1809.] Extracts from the Port-folio of a Man of Letters. 
Of his other literary labours, we have 
only time to enumerate the title paves, 
viz. 
i. The History of Isaac Jenkins. 
2. Instructions for Persons of all Ca- 
pacites, respecting their own Health and 
that of their Children; which, lke the 
former, passed through many editions, 
3, Manual of Health; and 
4. Researches concerning Fever. 
We must here conclude the life and 
literary career of this extraordinary man, 
atthe same time. The physician whose 
mind was ever on the stretch, to extend 
the confines of medical science, and dis- 
cuver efficacious remedies for the relief 
of others, at last became a patient him- 
self. He had for some time anterior to 
his death, exhibited manifest symptoms 
of dropsy, but never considered his end 
asso near, His dissolution perhaps was 
hastened by the rigour of the present 
winter; for he complained frequently of 
cold at his extremities, amd had actually 
sent to London, for an ingenious me- 
chanie, who had undertaken to warm his 
apartment to an equable temperature, 
by means of steam. His death occurred 
on the 24th ef December, 1808, and on 
being opened, it was clearly discernible 
that the machinery had been worn out, 
and that the animal functions were ne- 
cessarily suspended, from the progress 
of disease. The left lobe of the lungs 
Was found to be m a morbid state, and, 
as might have been easily predicted, a 
water 
lodgement of had also been 
efected. 
—e SE SD 
49 
Thus died, after he had attained the 
fifty-second, or fifty-third year of bis life, 
Thomas Beddoes, a man who possessed 
a warmth, a zeal, an ardour for the pure 
suit of medical science, Which had sel- 
dom been equalled by any, and was 
assuredly excelled by none. His whole 
hfe was devoted to experiment, co enquiry, 
to correspondence with men of talents, 
and to the instruction of himself and 
others. He possessed a fine genius for 
poetry, and had the happy faculty of 
viewing every subject on its most brile 
hant side. His language was glowing, 
figurative, and sometimes even sublime.. 
He despised quackery, and pretensions 
of every kind; and was accustomed to 
detect and expose these to the full as 
freely in his own as in other professions. 
In all the social relations of life, his con- 
duct uniformly bore testimony to the ex- 
cellence of his heart; for he was a good 
friend, a good father, and a good hus- 
band. A few years since, he married 
Miss Edgeworth, a lady of a respectable 
literary family in Ireland, by whom he 
has left four children. 
- Further particulars of his life wall be 
speedily published under the auspices of 
his friends :—a work, which, if written 
with ability, cannot fail to be productive 
both of amusement and instruction. 
It is to be hoped, a portrait of Dr. B. 
has been in some way obtained, for it was 
one of his peculiarities, to refuse the 
frequent solicitations of some of his best 
friends to sit for his picture. 
= ao at anata fareeetan = Te anne ne ties 
Extracts from the Port-folio of a Alan of Letters. 
{Communications to this Article are always thankfully received. ] 
le 
THE CHRISTENING OF AMERICA. 
he important event occasioned in 
its day a ridiculous disturbance. 
The French, out of spite to the Spaniards, 
and with their usual officiousness and 
vanity, christened it Francia Antarctica, 
pretending that they were the first disco- 
verers, under some lord of Villagagnon. 
[‘‘ Sub Villagagnonis Domino,” says Po- 
reaech. Insulas. 3. p.162.] This attempt 
perished in the bud: but others arose, 
who christened it the Lund of the Holy 
Cross: by mistaking the appellation of 
Brazil, given to it by Cabral, upon the 
discovery, for the whole continent.— 
Jehn Barros, Decad. i. 1.5. c. 2. Pet. 
Damaziz. Dial. 5, de var. Hist.c. 2. f- 338, 
Mowuty Mac. No. 181. 
Anton. de San. Roman. 1.1. Hist. Indic. 
Orient. c. 11. p. 57, grievously lament, 
that this term Brazil, (on account of 
. 4 
the wood for dying,) superseded the term 
“ Land of the Holy Cross;” and observe, 
that it perhaps happened by the cunning 
of the devil. Borrellus (De Reg. Catholic.) 
contended that it ought to be styled Orbis 
Carolinus, from Ch. V. and this because 
Isidore, Pereira, Mantua, and a variety 
of authors were agreed upun this point, 
that to give names to nations and places 
was a. peculiar privilege of kings and 
dukes. The majority, however, were for 
calling it the New World. This gave birth 
to acalomny upon mother Earth, that 
she had many sisters, i.e. that there were 
: imore 
