PREFACE.

Agreeably to the plan on which the following memoirs have been conducted, it will be perceived, that they contain a great variety of matter; of which, some particulars have a remote, others merely an incidental connexion, with the chief object of the work. There may perhaps be some readers, to whom the introduction of such matters as theUniversity of Pennsylvaniaand theMedical Schoolconnected with it, thePennsylvania Hospital, thePhiladelphia Library, and the like, into theLife of Rittenhouse, will, on a cursory view, seem to have little or no affinity to that object. But when it is considered, that this work is designed to comprehend Memoirs, not only of Rittenhouse personally, but of several literary, scientific, and other public institutions, as well as of many eminent men, with which his individual history and the annals of his time were in various ways associated, it is presumed, that the slight sketches which have been taken of those matters, in passing along, will neither prove foreign to the nature of the present undertaking, nor uninteresting in themselves. As a citizen of Pennsylvania; as an inestimable public and private character; as a distinguished son of science, of greatprobity and extensive usefulness in society; in all these points of view, the History of Dr. Rittenhouse may be contemplated, as holding a relationship with almost every object connected with science and the arts, in his day, that could in any wise contribute to the well being of mankind in general, and his native country in particular. Conspicuous and eminently meritorious as he was, yet an insulated account of his talents, his virtues, and his personal services,—a bare specification of such qualities and merits as he possessed, abstracted from a due consideration of the state of society and circumstances resulting from it, taken in connexion with them, during the same period,—would not be equally intelligible and instructive; and, consequently, must prove less useful. For these reasons, the Memorialist has pursued that course which he conceives to be perfectly congenial with the main design of his work; as best calculated to promote its general usefulness, and most suitably adapted to render it interesting, even to those who read for amusement solely.

In the adoption of this plan, the writer has been chiefly influenced by a desire to illustrate the history, genius and character of the times, which his Memoirs embrace; together with the progress and improvement of literature, science and the arts, within the same compass, more especially in this country; and this consideration has obviously led him to introduce, in conjunction with those objects, as well as with theLife of the great American Philosopher, various notices of many persons distinguished for their talents and merit, not only in our own time, but at different periods in the annals of science. He has thought it right to rescue from oblivion—to commemorate in this way, if not to consecrate, the names of some men in this country, more especially, who deserve to be ranked among the worthies of America. All this the writer has done, too, in conformity to the mode prosecuted by some of the most judicious biographers and memorialists, together with other writers of the same class: It is believed to be a manner of treating the interesting subjects, on which the pens of such authors have been employed, which, while it renders their works more pleasing, greatly increases their usefulness.—If, therefore, some of the matter which has been introduced into the present work should, at first sight, appear irrelative, and even unimportant, the Memorialist nevertheless flatters himself, that, on reflection, nothing will be deemed really so, how remotely soever it may seem, on a transient view of the subject, to be connected with the principal design of the undertaking; provided it has a tendency to illustrate the great objects he was desirous of accomplishing.[I1]

The diversity of the materials which are, by these means, blended with the biographical account of Dr. Rittenhouse, in the Memoirs now presented to the world, made it expedient, in the opinion of the writer, to have recourse to the free use of notes, for the purposes of illustration, reference, and explanation. In a work of such a complexion—constituting a book composed of very various materials, designed to elucidate and inform, as well as to please—it became, infact, necessary to throw a large portion of that matter into the form of notes; in order to avoid, by numerous digressions on subjects arising out of the primary object of the work, too much disjointing of the text. There are persons, no doubt, by whom this course will be disapproved. The able and learned author of thePursuits of Literaturehas been accused bysome critics—while others, who have no pretensions to those qualifications which entitle a man to exercise the functions of a critic, have even affected to laugh at him—for the multiplicity, the variety, and the length of the notes, which he has appended to that poem. But its being asatiricalpoem, is the circumstance to which may be fairly attributed the censorious cavils which his work excited: his satire was felt; and it roused the spleen of those who were its objects, and their partizans. The present work, however, is far from being intended tosatiriseany one; its author has no such object in view: for, although he has, in some instances, expressed his disapprobation of certain principles, theories, and even measures, which he believes to be not only repugnant to true science, but destructive of both private and social happiness—he has refrained as far as possible from personal censure;—he would much rather be engaged in the functions of an eulogist, than those of a censor. The numerous notes the Memorialist has employed—many of them, too, pretty long—will not therefore, he presumes, be objected to, on the ground of personality or supposed ill-humour. He has introduced them intohis Memoirs, because he believed them to be not only useful, but peculiarly well adapted to a work of this nature, and suited to answer the general scope of its design. The author may then say, in the words of the poetical writer just mentioned—as an apology for the frequency and copiousness of the notes annexed to these Memoirs;—“I have made no allusions which I did not mean to explain. But I had something further in my intention. The notes are not always explanatory; they are of a structure rather peculiar to themselves: many of them are of a nature between an essay and an explanatory comment. There is much in a little compass, suited to the exigency of the times. I expatiated on the casual subject which presented itself; and when ancient or modern writers expressed the thoughts better than I could myself, I have given the original languages. No man has a greater contempt for the parade of quotation (as such) than I have. My design is not to quote words, but to enforce right sentiments in the manner which I think best adapted to the purpose, after much reflection.”

