UNITED STATES OF AMERICA WASHINGTON, D. C, GPO 16—67244-1 0 H EULOGIUM. ^ EULOGIUM ON Doctor William ^htppcn. DELIVERED BEFORE THE COLLEGE OF PHYSICIANS OF PHILADELPHIA, MARCH, 1809. DOCTOR CASPAR WISTAR, ONE OF THE CENSORS. PHILADELPHIA: PUBLISHED BY THOMAS DOBSON AND SON, AT THE STONE HOUSE, No. 41, SOUTH SECOND STREET. William Fry, Printer. 1818. ^ \»%«fc**>'^ College of Physicians of Philadelphia, April 7th, 1818. The Eulogium on our former President, Doctor William Shippen, delivered before the College in March, 1809, by Doctor Caspar Wistar, one of the Censors, is now directed to be published. Joseph Parrish, Secretary. EULOGIUM. WlLLIAM SHIPPEN, whose memory is honor- ed by the regard which you have expressed for it, descended from one of the associates of the illustri- ous founder of Pennsylvania. His great grandfather, Edward Shippen, settled originally at Boston; but removed to Philadelphia soon after the first arrival of William Penn; in consequence of the proprietor's very pressing request. The part which this gentleman acted in the new settlement, fully justified the pro- prietor's invitation—for he filled, successively, almost all the important offices in the government; and con- tributed greatly to the improvement of Philadelphia. His sons do not appear to have taken an active part in public affairs ; but his grandsons, Edward Shippen, father of the late Chief Justice, and Doctor William 8 Shippen, senior, father of our late President, were distinguished citizens of Pennsylvania. Doctor Shippen, senior, was educated wholly in Philadelphia, and at an early period in the last cen- tury ; when, from the state of the Colony, the oppor- tunities of improvement must have been very limited; and yet, by the force of his native genius, he rose to a very respectable rank among his colleagues, who had the benefit of education in Europe, on a liberal and extensive plan. From one of these he took lessons in Anatomy, and became, by study, a proficient in Chemistry and Natural Philosophy. In the very ho- nourable public exertions made by the physicians of his day, he bore his proportionate part; and in addi- tion to his efforts for the benefit of his native state, was very active in favour of the College of New Jer- sey. He relinquished the practice of medicine about the sixtieth year of his life, but lived a long time after,—his health and intellectual powers continuing in great perfection to the advanced age of ninety.— His son, the subject of this memoir, was born in the year 1736, and passed the early part of his life in Philadelphia. At the usual age he was placed in a very respectable grammar school, which was kept at 9 Nottingham, in Chester County, by Mr. Finlay, after- wards Principal of the College of New Jersey. At that period, there was no College or large chartered School, between New Haven and Williamsburg in Virginia,—but there were several very valuable pri- vate seminaries in Pennsylvania; and amongst them Mr. Finlay's was much distinguished—particularly for the proficiency of his pupils in the learned lan- guages. Our President appears to have availed himself of the advantages he enjoyed here; for when he was re- moved to the College of New Jersey, which was soon after established at Newark, in that state, he evinced a very critical knowledge of the Latin Language.— Public speaking was much practised there; and at this time young Shippen began to display that elocution which was so conspicuous during his life. He passed through the usual studies, and graduated under Pre- sident Burr. His great reputation as a speaker pro- cured for him the office of valedictory orator at the commencement; in which he acquitted himself so well, that the celebrated preacher Whitefield, who happened to be present, addressed him publicly: and s 10 after declaring that he had never heard better speak- ing, urged him to devote himself to the pulpit. This was in 1754; and he spent the three following years in Philadelphia, under the care of his father, as a stu- dent of medicine. The old gentleman must have been made sensible, by his personal experience, of the value of4 an European medical education; and our friend embarked for Europe in the year 1757, soon after he was twenty-one. I have not been able to de- termine whether he had then any views of teaching anatomy. From the particular turn of mind of his father, and his mode of studying anatomy, I think it very probable that he may have first suggested the scheme; but I have heard nothing in support of this opinion. Our friend seems, however, to have devoted himself to the study of this branch of me- dicine, soon after his arrival in Europe; for his first residence was in London, and in the family of Mr. John Hunter, who has since been so deservedly celebrated as a Physiologist and Surgeon. Mr. Hun- ter, at that time, assisted his brother in the Anatomi- cal Lectures, and appears to have devoted all his lei- sure hours to the study of Comparative Anatomy. 