Oil Coins and Medals. 287 



A series of English sovereigns was engraved and struck by 

 Dassin, a native of Geneva, in the reign of George the first — 

 and recently, an additional series consisting of forty, has been 

 struck to commemorate the national achievements during the 

 late war with France, and the powers on the contiUent. But 

 many elegant private medals of individuals in Britain have been 

 executed ; of men who have been eminent in various walks of 

 life, or who by their talents have added to the discoveries in the 

 sciences, in agriculture, or the mechanical and other arts. For 

 the improvement on the steam engine by Watt, a medal was 

 struck ;* but where is the medal in honor of Fulton ? — where is 

 that in honor of Whitney ? 



The most distinguished collection of medals of the present 

 day, is the Napoleon series of one hundred and sixty, commem- 

 orating the civil and military actions of that extraordinary 

 man ; they were done chiefly from the designs, and under the 

 direction of the celebrated Denon. Most of them are beautiful 

 in design and execution, and unequalled by any of modern times. 



Several medals were struck at Paris to commemorate the 

 American revolution. Congress, some years since, made an ap- 

 propriation to have the whole series placed in the national library 

 at Washington ,• the vessel that had them in charge (if I recollect 

 right) was lost, and whether any further action has been had, or 

 any progress since made, I am ignorant. 



A medal was struck on Commodore Truxton's victory, — ^and 

 another on the war with Tripoli under Commodore Preble. 



Medals also were struck by order of Congress, to carry down to 

 posterity the naval victories of the United States, in the late war 

 with Great Britain. In 1817, a medal was struck to commemo- 

 rate the union of Lake Erie with the Atlantic, by the great canal. 



Since that time, no medals worthy of commemoration have 

 been executed either by individuals, or any of the states or cities 

 of the United States, till lately, New Haven in the state of Con- 

 necticut, has taken the lead, and on the return of the second cen- 

 tennial anniversary of the founding of the colony by Eaton and 

 Davenport, has had a medal engraved and struck to commemorate 

 the first settlement of the City. The medal does honor to both 

 the designer and engraver, as well as to those patriotic citizens of 

 New Haven, at whose instance it was done. 



* The writer has one. 