The method of disposing of the notes, in this work, may be thought by some to impair the symmetry of the page: but so trivial a defect as this may be, in the typographical appearance of the book, will, it is supposed, be amply compensated by the convenience the reader will experience, in having the annotations, almost always, on the same pages with their respective references.

In the arrangement of the Memoirs, the author has placed the incidents and circumstances relating to the Life of Dr. Rittenhouse, in their chronological order, as nearly as could be conveniently done.

AnAppendix,—containing sundry letters and other papers, which could neither be incorporated with propriety into the text, nor inserted in marginal notes,—is placed after the conclusion of the Memoirs. In this part of the work the reader will find, among other interesting documents, Dr. Rittenhouse’sOrationon the subject of Astronomy, pronounced before the American Philosophical Society, in the year 1775. The addition of this treatise to the Life of our Philosopher, was rendered the more proper,—independently of the intrinsic merit of the performance,—by reason of the pamphlet having had, originally, a very limited circulation, and its being now out of print. The Notes, added to this little tract, as well as to some other papers in the Appendix, by the Memorialist, are designated by the initials of his name; in order to distinguish the annotations from either the notes originally attached to them,—or from other matter, in the Text, not written by himself.

The author has embellished his work with an elegantly engraved likeness of Dr. Rittenhouse, executed by an able artist, from a portrait painted by Mr.C. W. Peale, in-the year 1772,[I2]when our Philosopher was forty years of age. At that time he wore a wig,—and was so represented in the picture: but afterwards, when he resumed the wearing of his own hair, (and which he continued to do during the remainder of his life,) the portrait was altered accordingly, by Mr. Peale. The original picture (now in the possession of Mrs. Sergeant,) bore a strong resemblance to Dr. Rittenhouse, at that period of his life in which it was taken; and the engraving, prefixed to these Memoirs, is an excellent copy.

To a portion of the readers of this work, some of the matter it contains may be thought superfluous,—because already familiar tothem: and, to men of extensive learning and research, much of the information herein collected may really be so. But to persons of less erudition and science, the knowledge thus communicatedit may be presumed, will prove in some degree useful; and the writer indulges a confident belief, that the greater number of his readers will derive both instruction and gratification, from a perusal of the Memoirs now offered to their attention.

The favours which the Memorialist has received, in the communication of sundry papers and some information for this work, demand his thankful acknowledgments to the contributors. Among these,—besides those gentlemen occasionally mentioned in the Memoirs,—the writer returns his thanks to his worthy relatives, Mrs. Sergeant, Mrs. Waters, and Dr. Benjamin Smith Barton; and also to the Rt. Rev. Bishop White, Andrew Ellicott, Esq. John Vaughan, Esq. the Rev. Dr. Samuel Stanhope Smith, Charles Smith, Esq. and the Rev. Mr. Cathcart. To the friendship and politeness of these very respectable characters, he holds himself indebted, on this occasion.[I3]

It has been the earnest desire of the writer, to adhere strictly to Truth, in every part of his narrative: he has not, therefore, introduced into his work any thing, as a matter of Fact, which he did not believe tobe well founded. Wherever he has ventured to express an Opinion of his own, on any subject of importance, it must be left to the judgment and candour of others to determine, what weight it may be entitled to.—In the various quotations which appear in his Memoirs, the writer has endeavoured to observe the utmost fidelity, with respect to the originals; and all his translations into the English, from other languages, have been made with a like scrupulous attention to correctness.—Some errors and inaccuracies have nevertheless, it may be readily supposed, found their way into the following work; though the writer trusts they are neither numerous nor very important: and, as they are wholly unintentional, of whatever description they may be, he hopes it will not be deemedpresumptuouspresumptuousin him, to claim for them the indulgence of a candid, liberal, and discerning public.