11 He was unmarried; and, when at home, some of the objects of his study were always before him. At this place, and at Doctor William Hunter's theatre in Covent Garden, Doctor Shippen spent a great part of his time. Doctor William Hunter was considered as one of the first demonstrators of Anatomy. Shippen was veiy sensible of his excellence, and most probably studied his manner. During his connection with the Hunters', he often associated with the distinguished Mr. William Hewson; and appears to have enjoyed the particular favour of the very eminent Sir John Pringle. He attended, with Pringle, the examination of several patients who had died under his care; and used often to mention the candor of that great phy- sician, in urging John Hunter and Mr. Hewson to declare freely their sentiments of the diseased appear- ances, without regard to his previous opinion. At this time also commenced his acquaintance with the truly philanthropic physician, John Fothergill. The people of Pennsylvania seem always to have been regarded with affection by this gentleman, but at the present pe- riod he was more interested for them than usual. The Pennsylvania Hospital had lately been erected; he took 12 it for granted that students would resort to it, and sup- posed that they would experience great difficulty in acquiring a knowledge of Anatomy. To remedy this defect in the medical education of Pennsylvania, he employed Rimsdyck, one of the first artists of Great Britain, to execute the Crayon paintings now at our hospital; which exhibit the whole structure of the body, at two thirds the natural size; and the gravid uterus, with many of the varied circumstances of natural and preternatural parturition, of the full size. Jenty, an anatomist of London, is said to have made the dissections from which these paintings were taken; and Doctor William Hunter sometimes exam- ined the work. They are supposed to have cost two hundred guineas; and, with one hundred and fifty guineas in addition, which he contributed to the In- stitution, constitute a most substantial proof of his regard as well as of his liberality. It appears, both from the information given by Doctor Shippen, and the letter of Doctor Fothergill which accompanied the paintings, that they had several conversations upon the subject of teaching Anatomy, in America; and it is therefore probable, that the plan must have originated IS at this time. Anatomy was by no means his sole ob- ject of study in London; he appears to have been equally intent upon Midwifery. Doctor Hunter's Lec- tures on this subject were very interesting, and Doc- tor Shippen seems to have attended, with great care, and to have become a convert to most of the peculiar doctrines of Hunter. In the summer season, he also attended the lectures of a celebrated Accoucheur, Doctor M'Kenzie, which were delivered near St. Tho- mas's Hospital, on the south side of London; and he then resided in a very obscure part of the Borough, for the purpose of practising midwifery amongst the poor. During his residence in Great Britain, he studied and graduated at Edinburgh ; and published a thesis on a very important subject, De Placentas cum Utero Nexu. He left Edinburgh with sentiments of the greatest veneration for Cullen and the elder Monro. The ju- nior Professor of that name, who has since acquired so much well merited celebrity, having then only com- menced his professional career. After finishing his studies in Great Britain, he wish- ed to visit France; but this was rendered difficult by 14 the war, which then existed between those countries. On this account his friend, Sir John Pringle, intro- duced him to a lady affected with pulmonary consump- tion, who interested king George II. to obtain, from the court of France, permission to travel, for the benefit of her health, in the southern parts of that country. Ship- pen accompanied her in a medical capacity; and, in consequence, formed a more intimate acquaintance with the celebrated Senac, and some other physicians of Paris, than he could otherwise have done. During his residence in Great Britain, he mar- ried his countrywoman, Miss Lee of Virginia, daugh- ter of Thomas Lee; a gentleman of the first respect- ability in the Colony, and President of the Governor's Council. He resided a short time in France, and returned to his native country in the year 1756, fully determin- ed to teach Anatomy by dissection ; and to practise Midwifeiy, by attending cases in the first instance. As both these schemes were new to a large majority of the community, in which they were to be executed, the undertaking must have been considered as very delicate. A perfect acquaintance with the two subjects 15 was not all that was necessary to insure success ; few things require more knowledge of human nature, and greater powers of accommodation to the feelings of the human heart. In forming an opinion of the qualifications