there, on purpose to avert the calamity of poison from him. This Mrs. T. was no relation of the Secretary, but was in good esteem, and eventually received a pension.

Mr. Thomson, from his long life, habits of thinking, and close observation of men and things, was well qualified to have given many anecdotes of the olden times in our country. Very often I endeavoured to prompt him to write some memorial of what he had seen and remembered, but although he never declined it, he never attempted it; yet he loved full well to relate them to me, (some of them I have preserved in my Annals of Philadelphia.)

Charles Thomson was at once affable and dignified, nothing of arrogance or hauteur ever appeared in his deportment. He was readily accessible to all men. He possessed a steady religious influence, without any alloy of superstition or fanaticism. His education had inclined him as a Presbyterian, but his affections, I think, most accorded with the Quakers. He, however, allied himself with none. He loved to say he was "attached to no system, nor peculiar tenets of any sect or party," and for that reason he thought himself the better qualified to be the faithful translator of the Septuagint. He was tall and becomingly slender in his person, and to his very last day stood as erect as a column. He never used spectacles, and retained his teeth; he looked younger than his years, although he possessed no ruddiness of cheek to enliven his features; he was regular and temperate in his diet; and for causes like these long bore "his age like a lusty winter." His mind, I am sorry to add, fell into decay even while his body was still vigorous and active. The particulars of this misfortune I shall relate by way of conclusion to this article, already longer than I at first purposed.

In the spring of 1824, having made a visit to Harriton, I had an opportunity, at once, to see the person of Charles Thomson, then in his 95th year, and to deplore the mental ruins of my venerated friend. My observations and emotions while there, have been so poetically expressed by another friendly visiter at that time, that I shall be glad to support my remarks by some of his concurrent ideas. I perceived that his countenance and figure were very little changed.

He was in full dress reclining on his sofa, and on my name's being announced to him, he could by no means remember me, although he made several brief inquiries, as if to learn more particularly who I was. But as if to make amends, he was very courteous, and cheerfully and with many smiles expressed thankfulness for the usual expressions of kindness and inquiry extended to him. On his sofa he passed much of his time, slumbering often thereon throughout the day:

"Thy memory slipt

Her treacherous cable from the reeling mind,
Blotting the chart whereon it loved to gaze,
Amid the sea of years."

His appetite and general health seemed quite good; he had lost all ideas of books and former things, and passed his time in silence, unless spoken to.

"To his dull ear

I spoke the message of a friend, but the name
Restored no image of the cherished form
He once esteemed."

A circumstance occurred at the dinner table, at the head of which he was regularly placed, although unconscious of the intended honor, which sufficiently marked the aberration of his mind, even while it showed that "his very failings leaned to virtue's side." While the grace was delivering by the Rev. Mr. Jones, Mr. Charles Thomson began, in an elevated and audible voice, to say the Lord's Prayer, nor did he desist, or regard the voice of the other, although his blessing was also uttering at the same time! It was remarkable that the prayer was all said in the words of his own translation, and with entire correctness throughout; thus proving, as I conceive, that the moral faculties are much more enduring than the intellectual ones.*

"Deep that thrilling prayer

Sunk into my bosom, when up he rose,

And with a seer-like majesty poured forth
His holy adjuration."

He made no remark at table, and did not appear to give any heed to the conversation of others around the board. He ate with discrimination whatever was set before him, but asked for nothing. For some time it has been remarked, that his mental faculties were most impaired at the times of the two equinoxes.

In the rooms I observed a silver urn of large dimensions, a present from the Congress of 1774; a full-sized bust of John Paul Jones, the celebrated naval commander; an engraved likeness of the Count de Vergennes; another of Charles J. Fox; also a large print of William Tell and the surrounding spectators and scenery. These were generally presents, and showed the nature of his former, but now lost companionship.

"They brought the trophies forth which he had won,
And spread them in his sight; a nation's thanks,
Graved on the massy ore, which misers love;

But vacantly he gazed, and caught no trace

Of lost delight."

وو

Busy as my affections had often been with the memory and memorials of William Penn, the founder, I could not forbear, while I gazed

The Rev. Dr. Magaw, of Philadelphia, presented a similar case. He lost all recollections of time, place, &c., and yet retained without any diminution his strong regard for religious obligation and duty-so much so that he always continued his morning and evening prayers, and at his meals regularly invoked the Divine blessing.

on Charles Thomson, to recur back to that patriarch's closing scene, when he also, bereft of his wonted reason, still had a heart of undiminished affection and veneration for God; of him it was said, even as it might be equally justly of Thomson, "As a vessel early filled with choice wine, will, even after it is empty, still refresh the sense with the precious odor of what it once contained, so he, though almost gone, still sustained the excellent sense of his angel-like affections and character

warm.

"When I saw

This triumph of our faith-this gem that glowed
Bright 'mid the dross of man's infirmity,

Low on the earth I laid my lip, and said,

Oh! let me with the righteous die; and be
My end like his !" "

N.B. I have seen and read some interesting biographical notice of Charles Thomson by his friend and kinswoman, Deborah Logan.

XVII.-Minutes of the Proceedings of the Officers of the Pennsylvania Regiment, between 1764 and 1774, in relation to their obtaining a grant of land upon the west branch of the Susquehanna.

