this may be It is usual in professional intercourse, to hear a great accounted for, from the immense regions covered for the deal about bilious diseases; we have bilious fevers, bigreater part of the year with ice or snow lying north-lious cholics, bilious head-aches, and even bilious pleuwest of us; those immense inland seas, Erie, Huron, Michigan and Superior, which are frozen up for several months in the year, and to our being exposed to the full and unmitigated sweep of this wind, blowing over those regions, without the intervention of mountain or the equalizing effect of the waters of the ocean. On the contrary, the south wind coming to us from the Gulf of Mexico and the valley of the Mississippi, blowing over land for nearly two thousand miles, brings us a very increased degree of heat, and accounts satisfactorily for the high temperature of our summers. The prevailing diseases in summer and autumn are affections of the brain, stomach, and bowels, particularly the latter. In winter and spring we have diseases of Cholera infantum is a disease frequent in the towns during the summer months, and more especially in confined and badly ventilated apartments. In these places its fatality is considerable. risies, without end. Does a patient present himself with a furred tongue, he is bilious; has he constipation of the bowels, he is bilious: has he impaired digestion, he is bilious; and so on, nntil at length biliary derangement has become, in the vocabulary of these gentlemen, the primum mobile in most cases of disease. Were this simply confined to an error in nosological discrimination, it would be comparatively harmless, but it leads to the most mischievous errors in practice. That we have in reality no such biliary derangement, it is only necessary to appeal to our climate. It is physically impossible that it should exist under our variable atmosphere and in our elevated situation. It is only in marshy countries and under a more southern sun, that general hepatic de rangement entwines itself to any extent with the prevailing diseases, as in the more southern and low-lying sections of the United States or the peninsula of India. Here we should have post mortem examinations to appeal to, but our medical industry presents us only with meagre data in this respect. Had this method of investigation been resorted to, it is matter of impossibility that we could long have laboured under this biliary delusion. The prepossessions of the people may be pleaded in extenuation, but this affords only a slender cover; the minds of the people here, as well as in the sea-board cities, might and would be entirely under the guidance of their medical attendants in this respect, were they to set the importance of it in every case plainly before them. PROGRESS OF LITERATURE IN PENNSYL- (From the November number of the Philadelphia Monthly world." Franklin tells us that Keimer was something of a poet, and when he first saw him, he was engaged; both mentally and manually, in composing an elegy on the death of Aquilla Rose, secretary to the general assembly, and principal workman in Bradford's employment.* His verses flowed, without interruption, from his muse to his composing stick, the process of writing being dispensed with. In Thomas's History of Printing in America, we meet with a specimen of this writer's poetry, extracted from the Barbadoes Gazette of May 4th, 1734, of which paper Keimer was, at that time, the editor. It is an address "To those who'd be thought gentlemen, who have long taken this paper and never paid for it; and seem never to design to pay for it.-The sorrowful lamentations of Samuel Keimer, printer of the Barbadoes Gazette. "What a pity it is that some modern bravadoes, Who dub themselves gentlemen here in Barbadoes, Should, time after time, run in debt to their printer, And care not to pay him in summer or winter!" And so on, to the end of thirty-four lines, from which we learn that "Tho' working like slave, with zeal and true courage, He scarcely could get even salt to his porridge." From this paper a collection of essays, &c. was pub The love of fame is the ruling passion, and to this, society is more indebted, than to any other impulse to which the mind is subject. The scholar wastes not his life over the midnight lamp, merely that he may enlighten the world, nor the statesman his breath in speeches, as blustering as Boreas, from the pure dic-lished in two quarto volumes, in London, in 1741, entitates of patriotism. The soldier gathers not laurels tled Caribbeana. Franklin, in his memoirs of himself, at the cannon's mouth, for the love of fighting; nor does gives a graphic and an amusing sketch of this ill-starred the philanthropist do good by stealth, from the unalloy wight. ed impulse of philanthropy. An innate love of distinction is the main-spring of human action; and though that distinction. in most cases, amounts to little more than a paragraph in a biographical dictionary, seldom opened, still it proves