LARDNER VANUXEM. 275 



merous papers on scientific subjects published in the American 

 Journal of Science, he published An Essay on the Ultimate 

 Principles of Chemistry, Natural Philosophy, and Physiology 

 (Philadelphia, 1827) ; but it is his Report of the New York Sur- 

 vey which it is said " will remain his monument, and on which 

 the reputation of his scientific attainments is based." 



It would seem as though a man as devoted to science as the 

 subject of this sketch would have his time and thoughts com- 

 pletely absorbed thereby, but not so in this case. The investi- 

 gating turn of his mind prompted the examination of abstruse 

 subjects, and to him the Scriptures presented an unlimited 

 field. His careful scrutiny of the sacred writings and close 

 study of all the extant commentators upon them resulted in an 

 immense pile of manuscript books which he left as a monu- 

 ment of his interest in the subject, untiring industry, persever- 

 ance, and love of research, if nothing more. Although trained 

 in the Presbyterian faith by his mother, Prof. Vanuxem had 

 adopted, and expressed in these writings, views which were too 

 broad and too far in advance of the time to be considered " or- 

 thodox." 



Every attempt to extend the bounds of human knowledge 

 or to give the benefit of enlightened direction to the activities 

 of mankind aroused his interest. His attention was thus drawn 

 to the so-called new religions, Mormonism and Millerism, as 

 they arose ; to the religious teachings of Channing and Emer- 

 son ; and to the study of Egyptian antiquities. He studied 

 phrenology, and became a believer in its theories. At a time 

 when the subject had hardly been thought of he was a strong 

 advocate of the emancipation of woman from the narrow sphere 

 of activity to which she had been confined. General literature 

 did not have the absorbing interest for him that scientific sub- 

 jects did. As for music, it appeared to have no charms in his 

 eyes; he declared that far too much time was wasted over it. 

 This fact seems rather unaccountable, as all his brothers and 

 sisters were devoted to the art, and some of them proficient in it, 



For Benjamin Franklin's character and achievements he had 

 the highest admiration ; honouring himself and his place by 

 naming it after him " Franklin Farm," and the entrance hall of 

 the house was adorned for many years by a bust of the great 

 man ; attention often being called to it as " the presiding gen- 

 ius of the place." 



