1815.] Dr. Rittenhouse. 165 



Mr, Rittenhouse, Dr. Smith, Mr. Lukens, and Mr. Sellers. Every 

 thing was properly prepared by Mr. Rittenhouse. The sun rose and 

 set on the day of the transit without a cloud. The observation was 

 made in the most complete manner. An account of it was pub- 

 lished in the first volume of the Transactions of the American 

 Society. It was allowed by astronomers to be very complete, and 

 served to raise the reputation of Mr. Rittenhouse in Europe. He 

 was henceforth considered as a consummate astronomer. 



On the 17th of November, 17^7? the College of Philadelphia 

 bestowed upon Mr. Rittenhouse the honorary degree of Master of 

 Arts. In 1770 he took up his residence in Philadelphia. About 

 the same time he lost his wife, who left him two daughters, both at 

 that time infants. In 1771 he was elected one of the Secretaries to 

 the Philosophical Society. About this time the Assembly of Penn- 

 sylvania voted him 300^. chiefly on account of the ingenuity which 

 he had displayed in the construction of the orrery. 



It was at this time that the disputes between the British Govern- 

 ment and the American colonies, which terminated in the revolu- 

 tionary war, began. No further attention could be paid to science 

 or literature ; politics alone filled the minds of every one. Mr. 

 Barton assures us that at the commencement of the dispute the 

 whole American population was loyal, and that it was with the 

 utmost reluctance they were brought to a declaration of independ- 

 ence ; but I cannot, for my part, adopt this opinion. If we con- 

 sider the great number of emigrants that went to America during 

 the troubles in Charles the First's reign ; that these emigrants vrere 

 all puritants who possessed the most lofty ideas of liberty and inde- 

 pendence, and were in fact republicans in their hearts ; we cannot 

 avoid concluding that these sentiments, for which they had left 

 their native country, and suffered all the hardships to which they 

 were exposed in the New World, would be cherished by them with 

 particular veneration, would be inculcated upon their children, and 

 would become the distinguishing characteristic of the colony. Hence 

 1 conceive that republican principles were very generally entertained 

 in America, especially in New England, where the dispute first 

 began. The colonists were of opinion tliat the whole expense of 

 defending them should fall upon the mother country, and that the 

 British Parliament had no right to lay taxes on them till they put 

 tliem in every respect upon a footing with the inhabitants of Great 

 Britain, In this opinion I think they were right. It was fortunate 

 for Great Britain that the dispute terminated as it did; perhaps it 

 was equally fortunate for America, though a sufficient period has 

 not yet elapsed to enable us to judge correctly. 



Mr. Itittcnhouse took the side of the colonists with great keen- 

 ness ; while his brotlicr-in-law, Mr. Barton, embraced that of the 

 mother countrv. This produced a separation, Mr, Barton went 

 to New York, wliere he died in 17.SO. lie left all his family behind 

 hiin in Pliiladelpliin. In 177^» Mr, Rittenhouse was chosen State 

 Treasurer of I'cnnsylvania, a situation which he lillcd for 13 years. 



