1912.] MINUTES. vii 



Peters, who wrote that he was " a good Latin scholar, French is his 

 native tongue, Enghsh he has acquired perfectly, and he understands 

 German, Italian and Spanish, he can translate Danish and Low Dutch 

 with the help of a dictionary, and a little application will make him 

 master of these." 



At the close of the war, he entered the office of William Lewis, 

 then the leader of the Bar, and was admitted in 1785. He soon 

 acquired a large practice, and his command of languages must have 

 contributed to the prominence which he attained as an admiralty 

 lawyer. 



In the bibliography, printed as an appendix to Dr. Dunglison's 

 discourse, is a long list of his occasional papers and translations. 

 He was especially interested in the study of philological questions, 

 and his contributions upon the Indian and Chinese tongues attracted 

 much attention and gained for him the medal which has been pre- 

 sented this evening. 



While busily engaged in practice, he found time to take part in 

 the proceedings of professional and literary associations with which 

 he became connected. 



He was elected vice-president of the American Philosophical 

 Society in 18 r 6, and president in 1827, holding the office until his 

 death in 1844. 



He was the first president of the Law Academy, and was annually 

 reelected until his death in 1844. The relations between the mem- 

 bers and himself were of a most cordial and affectionate character, 

 and the Law Academy presented to the Law Association of Phila- 

 delphia a copy of Sully's portrait. 



He also became the president of the Historical Society, of the 

 Athenseum, a trustee of the University of Pennsylvania; and in 1836 

 he was elected Chancellor of the Law Association, and, as in every 

 other case, retained the office until his death in 1844. 



Upon the occasion of the celebration of the centennial anniver- 

 sary of the Law Association, Chief Justice Mitchell delivered an 

 historical address, in the course of which, referring to the office of 

 Chancellor, he said, " the office has justly come to be regarded as the 

 highest honor that the Bar can pay a fellow member." This would 



