BENJAMIN SMITH BARTON. 



1766-1815. 



OF the three professions formerly distinguished as " learned," 

 that of medicine is the only one connected with natural sci- 

 ence. Hence it is not surprising that, in the times when scien- 

 tific research could seldom be pursued except as an avocation, 

 it was frequently joined to his vocation by the physician. The 

 history of medicine in the Old World is adorned with the 

 names of many profound students of Nature, and in America 

 the name of Dr. Barton stands at the head of a considerable 

 list of eminent investigators who either followed or at least 

 entered upon the medical profession. 



Benjamin Smith Barton was one of the younger children 

 of the Rev. Thomas Barton, an Episcopal clergyman, and was 

 born at Lancaster, Pa., February 10, 1766. His mother was 

 a sister of David Rittenhouse, the astronomer. He received, 

 therefore, a double inheritance of intellectual ability, but the 

 benefits of parental care and training were lost to him at an 

 early age. His mother died when he was eight years old, and 

 his father when he was fourteen. Early in the fall of 1778 Mr. 

 Thomas Barton had left Pennsylvania, intending to go to 

 Europe, but was taken sick before he could conveniently set 

 sail, and died without returning to his home, May 25, 1780, at 

 the age of fifty years. 



Before leaving Lancaster Mr. Barton had placed his younger 

 children in the care of a friend in the country near by, where 

 they remained until after their father's death. During this 

 period young Benjamin devoted much of his time to reading, 

 showing considerable fondness for the subject of civil history. 

 Being a studious boy, he naturally took less interest than boys 

 generally do in athletic sports. His predilection for natural 

 history, especially for botany, appeared early, and very likely 

 had received some encouragement from his father, who is 



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