sufficient to stimulate to worthy actions. The trifling meed should not, therefore, be withheld, when the task has been accomplished. With these views, we propose to give some account of the pioneers of literature in Pennsylvania, confining our researches to such writers as death has rendered alike insensible to censure or to praise; but we do not pretend to be so minute as to preclude the necessity of others treating on the same subject. Pennsylvania was the second English colony in America, into which the art of printing was introduced. This important event took place as early as the year 1686, and we are indebted for it to William Bradford, who came over among the first emigrants from England, with William Penn. His press is supposed to have been established in Kensington, in the vicinity of the Treaty Elm. The first work published by him, which was a sheet almanac, is dated 1687, and is still extant in the Franklin Library. In consequence of religious controversies, Bradford's residence in Philadelphia was of short duration. He incurred the displeasure of the dominant party, and removed to New York in 1693, where he died in 1752. Andrew Bradford, his son, who was born in Philadelphia, learnt the art of printing with his father, in New York, and returned to his native city about the year 1712, and from that time, until 1723, was the only printer in the colony. On December 22d, 1719, he issued the first newspaper published in Pennsylvania, entitled the American Weekly Mercury. A neatly turned line of sarcasm, from a reputed wit, will descend from father to son, for centuries, until it is received as a truth, as incontrovertible as holy writ. The ill-timed parody on a line in Thomson's Sophonisba, is remembered, while the beautics, profusely scattered through that drama, are forgotten; and Pope's distich upon James Ralph, has consigned the name of the latter to contempt, though he possessed considerable talent and industry, and his writings surpass, in positive merit, the works of many, who have been rewarded with honourable and permanent distinction. Ralph was an early friend of Franklin, and accompanied him to England in 1724, with the avowed purpose of becoming an author by profession, and commenced his career as an matic writing, and between the years 1730 and 1744, unsuccessful political writer. He then attempted draproduced four plays: "The Fashionable Lady," "Fall of the Earl of Essex," "Lawyer's Feast," and "The Astrologer," neither of which received much approbation. As a historian, he has been more unfortunate. He published, in two folio volumes, "The History of England, during the reigns of William, Anne, and George I." Charles Fox, pronounced him "a historian of great into the common error of judging too much by the acutenesss, as well as diligence, but who falls sometimes event." No slight praise, considering the source from which it emanates. He wrote many political pamphlets, some of which, we are told, were looked upon as master pieces. The Dutchess of Marlborough having pub. lished, in 1742, the memoirs of her own life, Ralph wrote an answer to it, entitled "The other side of the Question," which attracted much public notice, and he became so formidable to the ministry, towards the end of Sir Robert Walpole's time, that it was deemed expedient to silence him with a pension. To this circumstance Churchill alludes in his 'Conference' Samuel Keimer, who had learnt the trade in London, became a competitor of Bradford in 1723, but, accord- "See men transform'd to brutes, and brutes to men, ing to Franklin, he was but ill prepared to embark in See Whitehead take a place, Ralph change his pen." the business, as his printing materials consisted "of an This pension is stated to have been 600 pounds per old damaged press, and a small cast of worn out English annum, Franklin says 300, and that he enjoyed it until types, contained in one pair of cases." His press was the time of his death, in 1762, which gives the lie direct defective; it had not been put together, and Keimer, to the remark of the annotator on the Dunciad, when he having been a compositor, knew nothing of the press says: "He ended at last in the common sink of all such man's department. Franklin, who visited Philadelphia writers, a political newspaper, to which he was recomat this time in search of employment, in noticing Brad-mended by his friend Arnall, and received a small pittance for pay." In the same note, he is said to have been "wholly illiterate, and knew no language, not even * See page 262, of this number of Register. ford and the other, says: 34 French." In the Biographia Dramatica, we are told, Logan, Judice Supremo et Præside provinciæ Pennsylva that "he understood French and Latin, and was not al- | niensis in America." Mr. Logan did much towards estogether ignorant of Italian. But this has little bearing tablishing Godfrey's claim to the honor of having inventon the point. He might have been a powerful writer, ed the quadrant, of which