their representation, though I did not give him quite so much credit on that score, because he did not possess sufficient force of constitution to be capable of any kind of vice. But I viewed, with mixed emotions of admiration and pity, some proofs of learning and abilities which he left behind him. I was the more surprised, as the incessant care bestowed on his person seemed to leave very little time for any mental acquirements.

"Improper food, tight or oppressive clothing, and want of fresh air and exercise, have, in their turn, proved destructive to thousands. This young man fell a victim to them all; and it would have been a miracle indeed had he survived their combined influence. He died without a groan, or any mark of disease, except premature old age,

the machine being fairly worn out, before he completed his twenty-first year. His death proved fatal to both his parents, whose lives were closely bound up in that of the lad.

"The father had perceived his own error, but not before it was too late. He sent for me, and begged I would endeavour to save his son, The youth, alas! was far beyond the reach of my most zealous efforts: I could only witness the certainty of his fate. Medicine was of as little use to him, as consolation to his afflicted parents. The bitterness of their grief was increased by self-reproach; and friendship exerted her soothing voice in vain."

On the whole, this work is one of the most valuable presents that can be made to any woman, who has sense enough to profit by the instructions it affords.

Randolph, Virginia, Dec. 17. ON the 10th inst., as captain Thomas Lamson and his son Ira Lamson, together with another young man, were cutting timber, the two young men having cut a large tree nearly off, captain Lamson told his son to run and drive the oxen away, out of the reach of the tree; but seeing it was about to fall, he cried to him to look out. At this time he was out of danger; but, alarmed by the cries of his father, he turned and ran towards the tree, and continued a straight course towards his father, who stood near the roots of the tree, and had nearly reached him when it fell. The father, sensible of the fate of his son, ran, with great violence, to push him aside, to avoid the impending danger, and just reached him as it fell. They both fell at the same instant, the father with his arms stretched forth to snatch his son from immediate destruction; and had he advanced one step farther, must have shared the same fate! It is remarkable, that had he varied his course one foot either way he might have escaped unhurt, as the tree fell perfectly in his tracks. Not a groan escaped him, nor did he struggle or breathe afterwards. No pen can possibly paint the scene. In this awful situation he lay, with his ribs and shoulders very badly broken, and his head almost bruised to atoms, while the young man cut off the tree in two places; and the father, to prevent the head of his son from being torn to pieces, was obliged to hold it in his hands, as it lay under the tree.

We can only imagine the feelings of a parent on such a melancholy occasion. To captain Lamson, this scene must have been more than commonly trying, not only from the peculiar situation in which he himself was placed, at the time, but from the consideration of the character of his son. He was about 19 years of age, and for virtue and fidelity, few

young men in life sustained so high a character.

Massachusetts.

The following is a record of the weather in the year 1759, twentyfive years ago, since which we have not had so severe weather till the present, 1805.

In the month of January, 1780, the mercury in the thermometer was, at one o'clock, the 28th day, & degrees below 0, in Boston. A philosophical gentleman, then in the town, observed, that the day following, viz. the 29th, was the coldest day we had experienced since 1755. In that year, it was only one degree colder. Notwithstanding the severity of the weather at that time, one of the Boston pilots came to town on the ice from Thompson's Island, a distance upwards of three miles. The 31st of January, he weather was so cold as to prevent business abroad.

The snow, within fifteen miles of Boston, was so high as to oblige the people to travel on rackets to get fuel and their corn ground. The roads were so filled as to be opened by horses, oxen, and sleds; and, in some places, it could not be accomplished by these means. The quantity of snow then on the ground is said to have exceeded that in the year 1740. In some places, the snow was so deep as to render the roads impassable by horses. Some small sleds were drawn by hands fifty miles.

Charles river froze over, and Boston harbour was full of ice.

It has been observed, that the wind W. by S. brings the coldest weather.

On the 19th of February, 1780, the harbour of Boston began to open to Rainsford or Hospital Island, about six miles from town.

A thaw taking place rendered the roads extremely difficult to pass,

and almost impossible with loaded

teams.

that "

The diary of a country gentleman (not long since deceased) informs, water, contained in a silver cann, in his bed-chamber, in the night of April 1, 1780, froze into a solid body of ice." The spring of this year was uncommonly backward.

The gentleman mentioned found under chips in his yard a quantity of hard ice. The earliest fruit was not in bloom the last of April, nor any seed sown, large bodies of snow being yet on the ground.

Besides the foregoing events in the year 1780, we notice the 19th of May, when an unusual darkness encompassed the atmosphere in the day, and the darkness of the night is represented as Egyptian. A grand eclipse of the sun happened October 27th, 1780, visible in Boston: not a cloud to be seen during the eclipse. Without the influence of the sun, it was remarked, what a dismal region Would the earth be.

arch. The loss is not mentioned, but supposed to be considerable.

