the inoculation of the small pox into America, at the risk of his reputation and life. He visited England in 1725, and was received with the most flattering attention, and was admitted to the intimacy and friendship of some of the most distinguished characters of that nation. He was elected a member of the royal society. He had the pleasure of seeing inoculation universally practised, and of knowing that he was himself considered as one of the benefactors of mankind. He died March 1, 1766. Dr. Boylston published several communications in the Philosophical Transactions; some account of inoculation, or transplanting the small pox, by the learned Dr. E. Timonius and J. Pylarinus; also an historical account of the small pox inoculation in New-England. BOYLSTON, NICHOLAS, a benefactor of Harvard college. He had been an eminent merchant, and was about to retire from business to enjoy the fruit of his industry, when he was removed from this earth, August 18, 1771. He bequeathed to Harvard college 1,500 pounds, for laying the foundation of a professorship of rhetoric and oratory. This sum was paid into the college treasury by his executors, Feburary 11, 1772. And the fund accumulated to 23,200 dollars, before any appropriation was made. The hon. John Quincy Adams, son of president Adams, and at that time a senator of the United States, was installed the first professor, June 12, 1806, with the title of "the Boylston profressor of rhetoric and oratory in Harvard college." BOWDOIN, JAMES, LL. D. a distinguished philosopher and statesman, was born in Boston, August 18, 1727. He was graduated at Harvard college in 1745.) In 1756 he was chosen a member of the council, where his learning and eloquence soon rendered him conspicuous. He early espoused the cause of his country, and advocated her rights with great ability and patriotism. In 1770, the people of Boston elected him their representative. He was likewise one of the committee that drew the answer to the governor's speeches, where he asserted and endeavoured to prove, by strong arguments, the right of Great Britain to tax America. By this he had the honour of being negatived by governor Gage, in 1774, who declared that "he had express orders from his majesty to set aside that board, the hon. Mr. Bowdoin, Mr. Dexter, and Mr. Winthrop." During this memorable year he was chosen a delegate to meet at Philadelphia, which was the first congress of the United States, but was prevented from attending his duty by his ill state of health. Mr. Hancock was afterwards chosen in his place. He was next chosen president of the council of Massachusetts; which office he held the greater part of the time, till the adoption of the state constitution in 1780. He was president of the convention which formed it; and some of its most important articles are the result of his knowledge of government. During the years of 1785 and 1786, he was elected governor of the state. At this eventful period, by his firmness and inflexible integrity, for which he was conspicuous, he quelled the dangerous insurrection of Shays, which threatened a subversion of the constitution. By this decisive step he rescued the government from contempt into which it was sinking, and was the means of saving the commonwealth. When the constitution 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 public scenes for domestic peace, and the satisfactions of study. Governor Bowdoin was a learned man, and a constant and generous friend of literature. When the American Academy of Arts and Sciences was instituted, he was appointed the first president, and continued in that office till his death. He was esteemed by its members as the pride and ornament of their institution. To this institution he left his valuable library and one hundred pounds. (His literary attainments were not confined to his own country. He was a member of several foreign societies./ He received a diploma of doctor of laws from several of the universities in Europe, and from Philadelphia, as well as his alma mater at Cambridge. To this institution he was a munificent friend. His charities were abundant. He was an exemplary christian: )for more than 30 years he was a member of Brattle-street church. He died universally lamented, November 6, 1790. He published a philosophical discourse, publicly addressed to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in Boston, November 8, 1780, when he was inducted into the office of president. This is prefixed to the first volume of the memoirs of the academy. In this work he also published several philosophical papers. His letters to Dr. Franklin have also been published. BENEZET, ANTHONY, a distinguished philanthropist, was born January 31, 1713.) He was bred a merchant, but being desirous of engaging in a pursuit which was not so adapted to excite a worldly spirit, and which would afford him more leisure for the duties of religion, and for the exercise of that benevolent spirit, for which, during the course of a long life he was so conspicuous; he accepted, in 1742, the appointment of instructer in the Friends' English school of Philadelphia, which place he continued to fill till about two years before his death. The last two years of his life he spent in the instruction of the blacks. In doing this he did not consult his worldly interest, but was influenced by a regard to the welfare of that miserable class of beings, whose minds had been debased by servitude. He wished to contribute something towards rendering them fit for the enjoyment of that freedom, to which many of them had been restored. This amiable man seemed to have nothing else at heart but the good of his fellow creatures; and the last act of his life was to take from his desk six dollars for a poor widow. Regarding all mankind as children of one common father, and members of one great family, he was anxious that oppression and tyranny should cease, and that men should live together in mutual kindness and affection.) His writings contributed much towards ameliorating the condition of slaves. In 1767, he published "a caution to Great Britain and her colonies," in a short representation of the calamitous state of the enslaved negroes in the British dominions. In 1772, he published an historical account of Guinea, with an inquiry into the rise and progress of the slave trade, its nature and lamentable effects. (He died May 4, 1784. BERNARD, FRANCIS, governor of Massachusetts. The commencement of his administration was fa vourable; but it soon became obnoxious. In 1764, restraints were laid upon the trade of the plantations by certain acts of the parliament of Great Britain, which were succeeded by a direct tax upon the colonies. This and the stamp act was remonstrated against by the people, as measures to which they would never submit. As soon as the acts had passed, and was known in America, a spirit of resentment was roused which menaced every man in power, and alienated the affections of the colonists from a country, to which they had hitherto looked with reverence as the land of their fathers. The governor who had heretofore showed his disposition in several instances to treat the people with contempt, and to be unfriendly to the colonies, now openly avowed his sentiments, and began to put in force the enactments of parliament. He also solicited the ministry to send troops to America, to put in force the measures of parliament. Troops accordingly arrived in 1768. From this time his conduct was reprobated; and in most of the towns in the province he was published in the newspapers, and was declared an enemy and a traitor to the country. In August following, he dissolved the general assembly, finding them not subservient to his will. His administration had now become so odious, burdensome, and vexatious, that a petition to the king was forwarded, requesting his dismission. But there were little hopes, that this wish would be granted, as his administration was the subject of much praise at the court of Great Britain, and his services had now been rewarded by the title of baronet: however, shortly after receiving this title, he obtained permission to return to England. Accordingly, in 1769, he sailed from Boston, and never again returned to the province. |