he had been deprived by though ignorant of either of these languages, and a Hadley. In his 60th year, he made a translation of Cicero profoundly dull one, with a perfect knowledge of all. de Senectute, which Franklin published, ten years afterTo the writings already enumerated, we may add, wards. He was a man of various and extensive learn"Sawney, a poem," which called forth the anger of ing, ancient and modern. To a knowledge of the Latin, Pope; "Night, a poem," the title of which is recorded Greek, French and Italian languages, he added an acin the Dunciad; and his last work, "The case of Au-quaintance with the Oriental tongues. He died on the thors stated, with regard to Booksellers, the Stage, and 31st of October, 1751, aged 77, bequeathing his library the Public." The only account of his carly life, extant, to the citizens of Pennsylvania, which, under the name is that given by Franklin; and, as he was a Philadel- of the Loganian Library, will, for centuries, remain a phian, we could not overlook him, though his literary noble monument of his learning, industry, and munifidistinction was acquired in another country. Thomas Makin wrote in 1729, in Latin hexameters, Descriptio Pennsylvania, and the year preceding, Encomium Pennsylvania, which were addressed to James Logan, and may be seen in Proud's History of Pennsylvania. We know not at what time he came to this country. He succeeded George Keith, as preceptor of the Friends' Public School, and was, in the words of Proud, "sometimes clerk of the Provincial Assembly." The poems, abovementioned, were written as an amusement in his old age. It does not appear that he produced any other writings. Of Benjamin Franklin, it is unnecessary for us to speak at large, as the events of his long and useful life have repeatedly been laid before the public, and are familiar to every school boy. It is suflicient for us to advert to him, as a copious contributor to the literature of Pennsylvania;-to the science of the world. He published the second newspaper established in the province, which he purchased from Keimer, already mentioned, nine months after its commencement, at which time he had not procured one hundred subscribers. This paper was entitled, The Universal Instructer, in all arts and sciences: and Pennsylvania Gazette. The first title was dropped, when it came under Franklin's control. cence. Much has been written and published in this state, on the subject of slavery and the slave trade. The question was early agitated during our colonial condition; and among those who endeavoured to expose the injustice and inhumanity of the system, were Ralph Sandyford, Benjamin Lay and Anthony Benezet, the lives of whom are before the public, written by a gentleman,* alike distinguished by his philanthropy, and his zeal in preserving a record of early events, relating to the history of Pennsylvania. Sandyford was a native of Liverpool, in England. He was, for some years, a sailor, and came to Philadelphia while a youth. In 1729 he published The Mystery of Iniquity; or a brief examination of the practice of the Times," and died in 1733, at Lower Dublin, in the county of Philadelphia. Dr. Rush published, in the Columbian Magazine, a life of Benjamin Lay. This singular man was also a sailor, and was born in England, in 1677. At the age of 54, he came to Philadelphia, and soon testified his zeal against traffic in flesh, whether human, or otherwise. He abstained from animal food; and his favorite meal is said to have been boiled turnips, afterwards roasted. Believing this anti-carniverous system not sufficiently purifying, he undertook a fast of forty days, in imitation of the Saviour, and was saved from starvation by the interference of his friends. He lived to the age of 82. He was about four feet in stature, and his usual dress was tow linen, unbleached, and woven by himself. In 1757, John Bartram, a Quaker, and self-taught philosopher, was in habits of intercourse with Logan and Franklin. He was born near Derby, in what was then Chester co. in 1701, and was the first who established a botanic garden in America. He corresponded with many distin-he published his first pamplet against slavery, which guished foreigners, and was pronounced by Linnæus the greatest natural botanist in the world. He was finally appointed American botanist to George III. He is said to have been a very ingenious mechanic, and to have built, with his own hands, the house in which he resided. He quarried the stone, prepared the timber, and engraved the following distich in front of the building, on its completion: was followed by others, all circulated gratis. He appears to have been altogether exempt from the irritability commonly attributed to authors; for it is recorded, that on presenting a manuscript to Franklin for publication, the latter remarked, that it was not paged, and he knew not where to begin. Begin where you please, and print as much of it as you like,' replied the other. On these terms the