Sharswood.] 268 [October. 



his career. One of his first essays was a tragedy, ''Edwin and 

 Elgiva," which was performed with some success and published; 

 and subsequently, a production of the same kind, '' Julian, the 

 Apostate," much more elaborate, was committed by him to the 

 press. 



On the 18th of October, 1823, he delivered the annual oration be- 

 fore this Society, being a Philosophical Discourse on the Influence of 

 America on the Mind. It attracted extensive notice abroad, and 

 was reviewed in the Revue Encyclopedique of France. On the 1st 

 of October, 1824, at the memorable meeting of the Society, which was 

 attended by our illustrious fellow-member General Lafayette, during 

 (hat last visit of his to the United States, so remarkable an ovation to 

 the hero of republican liberty in two worlds, a communication was read 

 by Mr. Ingersoll, On the Improvement of Government. At a much 

 later period, January 5th, 1855, he read before the Society, by appoint- 

 ment, a short and very interesting obituary notice of Joseph Bonaparte. 

 On the 4th of July, 1832, he delivered an oration before the Phila- 

 delphia Association for celebrating the Anniversary of our Indepen- 

 dence without Distinction of Party. It was a vivid sketch of the 

 effects of the American revolution on the mind, manners, wealth and 

 progress of the United States. This also attracted attention abroad, 

 and was quoted by Bulwer in his novel of Rienzi. 



In 1817, Mr. Ingersoll translated from the French, and published 

 in Hall's Law Journal, a tract upon the freedom of the navigation 

 and commerce of neutral nations during war, considered accord- 

 ing to the laws of all nations, that of Europe and treaties ; an histori- 

 cal and juridical essay to serve as an explanation of the disputes be- 

 tween belligerent powers and neutral states, on the subject of the 

 freedom of maritime commerce. This was a subject which he 

 always had much at heart, and to which at diiferent periods of his 

 life he gave great attention. In January, 1845, he published in the 

 American Law Magazine, then edited by the writer of this notice, an 

 article on the Law of Foreign Missions. In explanation of its 

 origin and design, he said : " Several years ago, by way of evening 

 employment in the country, I translated Bynkershoed's twenty-four 

 books de Foro Legatorum, assisted by Barbeyrac's paraphrase, in 

 turning very unclassical and difficult modern Latin into English. 

 Finding my work when done but an imperfect view of the subject, 

 and becoming pleased with it, I consulted Wicquefort, Bielfield, 

 Vattel, Grotius, Merlin, Martin, and whatever other writers upon it I 

 could lay my hands on. Finally, the following introduction was 