of Doc- tor Shippen in these respects, we must not keep in mind the old man we have latterly been accustomed to see; who was not only much changed by time, but by heart-rending disappointment, and a succession of diseases. We shall find the description of him, when he returned from Europe, most essentially different. Nature had been uncommonly bountiful in his form and aspect; his manners were extremely elegant; his pronunciation was fine : he belonged to a family, proverbial for good temper; his father, dur- ing the long life of ninety years, had scarcely ever been seen out of humour; and he had a strong resem- blance to his father. In his intercourse with men, he was perfectly at his ease with the most stately—he could converse with the most ignorant so as to make them easy, but without affecting ignorance himself; he could mix with the lowest orders of society, with- out imposing a painful restraint on them, whilst he 16 preserved the manners of a well-bred gentleman. He was also particularly agreeable to young people. At this period he was known to almost every citizen of Phila- delphia, and yet it is probable that there was no one who did not wish him well. This portrait is strongly coloured, but there are yet many amongst us who re- member the original, and to them I appeal for its truth. If Doctor Shippen was fortunate, in possessing many of the personal requisites, for the undertaking in which he was about to engage; I believe it will appear, that he was equally so as to the particular state of medicine in the city when he commenced it. To render this evident, I will quit, for a short time, the proper subject of my memoir, and take a general view of the successive practitioners of medicine in Philadelphia, in the order of time in which they lived. The first physicians were two Welsh gentlemen, who came with the original settlers, in 1682. One of these, Thomas Wynne, is said to have practised with great reputation in London; but he died within ten years after his arrival, and was much engaged in political business during his residence here. He therefore does not appear to have given any particular direction to 17 the medical profession, but his pupil, Edward Jones of Merion, on the west side of Schuylkill, a man of great worth, educated a son iri his own profession. This son continued the professional education to his nephew, our respected predecessor, Doctor Cadwallader; and he extended it to our late beloved Vice President, Doctor John Jones. The other original physician was Griffith Owen, who arrived in the prime of life, and lived here many years. This gentleman appears to have done the principal medical business of Philadel- phia, and was highly respected for his professional talents, integrity, and spirit. If the circumstance had not occurred so often, that we are become familiar to it, we should be greatly surprised, that a practitioner of this description, should pass through life, without committing to writing any account of the diseases which occurred; or of the method of treating them which he found most efficacious : such, however, seems to have been the fact. He died in 1717, about the age of seventy ; and left a son, who practised me- dicine here some time after his father's death. I have not heard of any physicians of respectability in Phila- delphia, but these, from the first settlement, until the c 18 arrival of Doctor John Kearsly senior, and Doctor Grasme; the latter of these gentlemen came here in the year in which Doctor Owen died.—Doctor Kearsly probably arrived some time before. I believe Kearsly came in quest of a professional birth. He was, for a long time, a very industrious practitioner, both in medicine and surgery; but, like Doctor Owen, he does not appear to have committed to paper any of his professional observations. Although he made no exertions to increase the progress, either of medicine or of general science, yet he was not deficient in public spirit. Philadelphia was more indebted to him than to any other man, for that respectable edifice, Christ Church; and, by will, he founded and endowed a hospital for poor widows. He educated our late respectable President, Doctor John Redman, and the worthy Doctor John Bard, of New York. His cotemporary, Doctor Graeme, came to Philadelphia from Great Britain, with the governor, Sir William Keith; and, of course, had an advantageous introduc- tion. He was about thirty years of age, when he ar- rived; a man of excellent education and agreeable manners—and was therefore much employed as a 19 practitioner, and greatly confided in by his fellow citizens; but, like Kearsly, the promotion of science does not appear to have occupied much of his atten- tion. He exhibited, however, to the people of this part ef America, an object, which was then entirely new to most of them; a very large farm, Graeme Park, completely surrounded with hedge, and embellished with great taste and elegance. Although