made a most impressive display of that evergreen eloquence, which flourished in freshness amid the winter of age.

Several years previously to this period, Dr. Shippen, finding himself in easy and affluent circumstances, had determined to relinquish entirely the practice of a profession, which had now become too laborious for his growing infirmities. He had, accordingly, provided for himself a retreat in the country, where, amid the elegant leisure of the philosopher, he passed his summers in the lap of retirement. Here, abstracted from the noise and bustle of the world, he devoted much of his time to the study of the scriptures. It was while retired within the bosom of this tranquil retreat, and earnestly engaged in this holy employment, that he received the last dread summons from above. To this summons, after having long sustained the ravages of a lingering disease, he yielded, with all the calmness which resignation can bestow, a willing obedience, on the 11th of July, 1808. Thus expired, in his seventy-fifth year, one of the most distinguished medical teachers of the age, and the father of scolastic medicine in the United States.

But if Shippen was distinguished in his professional and public character, he was no less amiable and accomplished in private life. Nor can it be either unpleasing or uninstructive to pause for a moment, and take a last view of him in that less splendid but more endearing relation. To personal honour and unspotted integrity, he added the softer virtues of benevolence and humanity. Possessed of a warm and susceptible heart, connected with sincerity, and stability of character, his attachments were strong, his friendships were durable. As a companion, the warmth of his heart, the frankness of his disposition, the mildness of his temper, and the polished and conciliating style of his manners, secured the affections of all who approached him. Nor is it unworthy of the present occasion to remark, that when seated at the festive board, the sprightliness of his wit, and the graces of his conversation, gave a zest to the enjoyments of the convivial circle.

Such were the talents, and such the acquirements, such the life, and such the death of him, whose character I have endeavoured to commemorate. A character how varied, how rich, and elevated! an attempt to portray it how feeble and ineffectual! Could I have

availed myself of the descriptive eloquence of the deceasedcould I have caught but a remnant of his mantle, as he ascended the heavens, then would I have delineated him in the colours of truth; then would I have presented you with a living likeness of my great original.

But however unsuccessful has been the present humble effort, the case is still within the limits of hope. Some future attempt, commenced under happier auspices, and conducted by abilities more competent to the undertaking, will yet do justice to the memory of our medical father.

CRITICISM-FOR THE PORT FOLIO..

CUM TABULIS ANIMUM CENSORIS SUMET HONESTI.-Hor. Travels in the United States of America, in the years 1806, and 1807, and 1809, 1810, and 1811; including an account of passages betwixt America and Britain, and travels through various parts of Great Britain, Ireland, and Upper Canada. Illustrated by eight maps. By John Melish. In two Volumes, octavo. Philadelphia, 1812.

HERE is a kind of phenomenon. Two whole volumes of travels in America; without any material errors; with no palpable falsehoods; no malignant abuse of individuals; no paltry calumnies on the institutions of the U. S. Mr. Melish has indeed sinned beyond forgiveness against the common law of American travelling. He has had the good sense to visit a large portion of our country, without quarrelling with tavern keepers, or servants, but has taken things as he found them-made proper allowances for the natural inconveniences of a young country and been treated with civility because he knew how to behave himself on the road. He has therefore been neither disappointed nor insult ed, and his book may be considered so far as it goes as a much fairer representation of the true state of things among us, than can be found in most of the very contemptible productions which have appeared in relation to this country. These qualities which gave Mr. Melish a very decided advantage over the great mass

of his predecessors, may be ascribed perhaps to his own good sense, and in part, to the circumstance of his having visited America without any pretensions either to learning or distinction.

Mr. Melish came to Savannah (as we find from the preface) in the year 1806, and having formed a commercial establishment there, returned in the following year to Great Britain in order to prosecute his business; but the commercial embarrassments between England and America induced him to revisit the United States in 1809, for the purpose of putting an end to an establishment which promised to be so unproductive. After residing in Newyork in 1810 with the vain hope of re-establishing himself in trade, he determined on seeking for other employment, and therefore travelled in 1811 through the western and northern parts of the United States, to seek for good lands and a convenient settlement. The volumes before us are the result of all his inquiries. From this sketch it will be readily anticipated that the author is a plain practical man, whose observations are valuable chiefly on account of the stamp of truth and simplicity which they bear, and who has examined the United States as so many others are interested in regarding it, as a safe asylum for those who are about to form either commercial or agricultural establishments. This consideration, which gives to the work its principal attraction, induces us, in offering our opinion on its merits, to divide it into two parts of very unequal value. The author has endeavoured to make his work not merely an account of his journey, but a complete geography of the United States, which he observes is the first attempt "to incorporate a geographical description of a country in a journal of travels." If the project be entirely new, we confess its novelty is its only recommendation; for it seems to us, to be by no means a natural or desirable association.-A volume of travels is an account of what a traveller has seen and heard, and observed-a volume of geography is a compilation from the labours of all former travellers, naturalists, historians, and men of science: the first has an individual and personal character to which it owes much of its interest; the latter is in its nature more didactic and formal; nor can we well imagine any thing so awkward (besides its swelling unnecessarily the size and expense of his work) than that a tra

