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and universal. Expressions of sorrow and esteem occupied the columns of the public journals; the Philosophical Society adjourned its subsequent meeting, on the motion of the president, after a warm eulogium had been pronounced on his character by the gentleman who seconded the motion; and his loss was widely lamented in private by those who knew his worth, and both by the rich and the poor who had experienced his kindness and sympathy in the hour of sickness. Indeed, in whatever view his character is contemplated, it was calculated to call forth these testimonials of attachment, and to live in the recollection of all who knew him.

Possessed of a vigorous understanding and great acuteness, he had stored his mind with the riches of literature and science, and had highly cultivated his taste. He quickly appropriated the information which reading, observation, or the most casual conversation threw in his way, and as readily brought it into use when occasion required it. Hence his conversation was various and intelligent, tempered by a mildness of voice and manner, indicative of gentleness of disposition, yet invariably terse and animated, with a considerable propensity to humour, where the subject admitted of it. His unvarying cheerfulness and benevolence of temper, indeed, gave a charm to every action of his life; it extorted the attachment of strangers, and riveted the love of his friends; for it was uniform and unchanged under all circumstances; in the privacy of the domestic circle, in the more general company of friends, in public meetings, and in the midst of his professional labours and fatigues; and it continued, to a degree truly remarkable, through the whole course of his lingering and painful illness, to the very period of its termination. His unaffected benevolence and neverfailing zeal, led him, as we have seen, to incessant exertions in the cause of humanity, even while his own health and comfort were impaired; and it was remarked, that he uniformly appeared to be the least oppressed by his own malady, when he was called upon to administer to the relief of others.

The opinions of the generality of men, respecting the great questions of politics and religion, are modelled by those of the circle in which they happen to move; but those of Dr. Reeve were not adopted without much reflection, aided by a sound

judgment, and a considerable knowledge of mankind, and were of a highly liberal character. Being always the zealous friend of truth and justice, his wishes were ever on the side of liberty, both civil and religious; he held in abhorrence all systems of fraud and oppression, and detested the attempts of bigotry and superstition, to throw shackles over the human mind. Nevertheless, he held these opinions in the spirit of benevolence, and adhered to no party; being willing to hope, that those who differed from him were actuated by similar motives, and in pursuit of the same objects with himself, however mistaken in the rites which they practised. With such views and dispositions, his duties in private were necessarily performed with the same correctness and zeal, as those of his public and professional life. By the judicious estimate of the true value of domestic happiness, indeed, he had early sacrificed the more captivating allurements of ambition and fame in the metropolis; and in the enjoyment of this choice, he evinced, in the character of hus. band, father, and friend, how much he was destined to promote the felicity of those around him. In short, to borrow the words of a public memorial of him, "his duties in private life were no less happily discharged than those of his profession; his mind was open, generous, lively, simple, and affectionate; and those to whom he was united, as a relative, or a friend, will ever turn with melancholy complacency to the remembrance of his faithful and active attachment, of his cheering conversation, and of his pleasing and valuable accomplishments."

In order to avoid any interruption in the narrative of his indisposition, we omitted to state, that, upon the completion of a large building, intended as a lunatic asylum for the county of Norfolk, in the spring of 1814, Dr. Reeve was appointed physician to it, in conjunction with Dr. Wright,—a measure which was proposed by themselves, with the view of avoiding the pain of a contest, where their claims appeared to be nearly equal. We should also add, that he was elected a Fellow of the Linnean Society, probably about the year 1806, and on settling at Norwich, he became an extra-licentiate of the College of Physicians in London.