Philadelphia, in the early part of the ca- reer of these gentlemen, does not appear to have held out many advantages in medical science, yet two young men, who received all their education here, made a very respectable proficiency. Doctor Ship- pen, senior, whom I have already mentioned, was one of them; and Doctor Lloyd Zachary the other. Doctor Zachary was very nearly related to those distinguished citizens, Isaac and Charles Nor- ris. He probably commenced the practice of medicine between 1720 and 30, and died in the year 1756; in the middle period of life, greatly and most deservedly respected. These two last mentioned gentlemen may be considered as belonging to the medical period in which Doctor Shippen's undertaking commenced; 20 for, although Doctor Zachary died some years before, yet he acted an important part in several of the trans- actions which distinguish this time. He was one of the founders, both of the College and of the Hospital, and a very liberal contributor to each. We have now come to the time of those physicians, who were in practice when Doctor Shippen arrived. The eldest of them was our eminent predecessor, Thomas Bond. This celebrated physician and sur- geon was a native of Maryland; and studied there under Doctor Hamilton, a very learned practitioner. Doctor Bond travelled in Europe, and spent a con- siderable time in Paris, where he attended the prac- tice of the Hotel Dieu. He commenced the practice of medicine in this city, about the year 1734, and soon attracted the pub- lic attention. He was amongst the founders of the College and Academy, and one of the most active managers of the Pennsylvania Hospital, at its com- mencement; and with his brother, Phineas Bond, and Lloyd Zachary, made the first offer to attend that in- stitution, as physicians and surgeons. He was an active officer of the Philosophical Society, from its 21 first establishment; and appears, by the old records, to have been a member of a smaller society, institut- ed in 1743; of which Doctor Benjamin Franklin, William Coleman, John Bartram the botanist, and Doctor Phineas Bond, were also members. This so- ciety, in 1768, united with another which had also been a long time in existence; and the united bodies then assumed the name and form which they now employ. His brother, Doctor Phineas Bond, who wag several years younger, was also educated in Mary- land; but he had studied medicine upon a most ex- tensive scale; for he passed a considerable time at Leyden, Paris, Edinburgh and London; and was not only well disposed to promote, but well qualified to judge, of every undertaking for the improvement of his country. In conjunction with the much respected Thomas Hopkinson, he originated the scheme of the College, now the University of Pennsylvania. Not practising surgery, he moved in a different line from his brother; but no medical man in Pennsylvania ever left behind him a higher character for professional sagacity, or for the amiable qualities of the heart. Doctor Thomas Cadwallader, who has already been 22 named, comes now to be again mentioned. To complete his education, he went to England; and, I believe, also to France. In England he studied Anatomy un- der the celebrated Cheselden; and, according to cor- rect information, I find, that on his return to Philadel- phia, he made dissections and demonstrations, for the instruction of the elder Doctor Shippen, and some others, who had not been abroad. This, proba- bly, was the first business of the kind ever done in Pennsylvania. From the place of its performance, the back part of the lot on which the Bank of Pennsylvania now stands, I suppose, that the Anatomy of that day, as well as of the present, enjoyed the honourable pro- tection of literature; and that the dissections were made under the auspices of the most profound scho- lar of Pennsylvania; the President, James Logan, founder of the Loganian Library. Cadwallader made equal steps with the Bonds, in promoting the interests of the Hospital, College, and Philosophical Society; and always had a great share of well-merited influence with his fellow citizens. Doctor Shippen, senior, although his opportunities 23 had been very different, supported, at that period, equal rank in his profession with these gentlemen; and also paid great attention to the public objects I have mentioned. The fifth man of this class, was our late worthy President, Doctor John Redman. He first studied in Philadelphia, under Kearsly; and then, in quest of improvement, visited London, Edinburgh, and Paris; and graduated in Leyden, a short time after the death of Boerhaave. His professional education was there- fore of a superior kind. He was much employed as a practitioner, soon after his return to the city; and, was long a faithful physician of the Hospital. He was also a trustee of the College, and a member of the Philosophical Society; but he had very little leisure, either for literary or philosophical pursuits; for the number of his patients was immense. The youngest physician of this class was Doctor Cadwallader Evans. This gentleman had been one of the first pupils of Thomas Bond, but completed his medical education in England. He was a descendant of a much venerated early settler; and, with the rest of his family, retained the virtue and character of 24 tbeir ancestor; having a great share of public spirit, as well as of professional worth. Such were our predecessors. From this short sketch of their history, I think it may be inferred, that they effected a most important change in the literature and science of their country; and that Doctor Shippen could have had no better men for patrons.