68 PIONEERS OF SCIENCE IN AMERICA. 



snows, and other natural phenomena ; and two of such me- 

 teorological memoranda met my eye in running over the pages 

 of the volume, which may be of interest, one in reference to 

 the winter of 1780, the other to that of 1786. The former he 

 designates the ' cold ' winter, and remarks that in February the 

 snow was three feet deep where there was no drift, and, where 

 drifted, from five to seven; and in the other year two feet in 

 depth. Besides these there were also discussions of the bank- 

 rupt laws of Congress, several remarkable dreams, articles in 

 opposition to the theatre and public dancing, poetic effusions, 

 and pious meditations. 



" His knowledge of medicine was considerable ; and he was 

 in the habit of prescribing for his people and distributing to 

 them the medicines of the Halle Institute, which he regularly 

 ordered to be sent to him. In his journal are given at length 

 accounts of the diseases and treatment of the different mem- 

 bers of his own family when visited with sickness. 



" His habits of life were simple. He was temperate in 

 eating and drinking. His wife always carved at table and 

 supplied his plate, and he was accustomed to ask her if he had 

 eaten a sufficiency and to submit to her judgment in the mat- 

 ter ; and a favourite dessert of his was a roasted potato, with 

 a little butter and salt. When he drank anything spirituous he 

 usually mingled a wineglass of wine with a quart of water. 

 In his dress he also meekly submitted to the wishes and judg- 

 ment of his wife. 



" He was very fond of music, and played with taste, having 

 a preference for that which was sad and plaintive rather than 

 lively. 



" His early entrance upon the arduous duties of the minis- 

 try at seventeen years of age, together with his subsequent 

 intense studies in literature and science, had a serious influence 

 in causing frequent attacks of vertigo and acute pains in his 

 head. One remarkable incident in his life, due no doubt to 

 this protracted mental activity, is worthy of record for its psy- 

 chological interest. About ten years before his sudden death 

 from apoplexy he lost, after an attack of serious illness, all his 

 knowledge, and he began study a second time with the alphabet, 

 syllabication, and reading under the instruction of his daugh- 

 ter. After having thus learned to read a second time, one day 



