Sect. III.] United States of America. 241 



other American astronomers, are too well known 

 to render any particular details on the subject 

 necessary here. 



In 1769 a college was founded in the town of 

 Hanover, in New Hampshire. Of this institution 

 the rev. Dr. Eleazar Wheelock was the founder j 

 and the earl of Dartmouth being one of its most 

 liberal benefactors, it was called after him Dart- 

 mouth college. Dr. Wheelock had been, for some 

 years previous to that above mentioned, the con^ 

 ductor of a charity-school, at Lebanon, in Con- 

 necticut, which M'as principally intended for the 

 instruction of Indian youth*. About that time, 



and educated at Harvard college, where he received his first de- 

 gree in 1732. In 1738 he was appointed Ilollis professor of 

 mathematics" and natural philosophy in the college in which h« 

 was educated. He immediately entered on the duties of this 

 ©ffice, which he executed with great ability and reputation till his 

 death in 1779. He was a man of general and profound learning; 

 but particularly so in the branches of science which he under- 

 took to teach. His work De Cometis does him great honour. 

 That he was known and respected among the philosophers of 

 Europe, is evident from his being elected a member of the Royal 

 Society; an honour which had been conferred on a native of 

 Massachusetts only in one instance before, viz. in the case of the 

 celebrated Cotton Mather. — MS. Letter of the Rev. Dr. Eliot to 

 the author. 



* The first charity-school erected in America for the' instruc- 

 tion of the Indians was at Stockbridge, in Massachusetts, by the 

 rev. John Sergeant, between the years 1740 and 1750. He had 

 scarcely gotten his plan into operation, before he was removed by 

 death. The design was revived by the rev. Eleazar Wheelock, 

 who solicited and obtained donations for the purpose, both in 

 f)urope and America; and opened a school at Lebanon, which 

 was called after the name of Mr. Joshua Moor, who was the 

 largest benefactor to the institution. When Dartmouth college 

 was founded at Hanover, this school was removed thither, where 

 it has ever since continued, coiinected with the' college, but di- 



VoL. III. ^ R 