—When we consider the state of the public mind, as evinced by the establishment of the Hospital, College, and the Philosophical Society, soon after,—when we re- flect, that the experiments of Franklin, on the light- ning of heaven, must have prepared our fellow citizens for the investigation of every other part of nature, and that the sacred principle of toleration, established by our great founder, may also have operated in favour of Anatomy;—we must conclude, that Shippen could not have fixed upon any part of the new world, which, at that time, was more promising than Philadelphia. He was not disposed to neglect any of these advan- tages. He arrived in May, 1762, and the anatomical paintings came soon after. The disinterested philan- thropy of Fothergill, was satisfied with mentioning 25 them in a private letter to his worthy acquaintance^ James Pemberton, without a formal presentation to the Hospital. Our friend was the first to notify their arrival to the managers of the Institution, and to offer his assistance in making a proper arrangement of them. Mr. Pemberton produced his letter, dated April, 1762; by which it appeared, that Fothergill expect- ed Doctor Shippen would explain them. He men- tions Shippen's intention to give lectures; says, " that he is well qualified; that he will soon be followed by an able assistant, Doctor John Morgan; and, that if countenanced by the legislature, they will be very useful, and erect a school of medicine." The paint- ings were soon put up, and may be considered as the precursors of Doctor Shippen's dissections; for, in the autumn of the same year, as soon as the season per- mitted, his first course of Anatomy began. The intro- ductory lecture was delivered in one of the large apartments of the State-House, and many of the gen- tlemen of Philadelphia heard it with pleasure; but the number of students, who attended his course, amount- ed only to twelve,—such was the origin of our medi- cal school. I hope this statement will convey satisfac- D 26 tory information, to those of my auditors, who may not have known, why the College of Physicians feels great respect for the memory of Doctor Shippen. He gave three courses of lectures, unconnected with any institution; when, May 3d, 1765, Doctor John Morgan laid before the trustees of the College, a plan for establishing a Medical School, under their auspices; accompanied with a letter from the honour- able Thomas Penn; recommending the Doctor and his plan to their patronage. It appears by the minutes of the board, that in consequence of this and other letters, from their high sense of his abilities, and the honours conferred on him abroad, they unanimously appointed Doctor Morgan, Professor of the Theory and Practice of Medicine, at this meeting. And in the same month, at a commencement of graduates in the arts, Doctor Morgan delivered a very appropriate address, on the establishment of medical schools in America. In September, Doctor Shippen addressed a letter to the trustees, stating, that the institution of medical schools had been his favourite object, for seven years; and that hehad proposed it three years before, in his first introductory lecture; upon which, he was immediately 27 and unanimously, chosen Professor of Anatomy and Surgery. Five of the six physicians of Philadelphia were trustees of the College. They united with Doc- tor William Smith, the Provost, and the two medical Professors, in digesting a code of rules for the new establishment; and thus gave it the academic form, which has ever since been of the greatest utility. The Anatomical Lectures were regularly delivered, from year to year, until the fourteenth course, which was in the winter of 1775; when they were suspended, by the war of the Revolution. The annual number of students, by this time, had increased to between thirty and forty. Doctor Adam Kuhn, and Doctor Benjamin Rush had been appointed Professors; and had lectured several years, very successfully, on Materia Medica, and on Chemistry. Several graduations of Batche- lors of Medicine had taken place. James Tilton of Delaware, Jonathan Elmer of New Jersey, the late Jonathan Potts, and the late Nicholas Way, had taken the degree of Doctor of Medicine The