the first member of the Massachusetts delegation. He was prevented from attending his duty by his ill state of health. Mr. Hancock was afterwards chosen in his place. In 1775, when the town of Boston was blockaded, Mr. Bowdoin was moderator of the meeting, when the inhabitants agreed to give up their arms to gen. Gage, on condition of their being permitted to leave the place with their property, and without disturbance. In this business he conducted with great prudence and firmness, and was one of the first who went out of Boston after the agreement. It is well known how shamefully the promises of the British commanders were violated. Mr. Bowdoin took his place as chief of the Massachusetts council at Watertown, and was of the fifteen, who by the charter were to act in the room of the governour, when the office was vacated. In 1779-80, the convention for establishing a state government for Massachusetts met at Cambridge, and afterwards at Boston. Of this body, Mr. Bowdoin was president. During the years of 1785 and 1786 he was governor of the state. When the constitution of the United States was planned, and the Massachusetts convention met to consider whether it should be adopted, Mr. Bowdoin was at the head of the Boston delegation, all of whom voted in favour of it. He made a very handsome speech upon the occasion, which may be read in the volume of their debates. From this time, he changed the tumult of publick scenes, for domestick peace, and the satisfactions of study.

He always had been a student. He was an excellent scholar at college, and afterwards pursued philosophical studies, having left his mercantile business, that he might enjoy otium cum dignitate. His letters to Dr. Franklin have been published. When the American. academy of arts and sciences was instituted, he was appointed the first president, and contributed several papers which were printed in the first volume of their transactions. He also pro.

nounced an oration, "upon the benefits of philoso phy," which was printed in a pamphlet, and also in the volume, with the proceedings of the society. His literary reputation was not confined to his own country. He was a member of several foreign societies for the promotion of agriculture, arts and commerce. He was also fellow of the royal society, London. He received a diploma of doctor of laws from several universities of Europe, and from Philadelphia, as well as his Alma Mater at Cambridge. It was a great acquisition to this seminary, to have him connected with their government. As a member of the council he was ex officio, one of the overseers. And he was elected a fellow of the corporation, which office he executed with great judgment, honour and fidelity, but which he resigned when he was chosen governor of the Commonwealth. He was a munificent friend to the college. Beside his donations to the library, and philosophical apparatus, he left £400 Massachusetts currency to be appropriated to certain purposes, as mentioned in his will. His large and valuable library was given to the academy of arts and sciences.

He

In other walks of life Mr. Bowdoin was conspicous and useful. When the humane society was instituted he was chosen the first president. was always ready to promote every literary, benevolent and religious institution. He exhibited the virtues of social life in all their engaging lustre, and he also breathed a christian spirit.

His mind was imbued with religious sentiments, by his education, and formed to the love of goodness; he was fond of theological inquiries amidst the course of his other studies. Few men, who are not of the profession, have studied divinity with more earnestness, or greater desire to obtain knowledge of the scriptures. He early in life became a communicant at the church in Brattle-street. When the people of this society took down their ancient building, it was the desire of many to rebuild their church

in a more eligible situation. Mr. Bowdoin offered a spot, which is now one of the most valuable estates in the town. The majority preferred the place where their fathers had worshipped. His offer being declined, he contributed largely towards erecting the present noble and superb edifice. That religion which had supported him through various scenes of his life, was the source of consolation, during a long course of sickness, owing to a frame naturally delicate. He recommended to the rising generation to read bishop Butler's analogy, from which he had derived much to strengthen his own principles. He died universally lamented, Nov. 6, 1790. He left one son, the hon. J. Bowdoin, late plenipotentiary at the court of Madrid, and one daughter, the lady of sir John Temple, late consul general of Great Britain in the United States Pemberton's Mss. Private information. Thacher's Sermon.