work was put to press, after it had undergone Franklin's revision. Anthony Benczet was born in France, in 1713, and came to Philadelphia at the age of 18. In 1762 he published his 'Account of that part of Africa, inhabited by the Negroes,' which He claims our notice, on account of a book, entitled was succeeded by other writings, on this and religious An Account of East Florida, by W. Stork, M. D. With topics. He passed several years as a teacher in the puba Journal, kept by John Bartram, of Philadelphia, Botan-lic schools, and died in 1784, aged 71, having attained ist to His Majesty, on a Journey from St. Augustine, up the river St. John. 8vo. London, 1765. "To God alone; the Almighty Lord, to an enviable height in the estimation of his fellow citi zens. The name of James Logan is distinguished in our ear- Franklin laboured assiduously to promote a literary ly literature. He came from England in 1699, then in taste in Philadelphia, and to establish literary and scihis 25th year, as secretary to William Penn, and fortu- entific institutions. In the year 1728, about the 22nd nately found sufficient inducement to continue in the new year of his age, he formed a society called the Junto, world. He held several posts of trust and distinction, which originally consisted of twelve members, who met under the proprietaries, and in the course of a few years weekly, for the discussion of questions in morality, poafter his arrival, became generally known in Europe as litics, nnd natural philosophy. This society subsisted a man of science. He communicated several valuable for many years, having contributed much to the dissemipapers to the Royal Society, and, in 1739, published, at nation of knowledge among its several members, and at Leyden, his treatise in Latin, entitled, Experimenta et last became the foundation of the American Philosophi meletemata de Plantarum generatione," which was sub-cal Society. In 1731 he suggested the plan of the 'Lisequently translated by Dr. Fothergill, and published in brary Company of the city of Philadelphia,' an imporLondon, in 1747. He printed, at the same time, at Ley-tant institution to all ranks of people. in 1749 he drew den, another treatise, entitled, "Canonum pro invenien-up and published a plan for an academy and charitable dis refractionum tum simplicium tum in lentibus duplicium focis, demonstrationes geometrica. Autore Jacobo Roberts Vaux, Esq. school, which went into operation the following year: the legislature, which compelled our author to make a but, looking forward to a more improved state of so- voyage to Great Britain, and his associates in carciety, he declared this academy to be intended as a rying on the magazine, most of whom were among foundation for posterity to erect into a college, or semi- his pupils, declined continuing the work during his nary of learning, more extensive, and suitable to future absence. Dr. Smith, at this time, edited a German newscircumstances; which intention was subsequently ful- paper, as agent for a society formed in London, for befilled. In 1752 he was influential in obtaining a legisla- nevolent purposes. Formal complaints having been tive sanction and grant for the establishment and endow- made to the house of Assembly, respecting the official ment of the Pennsylvania Hospital, a durable monument conduct of William Moore, Esq. president of the court of his philanthropy and public spirit. In viewing the of common pleas, for the county of Chester, the assemdistinguished career of Dr. Franklin, we concur in the bly applied to the governor to remove him from office. following opinion, expressed by his eulogist, Dr. Smith: Moore, in his vindication, presented "an humble ad"Franklin, as a philosopher, might have become a dress" to the governor, which was expressed in terms Newton; as a lawgiver, a Lycurgus: but he was greater which proved offensive to the assembly, and that authan either of them, by uniting the talents of both, ingust body resolved that "it was a libel." Dr. Smith the practical philosophy of doing good; compared to translated the address for his German paper, and refuswhich, all the palms of speculative wisdom and science ing to make satisfactory acknowledgments to the house, wither on the sight. He did not seek to derive his emi- for the constructive offence, he and the judge were nence from the mere profession of letters, which, altho' both thrown into prison. They petitioned the king for laborious, seldom elevates a man to any high rank in the redress, and the arbitrary proceeding of the law makers public confidence and esteem; but he became great, by was fully exposed. The offensive address was publishapplying his talents to things useful, and accommodating ed both by Franklin and Bradford, in their respective his instructions to the exigencies of times, and the ne- papers, but neither of them was molested. cessities of his country." Soon after the organization of the Philosophical So ciety, it shone forth as a constellation