APPENDIX. 99 



losophical Society of New York, autl the same hon- 

 our was conferred on him by other Literary Institu- 

 tions. 



In the year 1795, he was elected Y ice-President 

 of our society, and in 1815, on the resignation of Mr. 

 Jefferson, he succeeded to the chair of his illustrious 

 friend. I need not call to your recollection with what 

 propriety, what decorum, what suavity of manners, 

 he discharged the duties of this honourable station. 

 Such was his courtesy, that he seemed anxious even 

 to divest himself of that superiority, which the order 

 of business rendered necessary. He was assiduous 

 in attending committees. He was one of the first and 

 most strenuous supporters of the Historical and Lite- 

 rary Committee, instituted by the society about two 

 years ago. With what ardour did he excite them to 

 industry, in collecting, ere too late, the fleeting ma- 

 terials of American History? The meetings of this 

 committee he regularly attended. It was their cus- 

 tom, after the business of the evening was conclu- 

 ded, to enter into an unrestrained conversation on 

 literary subjects. There, without intending it, our 

 lamented friend would insensibly take the lead ; and' 

 so interesting were his anecdotes, and so just his re- 

 marks, that drawing close to the dying embers, we 

 often forgot the lapse of time, until warned by the un- 



