of parliament had already been ob. tained by the Bishop of London, to enable him to dispense with such of the usual requisitions as were inconsistent with the engagements of certain citizens of the United States, who had applied to him for holy orders; and about the time the higher question of succession was agitated, the same subject was brought before the Danish govern. ment, in consequence of a conversation between Mr. Adams, then minister to Great Britain, and the Danish minister to the same court, to which a favourable answer was given; so that the Danish church stood ready in case of difficulty, to confer on the American Episcopal church the necessary powers of Episcopal succession. But it is believed that this incident had no influence on the conduct of the British government or church, both of which are represented by Mr. Peters, in a letter from England, dated March 4th, 1786, as favourably disposed. His opinion was subsequently confirmed by the courteous and friendly reception of the Right Revd. and venerable Bishop White, and his colleagues, who found the Archbishops and all the Bishops who were consulted on the business, acting with the utmost candour and liberality of sentiment; so that it is obvious that the English prelates were from the first ready and desirous to convey the succession to the American church; and that the only condition they made was, that there should not be such a depar. ture, either in discipline, worship, or doctrine, as would destroy the identity of the two churches in their spiritual character.

As a practical farmer, Mr. Peters had from time to time commu.

nicated the results of the experiments made at Belmont, to such of his neighbours as chose to profit by them; but he had not written much, if any thing, upon agriculture, before the year 1797. His first publication was then made, and contained a statement of facts and opinions in relation to the use of Gyp

sum.

This pamphlet circulated widely, and produced such a change in husbandry, by introducing the culture of clover, and other artifi cial grasses, as to give a magical increase to the value of farms. Estates which until then were unable to maintain stock, for want of winter fodder, and summer pasture, were suddenly brought into culture, and made productive. Formerly, on a farm destitute of natural meadow, no stock could be supported; and even where natural meadow existed, the barn yard was exhausted to keep up sufficient fertility, (in the absence of irrigation,) to feed a very few horses and black cattle.

In the year 1770, he was shown the effects of gypsum on clover, in a city lot, occupied by Mr. Jacob Barge, on the commons of Philadelphia.

The secret of its powerful agency, came from Germany, where it was accidentally discovered. Mr. Peters obtained a small quantity, which he used successfully, and gradually promoted its consumption, until by his example, and his publications, the importation from Nova Scotia alone, into the single port of Philadelphia, increased to the amount of fourteen thousand tons annually, before the discovery of that fossil in the United States.

But his rural labours were not confined to the tillage of the ground;

to the mere variety of grasses, or alimental improvement of the soil which produced them. He was zealously employed in improving, by crosses, the breed of sheep and other animals. The broad-tail Barbary rams, procured at Tunis by General Eaton, having been confided to his care, he placed them advantageously, and pressed on the farmers the propriety of using them.

In order to appreciate properly his industry in treating on husband. ry and matters auxiliary to it, we must consult his voluminous communications, published in the Memoirs of the Philadelphia Agricultural Society.

It is not estimating the quantity of his labour too high, by placing it at one fourth of each volume; the quality of these productions is shown by their wide circulation, and great popularity.

As a judge, his purity was of the highest order, and his quickness of perception and sagacity enabled him to appear with great advantage by the side of judge Washington, his associate in the circuit court. Even when they occasionally differed, which was but seldom, his opinions were generally sustained. During the term when they were together, the greatest cordiality existed between them, and they cheerfully co-operated in furthering the ends of justice. Of the admiralty law of the U. States, Judge Peters may be deemed the founder.

His decisions, which are collected with some few others in Peters's Reports, form the ground work of this branch of our juris. prudence; and have been sanctioned, not only by our own courts,

but received the striking tribute of the simultaneous adoption of their principles by Judge Stowell, the distinguished maritime judge of Great Britain.

The qualities of Judge Peters as a friend and companion in social life were remarkable. His ready and brilliant wit made him the admiration of all his acquaintance, while his good taste and kind dis position prevented any violation of decorum or good feeling.

A short time before his decease, he took occasion to declare, that he bore no ill will to any person living, and that he had never suffered the pain of taking vengeance on any

one.

