Nations lately become Literary. 391 



the learning and talents of these native citizens, 

 Lieutenant-Governor Colden, mentioned in seve- 

 ral former chapters, and Professor Minio/' both 

 of North-Britain, deserve, among many others, to 

 be mentioned with honour, as having contributed 

 to the cultivation of mathematical and astronomi- 

 cal science in our country. 



Chemical Philosophy has also been cultivated in 

 the United States with a zeal and success worthy 

 of respectful notice. The first course of instruc- 

 tion in Chemistry ever attempted in America, was 

 in the year 1769, by Dr. Benjamin Rush, about 

 that time appointed Professor of this branch of 

 science in the College of Philadelphia. -rTo Dr. 

 Samuel L. Mitchill, of Xew-York, the honour 

 is due of having first publicly taught, in an Ame- 

 rican Seminary, the system of Chemistry digested 

 and published by Lavoisier and his associates. 

 This was. in a course of Lectures delivered by him 

 in Columbia College, in the year 1792, as a Pro- 

 fessor in that institution : and his various publica- 

 tions and numerous experiments on the subject, 

 from that time to the present, have doubtless con- 

 tributed to extend the taste for chemical inquiries. 

 Dr. Mitchill was soon followed by Dr. AVood- 

 house, of Philadelphia, Dr. Maclean, of Prince- 



Professors of these branches of knowledge in our Colleges, both native 

 citizens and foreigners, scand high in the estimation of all who know them ; 

 and though not brought so immediately before the public, yet possess, per- 

 haps, a degree of erudition and skill, little, if at all inferior to those posses- 

 sed by the persons above named 



k Walter Minto, LL. D. was a native of Scotland, and received a 

 liberal education in that country. Early in life he visited Italy, and spent 

 a number of years at Pisa, pursuing, with great diligence, his mathema- 

 tical and astronomical studies. Soon after the close of the revolufionary 

 war, he came to America, and about the year 178/ , was appointed Pro- 

 fessor of Mathematics and Natural Philosophy in the College cf Xev-^fenej. 

 Jn this situation he was respected and useful. He was, be) ond all doubt, 

 a great Mathematician and Astronomer, as appears from his fiesearcbe* 

 into some Parts of the Theory of the Planets, &c. 8vo. London, 1, 83 ; and 

 also from his Oration on the Progress and Importance of tie M~at>jc+)nati*;i : 

 Science*, be. 1788. He died about the year : . 