veller should pause on his rout to introduce long descriptions from notorious geographical compilations. The fate of the present writer is decisive, as to the impropriety of this union; for the least interesting parts by far of his volume, those which will be passed over by nine tenths of his readers, are precisely those where he breaks the thread of his narration to introduce long geographical remarks, not only of the countries which he passed through too rapidly to make his own observations, but even of those which he never visited at all.

This mode is adopted with so much freedom, that some parts of the work have too much the appearance of book making, and others dispose us to smile at the awkward manner in which things quite foreign to the author's real purpose are brought in at all hazards to fill his pages. Thus, on his passage to America, he meets a sloop out two days from Bermuda, whereupon, "being near these little islands," says he, "I may step out of my course to describe them, though I did not see them;" and then we have a description of the Bermudas; not very long it is true, but resembling, we think rather too much, the entry in the sailor's log-book: "Passed within five miles of the Peak of Tenneriffe. The inhabitants seem to be very affable." Again, while he is on a journey in Massachusetts, he says, "Being at the extremity of my journey to the north-eastward," he will "take a view of the states of New Hampshire and Vermont." And then follows a geographical account of a country which he never saw. The same thing is repeated with regard to Tennessee; and in short a very large portion, particularly of the first volume, is occupied by subjects which have no immediate conexion with the author's route, or indeed the continent of America at all. After a long preliminary description, Mr. Melish arrives at Savannah. His excursion into the interior of Georgia is fairly within the scope of his work, and is worthy of attention, as is indeed every thing which he describes from personal observation. He embarks, however, for Newyork, which he afterwards leaves to go through Newengland; and this is, of all the volume, by far the least interesting portion. He goes on board a Newyork packet, breakfasts at Newport, sleeps at Providence, spends not quite three days, we believe, at Boston, and then putting himself

into the stage, rides as fast as possible towards the South, without taking time to see any thing, so that nothing can be more meagre than the details which he gives on that country. He passed, about four o'clock in the morning, through Cambridge, "which at that early hour," says he "I could not see," but "learned that it contains a university," which is reputed the best in the United States. He dined at Newhaven, and "had some little time to see the town," but not to see the college.-Passed through Princetown at night and could not distinguish the college, but learned that it was situated on a rising ground.-He spent three days in Philadelphia, one afternoon in Baltimore, two days in Washington.-Stopped to dinner at Richmond, and then went on with an equal rapid career towards Savannah. The chief occurrences in the course of the journey consist of the common place incidents of stage travelling, how the company sang songs, how two passengers lost their hats, how the stage broke down, and other memorable and extraordinary adventures of the same sort. He takes advantage, however, of this hasty movement to make every step of his progress the means of introducing an account of all the states through which he passes, so that the reader is forced to pay even for the Richmond dinner, by a long history about Virginia from Mr. Jefferson's notes. This is not all. We are obliged to go home with the author to Scotland, and thence to follow him through England, and even Ireland, which he over-runs with the speed of a true man of business. Thus he gets into the stage at Glasgow, goes to London, for two days, during which he of course visits Vauxhall, and then, resuming his seat, rides in the night through Oxford, "where," says he, "is the celebrated university, but I could see nothing of it at the hour we passed." In the same way we are carried off to Ireland, go to Newry, and Ballanahinch, and Donaghadee, and at last, are quietly brought back to Philadelphia, to prepare for the excursion into the western country. As if we had not enough of extraneous matter, the author then introduces, by way of appendix, an Essay by Paine on the yellow fever, Dr. Currie's account of the parish schools in Scotland, and a history of a library company in Glasgow, all which have certainly merit

YOL. I.