BOYLSTON ZABDIEL, F. R. S. was born in Brookline, 1684. He had the advantage of only a common education, but rose to be the most eminent medical practitioner in the town of Boston. What gave him peculiar distinction was, his success in inoculation for the small pox. In 1720, he introduced this practice, and is known to be the first physician in the British dominions that dared to do it. It was risquing his reputation and life. The famous Dr. Cotton Mather recommended this method from an account of inoculation at Constan

tinople, which he had seen in the philosophical transactions. He first communicated it to Douglass, a Scotchman of more learning than true wisdom, who treated the proposal with ill nature, and contempt.*

* Dr. Ramsay, in his Review of Medicine, in the 18th century, gives great credit to the clergy for their exertions at this time. The fact is, a clergyman first recommended it, and that Dr. Boylston was supported by them through all his embarrassments. Dr. Colmam, as well as Dr. Mather, wrote in favour of it; as a body, the Boston Association united to stop the tor rent of prejudice, which bore down all before it. Some of the

He then made application to Dr. Boylston, a man of more sagacity and moral worth, who gave it to his own children and others; and met with wonderful success. Douglass became a convert, when he had made use of every method to injure his brother physician, whom he called a bold and ignorant quack," many years after this. By this new mode of treating the small pox in Boston, 274 persons were inoculated by Dr. B. 1721, and very few died. The practice was very soon introduced in the Island of Great Britain, and with equal success. Every attention was paid to Dr. Boylston while he was in England; among other honours he was chosen fellow of the Royal Society, which was a reward of merit, sufficient to balance the rough compliments of his professional acquaintance, the canting abuse of persons righteous overmuch, and the coarse epithets which issued from the foul mouths of the vulgar.

He wrote several papers in the philosophical transactions of London. We know not of any other publications, except the pamphlet he printed, on the benefit of inoculation."

After a long period of eminence and skill in his profession he retired to his patrimonial estate in Brookline to pass the remainder of his days. He died there on the 1st of March, 1766; and was interred in his own tomb, which bears the following plain, appropriate, and just inscription."

"Sacred to the memory of Dr. Z. Boylston, esq.

clergy received personal injury, others were insulted in the street, and were hardly safe in their houses. The people were not willing to hear them on Sunday, till the success of the practice made them think it was the hand of Providence in their favour. The newspapers were filled with arguments for and against it. The Courant, printed by the Franklins, was under the influence of the Physicians, who abused the clergy for their interference in the matter. Every bad consequence was painted in lively colours by these learned editors, who thought inoculation unfavourable to the health of people, even if they had the small pox more favourably than common, &c. &c. New England Courant, 1721.

physician, and F. R. S. who first introduced the practice of inoculation into America. Through a life of extensive beneficence, he was always faithful to his word, just in his dealings, affable in his manners; and after a long sickness, in which he was exemplary for his patience and resignation to his Maker, he quitted this mortal life, in a just expectation of a happy immortality, March 1, 1766." Thacher's Memoir. Pierce's Sermon.

BRADFORD WILLIAM, gov. of Plymouth colony, was born in a village called Ansterfield, 1588. When he was eighteen years old he went over to Zealand, where he was taken up by an officer, as a deserter from England, but soon released, having given a good account of himself. He then proceeded to Amsterdam, and served his time till he was of age, in "working of silks." He became a man of industry in his business, converted the estate he had in England into money, and behaved with great prudence among those religious people who had left England to enjoy peace of conscience; with whom he continued till the church at Leyden agreed to transport themselves to America. When they reached Plymouth, he lost his wife, which was a most melancholy event, and attended with aggravated circumstances of grief, as she accidently fell from the vessel, and was drowned. After governor Carver died, he was unanimously chosen governor of the plantation. No man could discover more prudence and fortitude than Mr. Bradford. In those times, when their souls were tried with every difficulty, he was not cast down with the discour aging state of their affairs, or by the clouds which covered their future prospects. He found it necessary to manage things differently from what had been proposed. For, in order to resemble the primitive church, the planters had a common stock. He was of opinion that to encourage industry, each individual should be master of his own property; and they all soon perceived the advantage of the

measure.