In addition to the literary productions already mentioned, several papers were furnished by Dr. Reeve to this Journal;

namely, an Account of some Cases of Tumour in the breast, Vol. I. p. 159: six of the anonymous papers entitled "the Inquirer," besides the one already noticed, numbered 14, 17, 18, 20, 21, and 22, and including disquisitions relative to the "conversion of diseases," pointed out by Dr. Ferriar; the causes of stone and gravel, the deaf and dumb, diabetes, and some miscellaneous subjects, under the title of "Medical Gleanings." The eighth volume of the Journal also contains an essay from him on the treatment of chorea, and a brief account of the German Universities. We may also state, that in the second volume of the late Dr. Currie's "Reports on the effects of water, cold and warm," &c. a communication was published from Dr. Reeve, containing an account of the effects of cold affusion, which was used for the first time at Edinburgh, by Dr. James Home, in the clinical wards of the Infirmary, while he was a student there.

B.

ORIGINAL PAPER.

TO THE EDITORS OF THE ECLECTIC REPERTORY.

Description of a New Self-Registering Thermometer.

Contrived by EDWARD CLARK, of Philadelphia. March, 1816.

THERE are few subjects, perhaps none, in which we feel ourselves more deeply interested than in meteorology; since, on the modifications and changes, that are constantly taking place in the heterogeneous fluids which compose our atmosphere, not only the health and life of man, but the very circumstance of all organized beings depend. Hence a knowledge of it is desirable, and its study exceedingly interesting; particularly, as by keeping circumstantial records of the changes that recently and remotely occur, and comparing them, we are enabled to ascertain the revolutions in climate that happen in similar latitudes or in the same place, as also what precise climate is best adapted for any particularly depending effect; and when they influence our health and consequently our happiness, to detect and often remove the causes.

To render the pursuit of some of the branches of this science. easy and intelligible, it became necessary to establish points, from which comparative deductions were to be drawn. With this view various instruments or guages have been made; of which the small mercurial thermometer for the measurement of disengaged or free caloric is perhaps the most perfect; but even with this, the extremes of heat and cold could not be known without constant observation. To obviate a task so irksome, and at the same time to ascertain the maximum and minimum of temperature with precision, thermometers, calculated to register the extremes, were constructed; but which, from their liability to errors, did not answer the designed purpose. Nevertheless, the object appearing attainable, I lent it some attention, and the result, as far as I have tried, exceeds my expectations; but the most experienced and careful are sometimes deceived and commit errors; and as my claim to those qualities is very limited, I shall decline attaching any importance to the discovery, at least till time and further exVOL. VI. No. 22.

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periment has more fully tested it. The promotion of this object is the reason, and I hope will be a sufficient apology for requesting you to publish my plan. Others who have more leisure than myself, and who are better qualified to judge of its utility, may perhaps construct one and give it a full trial. Hoping, that such may be the case, I send you a rough sketch, accompanied with explanations and remarks, which I believe are sufficiently clear to enable almost any person to construct, or direct the construction of one.

The entire drawing represents a verticle-sectional, and skeleton view of the Thermometer.

A. Represents the superior part of the bulb of the thermometer filled with alcohol, atmospheric air, or some other greatly expanding fluid, which being compressed by balances the mercury C. C. contained in the tube B. and in the lower part of the bulb; it is also designed for the expanding medium.

B. A glass tube curved in the upper part to a semicircle. The lower part is closely cemented in the mouth of the bulb, and passes very near its bottom.

C. C.-Mercury in the bulb and tube, which serves as a vehicle to sustain D.

D.-An iron ball, floating on the surface of the mercury in B. E. A magnetic needle playing on the pivot I.

F. The main hand connected to the needle at the pivot I, and pointing across the ball D, to the index K.

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G. G. Two very delicate hands moving on the pivot I. and unconnected with any other part of the thermometer. (Note.)-In constructing a thermometer of this kind, it is

hardly necessary to remark, that all the parts, except the hands and the circular rod H, should be placed at the back of the face containing the index.

H.-A small circular rod connected to the main hand, and as that moves up or down, intended to move the small hands along with it.

I-A pivot placed into the centre of the circle, of which the curved end of the tube forms a part.

J.-A support, fastened to the tube or neck of the bulb, in which the pivot I, is secured.

K.-An index, adjusted to Fahrenheit's thermometer.

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