18 JOURNAL OF THE 



of composing a dissertation on the affairs of his community, during 

 which his usual excursions and exercise were omitted, wrought a 

 visible change in the state of his health ; a severe cough ensued, 

 with other alarming symptoms, which gave his friends Just ground 

 for apprehension. From this time his health seemed gradually to 

 decline. The want of his accustomed occupations in the open air 

 also depressed his spirits, and produced a marked contrast to that 

 buoyancy which had hitherto shed its influence on all around him. 



A journey to the Western States, undertaken in connection with 

 liis oflQcial duties, appeared for a short time to revive the energies 

 of his frame. But, though externally more active and cheerful, the 

 deep workings of disease had undermined his system, and on the 

 morning of the 8th of February, 1834, being awakened at an early 

 hour by a sensation of faintness, and when relieved by medical ap- 

 plications, again relapsing for a short time into a state of repose, he 

 fell, at the age of fifty-four years, calmly and unconsciously into 

 the arms of death. 



The colloquial powers of Dr. von Schweinitz were of a high order. 

 Humor, wit, anecdote and repartee were always at his command. 

 In the multiplied relations with society he had contracted that ease 

 of intercourse which tends so essentially to conciliate the kind affec- 

 tions. 



Hence, though always listened to with profound respect when in 

 the discharge of professional duties, whether as a teacher or a clergy- 

 man, yet the sphere of his greatest usefulness was the social circle, 

 and the familiar intercourse which he maintained with the people 

 of his own persuasion. In the exchange of thought, the imparting 

 of sympathy, and the expression of fraternal feeling, so habitually 

 cherished by the class of society with which it was his fortune to be 

 connected, and in the deep sense of responsibility under which he 

 appears to have constantly acted, we find the immutable guarantees 

 for that uprightness and the best explanation of that social influ- 

 ence which characterized him. 



His literary attainments were those belonging to the scholar and 

 the gentleman. He was acquainted with the Greek and spoke and 

 wrote the English, German, French and Latin languages. Unlike 

 most persons of German descent, he was entirely insensible to the 

 charms of music. 



Our sketch of the scientific labors of the deceased must necessa- 

 rily be confined to some leading points in the general character of 

 his more important works. 



When we consider the extreme difficulty of the particular depart- 