About a fortnight after this declaration, so illustrative of the happy calmness of his mind, while sitting in his chair, he expired without a struggle, at his country residence near Philadelphia; the spot where he was born, and had lived more than 84 years.

DR. GALL.

Aug. 22, 1828. At his country house, at Montrouge, near Paris, aged 71, the celebrated phrenologist, Dr. Gall.

Jean Joseph Gall was born in 1758, in a village of the Duchy of Baden; his parents were in trade. At Baden he first commenced his education. Then at Brucksal, and afterwards at Strasburg, he studied medicine, under professor Hermann. At Vienna in Austria, he became invested with the title of doc. tor, in the year 1785, and afterwards followed the practice of medicine; but at this place he was not permitted to develope his new deas on the functions of the brain,

which he had founded both on scientific study and observations on nature. This opposition to his views at length determined him to visit the north of Germany, and he was well received in all the capitals of the German states, as well as in Prussia, Sweden, and Denmark, and explained his system before several sovereigns, by whom he was honoured with marks of esteem and admiration. He like wise visited England, and at length determined to go to, and reside at Paris. Regarding it as the centre of the learned world, he judged it the most proper of all other places to propagate his doctrine: he therefore repaired to that capital in 1807, where his great reputation had already preceded him. Al though Dr. Gall's lectures had been interdicted at Vienna in 1802, by command of the government, the expense of publishing the great work of Gall and Spurzheim, at Paris, in 1810, was guarantied by Prince Metternich, at that time Austrian minister at the court of France. He had previously attended several courses of Dr. Gall's lectures, consulted him as his physician, and remained attached to him up to the time of his death.

The object which Gall proposed was to dissipate the void which existed in physiology and philo. sophy relative to the situation of the intellectual faculties of man; and, notwithstanding the knowledge of the ancients, and the hitherto received notions which science had taught, yet still its fundamental notions, not by any means perfect, were far from that degree of scientific precision, to which the observations and genius of Gall have conducted us; and, although in the history of science the first ideas of the system may have been dis

covered, yet still it must be allowed that all the proofs belong to him, as well as the conservation of all the great truths which were brought forth in evidence.

The immense labours of Lavater were well calculated to draw the attention of the curious to the subject, and to apply to the back part of the head those observations which he had made on the face and on the frontal region. Our knowledge of the exterior appearances of the head was yet very imperfect and vague, and those who supported the possibility had not the means of demonstrating it; and the form of the head of those pretended connois. seurs, like the facial lines of Lavater, seemed rather coincidences than the necessary connexions between physics and morals. Gall collected these fugitive ideas, and finally imprinted on them a scientific form; and from which has resulted a system-a system of facts, a series of observations, enlightened by reasoning, grouped and arranged in such a manner that there necessarily follows the demonstration of a new truth, fruitful in useful applications, and sensibly advancing the progress of civilization. Such is the character of the celebrated system of craniology invented by Gall, and which it may be said his genius discovered almost instantaneously, although confirmed by the force of immense application. Starting from this point, the able physiologist laboured incessantly in his painful task, and consecrated to it the whole of his life with that indefatigable ardour, of which men of superior minds alone furnish examples; and although he has not completely suc. ceeded in the difficult enterprise, yet he ought not to be reproached; on the contrary, thanks are due to

his memory for the mere attempt; for the service he has rendered to philosophy is immense. He has prepared immortal glory to medical philosophy, in indicating the na. ture of the study which ought to be pursued to give intellectual physio. logy all the development of which it is capable; and moral philosophy itself is much indebted to him, for having diverted it from specula. tions foreign to its true end, and in which the most trifling prejudice is an incalculable loss of time.

Gall was attended in his lectures by the most distinguished persons in Paris, illustrious as well for their learning, as for the eminent dignities they bore in society. The examination of his body took place 40 hours after his death, in presence of several members of the faculty. The exterior appearance of the body presented a considerable falling away, particularly in the face. The skull was sawed off with the greatest precaution. The substance of the brain was consistent, and this organ was firm and perfectly regular. No trace of ossification was remarked in the cerebral arteries, notwithstanding the advanced age of the defunct. The cerebral ventricles were not opened, the brain being expressly ordered to be preserved.

