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an acquaintance with the leading literary and scientific men of the day, among others with Dr. Halley, who read a paper of Dr. Colden's on Animal Secretion before the Royal Society; but his vifit was apparently not devoted exclufively to the purfuits of science, as he at this time married Mifs Alice Chryftie, daughter of a worthy Scotch clergyman of Kelfo, and in 1716 embarked for America with her, resolved to make the colonies his permanent home.

He refumed the practice of his profeffion in Philadelphia, but having had occafion to vifit New York, in 1718, he formed the acquaintance of Governor Hunter, a man of literary accomplishments, and one likely to appreciate the young phyfician. The Governor was, indeed, fo impreffed with his merit that he urged him to come to New York, offering him, as an inducement, the office of Surveyor-General of the Colony.

Colden naturally accepted such an advantageous offer, and removed to New York. Hunter not only fulfilled his promise, but bestowed on Colden the apparently unfuitable office of Master in Chancery.

The fucceffor of Hunter was Governor Burnet, a fon of the celebrated bishop, who adopted his predeceffor's views and friends. Dr. Colden was already efteemed a man of

weight, a report of his in relation to an Act of the Affembly regarding the partition of lands having decided action in regard to it.* It was confequently no matter of furprise that he was, in 1722, called to a feat in the Council, a body of gentlemen felected by the Crown, and forming the upper legislative houfe in the Colony. Colonel Schuyler, who had been removed on the recommendation of Governor Hunter, gave place to Dr. Colden. Honor was not the only gift bestowed; a more fubftantial mark of favor was a grant, in 1720, of two thousand acres of land in what is now the town of Montgomery, Orange County, followed by another of one thousand, which he ftyled the Manor of Coldengham. This placed him among the great landholders of the Colony.

His name appears in the journals of the Legislative Council from May 30, 1722, to his appointment as Lieutenant-Governor, and during his term of fervice he was unremitting and zealous in his labors, adhering firmly to the royal governors, and often involved in the diffenfions that prevailed among the ruling families, whofe petty contentions ended only with the convulfion which fwept them into

His memorial is in the New York Col. Documents, v. 807.

comparative

comparative obfcurity in the new order of things.

While others fought only to mimic the capital in show and parade, Colden went to work to study the climate, geography, native inhabitants, civil and political interefts of the Colony. He was foon regarded as the best informed man on the affairs of the neighboring French colony. By the Indians he was so esteemed that foon after his arrival he was adopted by the Mohawks of Canajoharie. He is fpoken of as better verfed than any other in the geography of the country, and his writings fhow that he was an early and careful obferver of the climate and its influence on health. It may not be impertinent to add that in 1723 he notices the unhealthinefs of the water in New York city, thus calling attention to the neceffity of introducing a water lefs conducive to disease.

He was one of the first to urge the acts passed November 19, 1720, and July, 1722, to prevent New York merchants from fupplying Canada with goods for the Indian trade, thus enabling France to control the west and hem in the English colonies. The act was ftrongly oppofed by fome New York merchants and the large houfes in England concerned in the American trade. But Colden rightly deemed that the greed of a few unpatriotic

unpatriotic individuals should not outweigh the neceffity of fecuring to the English colonies a direct trade with the Weft.

To correct errors on the point he drew up feveral valuable papers-among them, an account of the Trade of New York and an account of the Climate of New York,+ both of which Governor Burnet tranfmitted to England. There the obnoxious acts had led the London merchants, inftigated by their New York affociates, to address a petition to the king, full of the most egregious errors and falfehoods. The King in Council referred it to the Lords Commiffioners for Trade and Plantations, who advised that no directions fhould be fent to New York till the Governor had feen the petition and fent his reply.

When Governor Burnet received the strange petition he laid it before his Council, who appointed a committee to prepare an answer. The report of the committee, afcribed by Smith and others to Dr. Colden and Mr. Alexander, was a complete answer.§ It con

*Published in New York Colonial Documents, v. 685. Ib. 690. American Medical and Philofophical Register, vol. i.

156.

Smith's Hiftory of New York. London, 1757, p.

§ Smith gives it in full in his History.

cluded

cluded with a recommendation that the peti*tion and the committee's answer be printed. This was done, and the documents were iffued in 1724, accompanied with "A Memorial concerning the Furr Trade of the Province of New York," written by Dr. Colden.

Of this pamphlet, a folio printed by Bradford in 1724, I know only one copy, in the poffeffion of Hon. Henry C. Murphy.

"Papers || relating || to an Act of the Affembly of the Province of New York. For encouragement of the Indian Trade, &c., and for prohibiting the felling of Indian goods to the French, viz.: of Canada."

It is accompanied by the map which is referred to in an advertisement in the work now given.**

These papers were, as we fhall fee, subfequently reprinted in England. They juftified the enlarged views of the Governor of New York, and of his able councillor, who faw the importance of fecuring the country fouth of the lakes to England, yet they beheld these statesmanlike views thwarted by men whom prefent gain blinded to great national interests. The laws were maintained till 1730, when, by fome chicanery

*Page xvii, verso.

not

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