Sect. III.] United States of America. 267 



that, on this subject, America may claim high 

 distinction. To omit many names of less note, 

 tJie theological writings of president Edwards^ 

 and of the rev. Dr. Hopkins, have excited much 

 attention in the religious v.orld. The former, in 

 particular, deserves perhaps to be considered as 

 one of the greatest divines that ever lived. Beside 

 many tracts of high reputation, on detached 

 points of theology, and which have been well re- 

 ceived, not only in America, but also in Europe ; 

 a number of volumes of Sermojis have been pro- 

 duced by their countrymen, which show, that the 

 eloquence of the pulpit is b}^ no means neglected. 

 The fu'st volume of sermons ever published in 

 America, that had any just claim to correctness 

 and elegance of style, was printed in Boston, in 

 the 3'car 1727, by Ebenezer Pemberton, pastor 

 of a church in that town. Since that time, the 

 collections of sermons, by president Davies *, Dr. 



*•■ The rev. Samuel Davies was born in the county of Newcastle, 

 in the state of Delaware, November 3, 172 k He received the 

 greater part of his academic and theological education under the 

 care of the rev. Mr. Samuel Blair, of Fog's Manor, iu Pennsylva- 

 nia, and was licensed to preach the Gospel, by the presbytery of 

 Newcastle, about the year 171.5. Soon after this event, he tra- 

 velled into Virginia, where he settled in the ministry, in Hanover 

 county, and remained there in an extensive sphere of usefulness, 

 and highly respected, for a number of years. In 17,33 he was 

 chosen by the synod of New York, at the solicitation of the trustees 

 of New Jersey college, to accompany tiie rev. Gilbert Tennent on 

 a mission to Great Britain and Ireland, to solicit benefactions for 

 that college. In 1759 he was elected to succeed Mr.Edwards in 

 the presidency of the institution. In this station he remained 

 but eighteen months, being removed by death in January 17S1, 

 iii the thirty-seventh year of his age. The genius, taste, learn- 

 ing, and eminent piety of president Davies, have been so much 



