302 Biographical Notice of Dr. Bruce. 



were eminently active, and by their united exertion and perse- 

 verance, (opposed by much professional talent) they obtained 

 a charter from the regents. In this new institution, as profes- 

 sor of the materia medica, and of his favourite pursuit, mine- 

 ralogy, he exhibited the fruits of arduous study, with a dignity 

 of character, and urbanity of manner, which commanded the 

 respect of the profession, and the regard of the studeats. 



The ruling passion in Dr. Bruce's mind, was a love of natu- 

 ral science, and especially of mineralogy. Towards the study of 

 this science, he produced in his own country a strong impulse, 

 and he gave it no small degree of eclat. His cabinet, composed 

 of very select and well characterized specimens ; purchased 

 by himself, or collected in his own pedestrian and other tours 

 in Europe, or, in many instances, presented to him by dis- 

 tinguished mineralogists abroad ; and both in its extent, and 

 in relation to the then state of this country, very valuable, 

 soon became an object of much attention. That of the late 

 B. D. Perkins, which, at about the same time, had been formed 

 by Mr. Perkins in Europe, and imported by him into-this coun- 

 try, was also placed in New- York, and both cabinets (for both 

 were freely shown to the curious, by their liberal and courte- 

 ous proprietors) contributed more than any causes had ever 

 done before, to excite in the public mind an active interest in 

 th'e science of mineralogy.* 



Dr. Bruce, while abroad, had been personally and intimately 

 conversant with the Hon. Mr. Greville, of Paddington Green, 

 near London, a descendant of the noble house of Warwick, the 

 possessor of one of the finest private cabinets in Europe, and 

 a zealous cultivator of mineralogy. Count Bournon, one of 

 those loyal French exiles, who found a home in England, du- 

 ring the storm of the French revolution, was almost domesti- 

 cated at Mr. Greville's, and was hardly second to any man in 

 mineral ogical, and particularly in crystallographical knowledge. 



* The collection of Mr. Perkins became, in 1807, (partly by the liberality of its 

 possessor, and partly by purchase,) the property of Yale College, and is now 

 in the cabinet of that institution. It is believed that few cabinets of equal 

 extent, ever contained more instructive and beautiful specimens, with less that is 

 unmeaning or superfluous. The cabinet of Dr. Bruce has, since his death, been 

 puFchascd by a gentleman in New-York, for 5000 dollars. Editor. 