JOHN TAYLOR GILMAN.

September, 1828. At Exeter, John Taylor Gilman, in the 75th year of his age.

John Taylor Gilman was the first son of Nicholas Gilman, and of Ann Taylor, daughter of the Rev. John Taylor, of Milton, Massachusetts: born at Exeter, N. H. December 19th, 1753. Nicholas Gilman, his father, one of the dele.

gates in forming the constitution of the United States, and a mem ber of the senate of the United States at the time of his death, in 1814, was the second of five sons. Nicholas Gilman was engaged in ship-building and navigation. He brought up his sons to business, and gave them the usual preparatory education, which the condition of the province afforded to those who were not designed for the learned professions. The eldest son, inheriting a strong and capacious understanding, was made thoroughly acquainted with accounts, and became early conver sant with the concerns and interests of the province.

At the commencement of the revolutionary contest with Great Britain, New-Hampshire engaged in concert with her sister colonies, in a series of local and popular movements, which were conducted with great spirit, prudence, and promptitude. These measures were rendered more difficult by the personal presence and influence of Lieut. Governor Wentworth, who was highly esteemed for his virtues, although circumstances rendered it necessary for him to withdraw from the government of the province. This event took place in the year 1775. On the removal of the public offices, which ensued, for safe keeping, from Portsmouth to Exeter, in the course of the same year, Nicholas Gilman was elected Treasurer by the provin cial convention.

On the morning after the news was received of the action at Lexington, Mr. John T. Gilman marched as a volunteer in a company hastily formed, of more than a hundred, from Exeter, which slept the - same night at Andover, and en

camped the next day at noon on Cambridge Common. But the alarm which continued to prevail upon the seaboard, with the ab. sence of so great a portion of the active population, who had carried away all the arms that were of use, occasioned an application for their return. He was, soon after his return home, employed in several affairs of importance in the service of the state; taking charge of a large quantity of arms received from France for delivery to the New-Hampshire regiments; and procured large quantities of clo. thing, so much wanted, for the army.

Mr. Gilman was also employed some time to assist his father as treasurer. In the outset, they adopted the same method in New-Hampshire which prevailed in Massachusetts, where the treasurer was accustomed to give his orders on the collectors; but Mr. Gilman's father refused to follow it, and determined to pursue a different course. It is recorded as a singu. lar fact, that New-Hampshire lost nothing, in the administration of its finances, during the course of the revolution. Although this was, in some measure, to be attributed to after causes, in the administration of the same department by his son and successor, it is entitled, also, to a particular mention in this place, as laying that foundation of a judicious and well-ordered system observed in managing the state finances, which contributed towards the final result.

In 1779, Mr. Gilman was chosen a member of the legislature of the state, and thence elected one of the committee of safety. This com. mittee, consisting of from seven to nine, was composed of persons

chosen from the legislature; and, by not being re-elected to that body, they vacated their seats at the board. Several were chosen delegates to congress. The committee was in constant session during the whole revolution.

In October, 1780, a delegation from the New-England states and New-York convened first at Hartford, to consult on the public emer. gencies, and provide for the necessary means of common defence. The rest of the states, except NewHampshire, were represented by several delegates. Mr. Gilman

was the only delegate appointed from that state, and was very averse to undertaking the duty alone; but his objections were overcome by the urgency of President Weare and General Folsom, with the advice of Mr. John Langdon and others. There was not, at the time, money enough in the treasury to bear his expenses. "Things looked dark," Mr. Gilman observed, " in the fall of 1780;" and he long after recalled a conversation he had at that period with JOHN SLOSS HOBART, one of the delegates from New-York, who was considerably his senior in years, (afterwards senator in congress, and judge of the United States district court,) and which, on Mr. Gilman's part, probably, betokened some solici. tude, at that critical season of the revolution. "Don't give yourself any concern," said Mr. Hobart, raising his finger upward, "it is written there, we shall be free!" The only person living of this convention, since Mr. Gilman, is believed to be Judge Benson, another delegate from New-York.

In March, 1781, Mr. Gilman was appointed a delegate to congress, but did not take his seat.