Lancaster, in Pennsylvania,April 11, 1813.

Lancaster, in Pennsylvania,

April 11, 1813.

I1. The biographer ofRittenhouseentirely coincides with the compilers of theEncyclopædia Britannica, in opinion, respecting the utility and propriety of giving an account, in such Memoirs as the present, ofthingsas well aspersons, connected in various ways with the main object of the work.In the preface to that useful dictionary of arts, sciences and miscellaneous literature, are the following observations: the consideration they merit; is submitted to the good sense of the reader.“While one part of our readers,” say the encyclopedists, when referring to thebiographicaldepartment of their work, “will regret that we have given no account of their favourite philosopher, hero, or statesman, others may be disposed to remark, that we have dragged from obscurity the names of many persons who were no proper objects of such public regard. To these we can only reply, that, with the greatest biographer of modern times, we have long thought that there has rarely passed a life, of which a faithful narrative would not be useful; and that in the lives of the most obscure persons, of whom we have given any account, we saw something either connected with recent discoveries and public affairs, or which we thought capable of affording a lesson to great multitudes in similar circumstances.”—“Between eminent achievements and the scenes where they were performed, there is a natural and necessary connexion. The character of the warrior is connected with the fields of his battles; that of the legislator, with the countries which he civilized; and that of the traveller and navigator, with the regions which they explored. Even when we read of thepersonsby whom, and the occasions on which, any particular branch of knowledge has been improved, we naturally wish to know something of theplaceswhere such improvements were made.”

In the preface to that useful dictionary of arts, sciences and miscellaneous literature, are the following observations: the consideration they merit; is submitted to the good sense of the reader.

“While one part of our readers,” say the encyclopedists, when referring to thebiographicaldepartment of their work, “will regret that we have given no account of their favourite philosopher, hero, or statesman, others may be disposed to remark, that we have dragged from obscurity the names of many persons who were no proper objects of such public regard. To these we can only reply, that, with the greatest biographer of modern times, we have long thought that there has rarely passed a life, of which a faithful narrative would not be useful; and that in the lives of the most obscure persons, of whom we have given any account, we saw something either connected with recent discoveries and public affairs, or which we thought capable of affording a lesson to great multitudes in similar circumstances.”—“Between eminent achievements and the scenes where they were performed, there is a natural and necessary connexion. The character of the warrior is connected with the fields of his battles; that of the legislator, with the countries which he civilized; and that of the traveller and navigator, with the regions which they explored. Even when we read of thepersonsby whom, and the occasions on which, any particular branch of knowledge has been improved, we naturally wish to know something of theplaceswhere such improvements were made.”

I2. Mr. C. W. Peale painted at the same time another portrait of him, for himself; which is likewise altered from the original painting. It has a place in Mr. Peale’s Gallery of Portraits. There is a third, by the same hand, in the possession of the American Philosophical Society.Another good picture of Dr. Rittenhouse was also then made, by Mr. James Peale, for the Rev. Mr. Barton. This (which represents him with a wig) is now in the possession of John Moore White, Esq. of New-Jersey, who married Mr. Barton’s youngest daughter.A pretty good mezzotinto, in a large size,—done from Mr. C. W. Peale’s painting of our Philosopher,—was executed by Mr. E. Savage, in the winter of 1796: and since that time, some small engravings have been made from different pictures of him; but these do not so well preserve the likeness.

Another good picture of Dr. Rittenhouse was also then made, by Mr. James Peale, for the Rev. Mr. Barton. This (which represents him with a wig) is now in the possession of John Moore White, Esq. of New-Jersey, who married Mr. Barton’s youngest daughter.

A pretty good mezzotinto, in a large size,—done from Mr. C. W. Peale’s painting of our Philosopher,—was executed by Mr. E. Savage, in the winter of 1796: and since that time, some small engravings have been made from different pictures of him; but these do not so well preserve the likeness.

I3. Some interesting information was likewise communicated by the late Professor Rush. The death of that gentleman having occurred since the completion of the present work, the author has inserted a concise biographical notice of him, in the Appendix, in place of the mention originally made of his name in this preface.

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