^52 Natmis latel\) become Literary. [Ch. XXVI. 



after the charter for this college was obtained, 

 the rev. Dr. Charles Nisbet, of Montrose, in Scot- 

 land, was called to be its president. He accepted 

 the invitation, and in the year 1784 arrived in 

 America. It is scarcely necessary to say, that 

 the eminent talents, and profound and general 

 leai'ning of this gentleman, were considered as an 

 important acquisition to the literary interests of 

 that country, and that he soon contributed to 

 raise the character of the institution. From this 

 period to the close of the century he continued to 

 preside over it with usefulness and honour. 



Seminaries of learning began now to multiply 

 rapidly. . From the peace of 1783 to the close of 

 1800, there were seventeen colleges founded in 

 the United States, vi%. two in Massachusetts, one 

 in Vermont, one in New York, two in Pennsyl- 

 vania, four in Maryland, one in North Carolina, 

 three in South Carolina, one in Georgia, one \\x 

 Kentucky, and one in Tennessee. Beside these, 

 academies during this period were multiplied al- 

 most without number. Indeed, it may be que- 

 stioned whether seminaries of the higher order 

 have not been niade so numerous in many parts 

 of the country, as to produce effects directly the 

 reverse of what were intended. It is as possible 

 to have too many colleges^ as it is to have toa 

 many lazvsy or too many books. 



The institution of these academies was soon 

 followed by the organisation of a new medical 

 school attached to the university of Cambridge, 

 in Massachusetts. This event took place in 1783, 

 when the first professors were appointed, and the 

 first system of medical lectures delivered in that 