'Raleigh, N. C., February 18. On Friday last, John Blount, Esq., of Chowan county, brought to this city Thomas Morris, charged with passing, in Edenton, counterfeit bills of the United States branch bank at New York, Baltimore, and Charleston. When Morris was taken up, he had six bills of one hundred dollars each, all counterfeit. He said he lived in Tenessee, but was born in Burke county, in this state, where his father now resides, and that he had received the bills from a William Wood of South Carolina. Having three horses with him, he said his business at Edenton was to sell them.

On Saturday, Mr. Blount lodged him in the jail of this county.

Notwithstanding that there is a law to prevent the carrying of slaves through this state, and a very heavy penalty on those who violate it, yet we are sorry to say that this inhuman traffic is still pursued.— Seldom a week intervenes, but three or four savage looking whites pass through this place, driving before them gangs of negroes from Maryland and Virginia, through this state, to South Carolina and Georgia.During the late fall of snow, and hard weather, a great number of these unhappy creatures were brought to this place; one half took the road to the west, and the others to the south. This separation caused several of the blacks to be taken from their relatives and acquaintances, and afforded a scene, by their cries, truly distressing to any of the least humanity.

Much to the credit of John G. Rencher, Esq., of this county, he stopped the drivers of these slaves, but, while he was in search of an officer, they made their escape, and got out of the county before the sheriff, who lives out of town, could be had.

We learn that it is the determination of several magistrates of this and the adjacent counties to arrest the first of those inhuman speculators who shall make his appearance with slaves for traffic.

AMERICAN PHILOSOPHICAL

SOCIETY.

Communications.

On the Occultation of Aldebaran in the Disk of the Moon, 21st October, 1793, by J. I. de Ferrer.

Facts and Observations on the Beaver of North America, collected by Mr. Heckewelder; communicated by Dr. Barton.

On many of the Pernicious Insects of the United States; intended for the magellanic premium. (Of this memoir, which obtained the premium, Dr. Benjamin Smith Barton was the author.)

A set of tables, with their application, to a useful improvement in navigation and surveying, signed C. c. b. R., for the magellanic premium. An account of the great cold at Northampton, Great Britain, January 7, 1776, by Dr. A Fothergill.

DONATIONS.

For the cabinet.

A model of a life buoy, by T. Hamilton.

A model of his temporary rudder, by captain Mugford, of Salem, Massachusetts.

A number of shells and corals from Sumatra, by captain A. Newell, of Boston.

For the library. Asiatic Researches, 7 vols., royal 4to., Calcutta, 1788 to 1801, from the society.

Transactions of the Royal Irish Academy, second volume to ninth, 4to., 1788 to 1803, from the society. Letters and Papers of the Bath and West of England Society, 9 vols., 8vo., 1783-9, by the society.

VOL. III. NO. XVIII.

Transactions of the Batavian Society of Haarlem, 30 vols., 8vo., old series, 1754 to 1793, 1 vol. new, 1799 to 1801, by the society.

Catalogue of the Library of the London Medical Society, 8vo., 1803, by the society.

Sixteen numbers of the Journals of the Royal Institution of Great Britain; also an account of the Library and Mineralogical Establishment, by the Society. London,

1800-3.

Supplement to the Encyclopedia, 3 vols, 4to., Philadelphia, 1803, by Thomas Dobson.

Voyage dans L'Egypt. Par Vivant Denon, 2 vols., imp. fol., by William M'Clure, Esq.

The works of James Wilson, Esq., 3 vols., 8vo., Philadelphia, 1804, by Bird Wilson, Esq.

Traite de la Fievre Jaune de L'Amerique, 8vo., Paris, 1803. Par L. Valentin, M. D., by the author.

Memorial of the French, in reply to the English, respecting the war of 1755, Philadelphia, 1757, by Dr. Mease.

Alcoran of Mahomet, from the French of Du Ryer, London, 4to., 1649. Assertion of the seven Sacraments, by Henry VIII, against Luther, 8vo., London, 1688, by T. Stretch, Esq.

Thesaurus Medicis, G. Smellie, 2 vols., 8vo., Edinburgh, 1788—9.— Collection of Pennsylvania Almanacs, by Franklin, &c., 1720 to 1748, by Dr. James.

Dr. Hawes' Annual Report to the London Humane Society, 1804.Giles' Sermon on premature Interment. Cautions concerning the Poisons of Lead and Copper, by Dr. A. Fothergill.

Narrative of the Sufferings of Captain Woodward among the Malays, 8vo., London, 1804, by William Vaughan.

English translation of the Geometria of Peter Ramus, from the original, Hanover, 1611, by T. Hamilton.

Account of the Re-establishment, &c. of the University of Wilna, in Russia, by A. Stroynowsky, rector of the university.

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