school, of course, was completely established; and Doctor Shippen's character, as a lecturer, was de- 28 cided by the number of his students; for he had now taught nearly three hundred and forty. Many of them afterwards went abroad, to perfect their edu- cation, and returned to practise in their native country. All these travellers, I believe, without a sin- gle exception, and without conferring together, de- clared that they had met with no man who was supe- rior to Doctor Shippen, as a demonstrator of Anatomy; and very few indeed, that were equal to him. In explaining the success of Doctor Shippen, in teaching Anatomy, we must take into view another faculty, which he also exerted with great effect. He went through the substance of each preceding lecture by interrogation, instead of recapitulation;—He thus fixed the attention of the students; and his manner was so happy, that this very serious business pro- ceeded like a piece of amusement. His irony was of a delicate kind,—and was so blended with good humour, that he could repress for- wardness, and take notice of negligence, so as to admonish the spectators, without too much exposing the defaulter. Such was his character, and such his merit, as a 29 teacher of Anatomy; when these functions were sus- pended, by his entering into the medical department of the army, in the year 1776. Previously to this, he built, at his own expense, a theatre for teaching Ana- tomy. And he appears to have been a zealous mem- ber of the Philosophical Society: for he was appointed on many of the permanent committees of that body; and he preserved, during the American revolution, all the journals and original papers of the institution which escaped destruction. Although he continued in the army, from 1776 to 1780, his anatomical lectures were suspended only during the winters of 1776 and 1777. He afterwards came to the city, for the purpose of delivering the accustomed courses, which were necessarily shorter than usual. In January, 1781, he resigned the post of Director General, three months after he had been, a second time, elected to it; and came to Philadelphia, determined to resume all his former pursuits. He had apartments of his own construction, everyway adequate to the accommodation of his class; and also made proper arrangements for teaching practical Anatomy. 30 During many years, he devoted himself very much to the practice of Midwifery; and, by this means, effected a great change in the habits of the city. From the account already given, of the studies and manners of Doctor Shippen, it is evident, that he was particularly calculated for succeeding in this under- taking; but there was an inherent difficulty in the business. Although it is a self-evident truth, that the important process of parturition, ought to be superin- tended by persons, whose professional knowledge will enable them to decide confidently, and to act promptly, when the case requires it; yet, in Philadelphia, at this time, there were very few occasions where medical men were employed for this purpose in the first in- stance. It was only when something very important was to be done, that they were resorted to; and, very often, when it was too late. This was altogether the effect of a mistaken sentiment, and not of necessity; for several of the medical gentlemen were accou- cheurs: and our late worthy President, Doctor Red- man, had been declared, by Doctor Bond, to be the best accoucheur he had ever known; and yet he at- tended very few natural labours. Doctor Shippen did 31 away this prejudice; for in the course of ten years he became very fully employed. He also taught Mid- wifery. Prior to the revolution, he seems to have had a distinct class of students in this branch; but, after that period, he delivered a short course to his general class; and, brilliant as Doctor Shippen often was, I believe there was no lecture in which he shone so much, as in his introductory one to Midwifery, upon the subject of address and deportment. In every civilized country, the proper commencement of this business, by a young man, is an affair of great delicacy; and requires the combined exertion of good sense and address, with some knowledge of human nature. Shippen's auditors were generally young, and probably, unused to reflections of this kind. He, there- fore pourtrayed, in strong colours, the feelings of deli- cate women, on such occasions; and from thence inferred the necessity of the physician's avoiding every appearance of ofneiousness, and of waiting till his interference was really necessary; when, he de- clared, it would ever be gratefully received. After lecturing and practising, as Accoucheur, Surgeon, and Physician, for ten or twelve years, sub- 32 sequent to leaving the army, his habits suffered an immense alteration, by an occurrence, which, as far as respected himself, was one of the most important and afflicting, that he had ever experienced. He had raised but two