Nations lately become Literary. 343 



4eal for the diffusion of general knowledge, which 

 ended only with his life, and to which Pennsylvania 

 owes much of that taste for solid learning, and par- 

 ticularly for classic literature, for which many of her 

 eminent characters have been so laudably distin- 

 guished. Not long afterwards the Rev. Samuel 

 Blair opened an academy at Fog's Manor, also 

 in Chester county, on nearly the same plan of 

 education with that which was adopted in Dr. 

 Allisons seminary, but with more particular at- 

 tention to the study of theology as a science. Mr. 

 Blair was a man of respectable talents as well as 

 learning,* and was eminently serviceable to that 

 part of the country as a teacher of human know- 

 ledge, as well as a minister of the gospel. From 

 this " School of the prophets," as it was frequently 

 called, there issued forth many excellent pupils, 

 who did honour to their instructor both as scholars 

 and Christian ministers/ The next institution of 

 this kind was the academy opened a few years 

 after Mr. Blair's, by the Rev. Dr. Samuel Fin- 

 ley, 2 at West-Notingham, in Chester county^in 

 which a number of young persons were instructed 

 in the languages and sciences, and some in parti- 

 cular trained up to usefulness and honour in the 

 Christian church.* 



* The Rev. Samuel Blair was a native of Ireland. He came to 

 America very early in life, and was one of Mr. Tennent's pupils, in his 

 academy at Neshaminy. He was considered not only as one of the most 

 learned and able, but also as one of the most venerable, pious, and excellent 

 men of his day. 



y Among the distinguished characters who received their classical anif 

 theological education at this seminary, were the Rev. Samuel Davjes, 

 afterwards president of the college of New- Jersey ; the Rev. Dr. Rodger*, 

 of New-York; the Rev. Messrs. Alexander Cummings, Jamej Fin- 

 ney, Hugh Henry, and a number cf other respectable clergymen. 



z The Rev. Dr. Fin lev, afterwards president of the college of New- 

 Jersey, was a native of Ireland. He came to America in early life, after 

 having received an excellent education in his native country, and a short 

 time after his arrival was licensed by the Presbytery of New-Brunswick. 

 The eminence which he afterwards attained is well known. 



a Some of the facts and names above stated, were received by the au- 

 thor from his venerable colleague, (£e Rev, Dr. RosGKas, an4 from 

 Dr. Hugh Williamson, 