of science and learning, and might fairly have been brought in competition with similar institutions of Europe. The names of Franklin, Smith, Rittenhouse, and others, appear with much distinction, in the early volumes of the transactions of this society. The two last mentioned were indefatigable and eminently successful in their astrono mical researches. Franklin, it may be said, laid the foundation of the Philadelphia college; but Dr. Smith erected and adorned this temple of science. He was inducted provost of this institution, and professor of natural philosophy, on the 25th of May, 1754, and on the 14th of May, 1755, an additional charter was granted by the proprietaries, by which, a college, vested with the power of conferring degrees, was engrafted on the original seminary. In the year 1761, the trustees, finding that the income of the college was insufficient to defray the expenses, and having exhausted the sources from which money could be obtained in the province, determined to make application to the mother country for assistance. With this view, they proposed to the provost, Dr. Smith, that he should proceed to England, where his personal endeavours might be useful in promoting their design. He cheerfully acquiesced, and, being provided with the proper credentials, left his family, and embarked for Europe. The amount which he collected, during this visit to England, " was more than six thousand pounds sterling. This benefaction having been conferred with the understanding that it should form a permanent fund, the money was invested by the Trustees in the best securities, and the interest applied to the purposes of the institution. To the exertion of Dr. Smith, this favourable issue of their project was principally attributable, and their sense of his merits on the occasion is very strongly expressed, in several places, on the minutes of the board." About ten years after this splendid contribution from England, it was thought adviseable to make farther efforts at home, and accordingly Dr. Smith was sent by the Board to South Carolina, where he collected more than one thousand pounds sterling. grew It has with truth been remarked, that Dr. Smith gray in literature, and the advancement of letters in Pennsylvania. In October, 1757, he commenced "The American Magazine, or Monthly Chronicle for the British Colonies," which was abruptly terminated in October 1758, in consequence of an arbitrary proceeding of * Dr. Wood's Address delivered before the Philomathean Society. Dr. Wood's Address. He soon ré Dr. Smith was educated at the university of Aberdeen, where he graduated in 1747. The three follow1750 was sent up to London, in pursuance of some plan ing years he spent in teaching a parochial school, and in for the better endowment of such schools. linquished this employment, and embarked for America, where he was engaged as private tutor, in the family of governor Martin, on Long Island, New York, for upwards of two yeart, whes he took charge of the PhilaPrior to this event, he revisited delphia Seminary England, and obtained clerical orders in December, 1753. In 1759 he was honoured with the degree of D. D. from the University of Oxford; on the recommendation of the Archbishop of Ganterbury, and the Bishops the same time he received a similar degree from the Uniof Durham, Salisbury, Oxford, and St. Asaph. About versity of Trinity College, Dublin. He died May 14th, 1803, aged 76. There are many strong evidences in Barton's life of Rittenhouse, of the interest which Dr. Smith took in the advancement of that self-taught philosopher; and Galt, in his Life of West, also makes honourable mention of his name. He was the means of drawing that great artist from obscurity, and he bestowed upon him, while yet a youth, instruction, which corrected his taste and enlarged his imagination, Dr. Smith's writings were multifarious, for he lived during an eventful period, and touched upon most important subjects which then agitated the public mind. His writings were generally popular and his discourses from the pulpit unusually so. He delivered several military sermons, of which that preached in Christ Church, June 23, 1775, at the request of the officers of colonel Cadwalader's battalion, occasioned an unusual sensation both here and in England. In a few weeks, it ran through several American editions, and the chamberlain of London ordered ten thousand copies to be printed at his expense, in so cheap a form as to be sold at two pence each. It was violently abused by the Tories, and as liberally eulogized by the Whigs. Dr. Priestley praised it in the Monthly Review of August of that year, and the venerable John Wesley attempted to reply to it, but in a manner which proved that his faculties had "fallen in the sear. In 1802 Dr. Smith issued proposals for publish. ing a collection of his writings, in large octavo volumes, only two of which. however, were published, in 1803, the year of the author's death, In 1779 Dr. John Ewing succeeded Dr. Smith as provost of the Philadelphia College. Dr. Ewing was born June 22d, 1732, in Maryland, near the Pennsylvania line, and died in September, 1802, in his 71st year. In 1809 a collection of his philosophical writings was published in an octavo volume, entitled "A Plain Ele mentary and Practical System of Natural Philosophy, By Mr. Norris, (the President of the dinner.)