children; and, of these, one only, was a boy. His son had every advantage in edu- cation, that good sense, and knowledge of human na- ture, that respectable connections, and finally, that money could procure for him; and, such were his talents and application, that his proficiency was equal to his opportunities. He had often been caressed by Washington—he went abroad, and visited France, un- der the auspices of Jefferson,—whilst in England, he enjoyed the countenance of the late President Adams: and was on intimate terms with Lord Shelburne. His - letters from those countries, were so replete with infor- mation and good sense, that they gave great pleasure to many persons, to whom his delighted father used to read them. After four years of absence, he returned. and proved to be exactly what his father wished. He was not only a man of talents and information, but of great virtue and strong filial affection. Shippen would have loved him as a friend, had there been no 33 otber connection between them. The regard excited by these qualities, added to the strong natural affec- tion of Shippen, produced an attachment to his son, which has seldom been equalled. He seemed, like James Boswell, in the case of Doctor Samuel John- son, to lose sight of himself, and forget that he also had a part to act; so fully was his attention absorbed by this endeared object. His strongest wish was, to pass the remainder of his life as his son's guest. He, there- fore, gave him the fairest portion of his estate; and, to obtain leisure and exemption from care, procured the establishment of an adjunct professorship of Ana- tomy. But, alas! instead of realizing any of these fond hopes, Shippen had to endure a disappointment, the most painful, which suffering humanity can experience. In 1792, his son began to complain of ill health; the father devoted to him almost all his time, and consulted, occasionally, all his medical friends; but in vain. After a great variety of efforts for his relief, and much suffering on his part, he died, in 1798. And the object, upon which Shippen founded hopes of comfort, for the remainder of his life, and which he had contemplated E 34 with increasing tenderness for thirty years, was,—for- ever,—done away. This overwhelming stroke did not prostrate him, for he appeared able to endure it; but it did him a greater injury, by destroying the interest he felt in every remaining object. It cut the sinews of his exer- tions, and left him gradually to wither,—the amiable victim of paternal affection. From this time his business, as a practitioner, declined. He seldom lec- tured on Anatomy, and generally with reluctance; although, when he did lecture, he always gave plea- sure to his class; for they constantly received him with smiles, and parted from him with great good humour. The only studies to which he applied himself, after this period, were those of a religious nature. He was educated in the doctrines of the Presbyterian church; but he now read and thought much upon the subject of universal restoration; and finally, adopted that belief, with great confidence. About three years ago, his spirits appeared again to return; but he was attacked with vertigo, which greatly depressed him, and was soon followed by symptoms of hydrothorax. 35 Last winter he delivered the introductory lecture, though very infirm, and unlike what he had formerly been. He was, however, much roused by the appear- ance of the class, in the new theatre; and feelingly described his emotions, upon comparing these, with his original set of students, forty years before; and, upon reflecting, that every medical professor in the institution had been taught Anatomy by himself. In- deed, it was impossible that he could survey the result of his anatomical labours without sincere satisfaction. Of his elder students, there were some to be found in almost every state, from Rhode-Island to Geor- gia; who were amongst the most distinguished of their profession; and, in latter times, he had seen the pupils of his school, extend in varying directions, from the Hudson far beyond the Ohio, and from the shores of lake Erie, to the borders of the gulph of Mexico. During this course, he lectured, as usual, on Mid- wifery; but in the succeeding spring his debility in- creased, and he removed, early in the summer, to Germantown. Here he was attacked by an anthrax, 36 which so much increased his debility, that he sunk under it, on the eleventh day of July, 1808. From this review of the professional life of Doctor Shippen, it appears, that he had the peculiar talent of successfully promoting an oDJect of immense utility to his country; and, that his steadiness in pursuit thereof, entitles him to be ranked amongst the benefactors of mankind. To this, it ought to be added; that, after an eventful life, he left the world without an enemy; whilst many indeed, sincerely regret, that the ami- able— SHIPPEN IS NO MORE! Mexl H.si. WZ MO