-Pennsylvanians, wherever settled. By T. I. Wharton, Esq.-The memory of that excellent magistrate and most estimable man, the late Chief Justice Tilghman. By Wm. Strickland.-The City of Philadelphia and her Arts. David Rittenhouse, the astronomer, was one of the By Mr. Duponceau, (the Vice President.)-The me luminaries of this period. He was born in 1732, at Ger-mory of the Independent Jury, who acquitted William mantown, in the county of Philadelphia, and was the son Penn of the alleged crime of worshipping God according of a respectable farmer. He was chosen vice-provost, to his conscience. and professor of astronomy at the time that the name of the old College of Philadelphia was changed for the sounding title of the University of Pennsylvania, and died in June, 1796. The events of his life have been recorded by William Barton, late of Lancaster, in a work which throws much light upon the political and literary history of Pennsylvania. He published an oration, delivered before the Philosophical Society, in 1775, the subject of which is the history of astronomy, and a few memoirs on mathematical and astronomical subjects, in the first four yolumes of the transactions of that society. Dr. Rittenhouse translated the tragedy of Lucy Samson, from the German of Lessing, in 1789, which was printed the same year. He was excessively fond of perusing works of fiction. R. P. S. COMMEMORATION OF THE LANDING OF By Benjamin Chew, Jr. Esq.-Internal Improvements. The gigantic chain which will bind the nation with the inseparable ties of interest. The Founder and Fathers of Pennsylvania were the first to perceive its importance, and to designate the lines of communication which are now adopted under the approval of a century and a quarter of reflection. By William Boyd, Esq.-The Signs of the Times.May they eventuate in the continued' prosperity and happiness of our country. By a Guest. Our ancient and faithful allies, the Delaware Indians. Wherever they may be carried by the destiny of nations, to Illinois or Arkansas, we ask human In the course of the evening, was read the following ODE, Friday, the 24th of October, being the 146th Anniver-ity to themselves and justice to their history. 1, The Memorable 24th of October 1682.-The birth- 2. The Memory of William Penn.-The great Lawgiver, "the first in either ancient or modern times, who laid the foundations of government in the pure and unadulterated principles of peace, of reason, and of right." (Jefferson.) 3. The Pilgrim Fathers of Pennsylvania.—Sacred be their memory, and honoured be the example they have set of political justice and private virtue. 4. The Treaty under the Elm.-A text book for diplomatists, whether monarchical or republican. 5. Old Upland.-The seat of the first, the shortest, and the most memorable session of the Legislature of Pennsylvania. 6. The Great Law.-An imperishable monument of the wisdom-the justice and the foresight of our illustrious Lawgiver. 7. The First Tariff of Pennsylvania-being an act entitled "an Act for laying a duty on the importation of Negro Slaves, Rum and other Spirits." 8. The Fragments of the Lenni Lenapi, once the powerful sovereigns of Pennsylvania; may no cruel or avaricious hand disturb them in their last retreat. 9. Universal Education.-The only sound basis of universal suffrage. 10. "The three Lower Counties," now the State of Delaware; although our political union as one state, has been broken, may our harmonious intercourse continue uninterrupted. 11. Auld Lang Syne.-The days of ancient Philadelphia; the era of simple manners and pure morals. 12. Pennsylvania, from the Delaware to Lake Erie; may the recollections of our common history, and the sense of mutual interests, serve to render us an united people. 13. The memory of our lamented President, the late yenerable Judge Peters. Of the Volunteer Toasts, which were numerous, we regret that only the following have been preserved. Written for the occasion by Dr. Coates. To earn th' historian's just acclaim; Then, changing on the harp his lays, He poured aloud the moral song, And praise the strength and blessings giv❜n, The fiery bar that crimson glows, Is doom'd the chilling wave to feel, Or more refin'd with pain and woe? Then count the seasons as they roll, That now your graceful hours employ; Rekindle your ancestral fires; "Tis mind that crowns your natal place; 'Twas virtue hither brought your sires, And virtue shall protect their race. Then oft revive th' inspiring thought, And make the glorious blessing sure; And Freedom thus by justice bought, From age to age shall still endure. Amer. Daily Adver. |