We, the Lieutenant Colonels Commandant, Major, Captains, Lieutenants and Ensigns of the Pennsylvania Regiment, whose names are under written, being desirous of forming a settlement within the province of Pennsylvania, do voluntarily engage and subject ourselves, our heirs, administrators and executors, upon the nonperformance of the undermentioned articles, to forfeit and pay double the sum to each of our names respectively by our own hands affixed, it being the present lawful money of the aforesaid province; to be sued for and recovered in any Court of Record within the kingdom of Great Britain, or any other part of His Majesty's dominions in America.

ARTICLE 1. We do appoint Lieut. Colonel Turbutt Francis, Lieut. Colonel Asher Clayton, Major John Philip de Haas, and the Captains Samuel Lindsey, Samuel Hunter, James Irvine and William Plunket, our Commissioners, to make application to the Honorable John Penn, Esq., our present Governor, and to the Honorable Thomas Penn and Richard Penn, Esqs., true and absolute proprietors of the province of Pennsylvania, to obtain a title in our favor for a tract or a parcel of land sufficiently extensive and conveniently situated, whereon to erect a compact and defencible town, and also to accommodate each of us with a reasonable and commodious plantation; which land and lots of ground, if obtained, we do agree shall be proportionably divided according to our several ranks and subscriptions. And we do hereby give full power and authority to the said Commissioners to make the above application in our name, and on our behalf, and to act and do for us in all respects as though we were there ourselves present.

ARTICLE 2. We do agree, that provided the commissioners think

necessary in prosecuting the above scheme to go to further expense than the first sum by us paid into their hands will extend, that then upon our declining to advance such further sum as shall be by the majority of the subscribers judged reasonable, we do forever quit claim to any share of the mentioned land, and do effectually forfeit all right to the first sum paid, or any advantage or profit arising therefrom.

ARTICLE 3. Upon obtaining a grant for said land, and upon being informed of the proprietary terms, we shall and will comply therewith; and if the positive resolves of a majority of the Society do require that each subscriber shall build a house in the town, or improve a tract of the land within a certain time by them limited, we will comply therewith, and perform accordingly, either in our own persons or by some other by us appointed, otherwise forfeit for ever all right to the premises to those of the Society who do comply with the above Articles.

ARTICLE 4. We, the Commissioners, by the rest of our associates above appointed, do bind ourselves, our heirs, executors and administrators, under the forfeiture of double the whole sum below subscribed, that we will apply the money so paid into our hands, only to the purposes abovementioned. And further, that if, after our purpose is obtained, or we think prudent to stop the prosecution of the scheme, then the overplus money remaining in our hands shall be by us refunded to the subscribers in proportion to their original subscriptions.

ARTICLE 5. And finally, we do conclude and agree to and with each other, that we will punctually and faithfully perform each for himself, all the Articles, Clauses and Covenants herein before mentioned, and intended to be mentioned, according to the true intent and meaning hereof, and that we will at any time hereafter, if thereto required by the Commissioners aforesaid, sign, seal, perfect and publish any Article, Deed or Instrument of writing whatsoever, tending to the above purpose as by them or their attorney learned in the law, shall be judged necessary. In witness whereof we have each for himself interchangeably set our hands and the sums by us subscribed. Dated this eighth day of September, one thousand seven hundred and sixty-four.

Philadelphia, March 28th, 1765.

Thursday, 5 o'clock, P. M.-Lieut. Colonel Turbutt Francis, Lieut. Colonel Asher Clayton, Major John Philip de Haas and Captain James Irvine, Commissioners, being met to consult what measures would be most proper to pursue in prosecuting the aforesaid scheme, were of opinion that it would be necessary to apply to an Attorney for his advice and assistance in drawing up a Petition: and, that if William Allen, Esquire, would countenance the scheme, it would be of great service to the Society. Agreed to wait upon him and request his interest. Col. Francis was desired to apply to the Governor and such other gentlemen as he should think would be likely to promote the plan.

Saturday, March 30th, 10 o'clock, A. M.

Agreeably to the minutes of the 28th inst., Lt. Col. T. Francis, Lt. Col. A. Clayton, Maj. J. P. de Haas and Capt. J. Irvine waited upon William Allen, Esq., informed him of the agreement made by the officers of the Pennsylvania Regiment, and of the intended application to the proprietors for a tract of land on the waters of Susquehanna, and requested his interest, which he promised in the fullest manner, and gave great reason to expect success from the proprietors.

Applied to Edward Shippen, Esq. for advice, gave him ten pounds, and desired he should draw up a Petition for us, in the strongest light.

At a meeting of the Commissioners appointed by the officers of the Pennsylvania Regiment, Monday, April 1st, 1765:

Present, Lieut. Col. T. Francis, Maj. J. P. de Haas, Lieut. Col. A. Clayton and Capt. James Irvine.

Mr. Shippen having desired the Commissioners to give him the heads of their petition in writing, Col. Francis was desired to wait upon him with the following instructions.

To Edward Shippen, Esq.

SIR-As a great number of officers of the 1st and 2d Battalions of the Pennsylvania Regiment, have entered into articles of agreement with each other, to make a settlement on the land bordering on the Susquehanna, provided they can obtain a grant from the proprietors, of a tract sufficient for that purpose; you will therefore represent the great advantage such a settlement will be to the Province, particularly in case of a future war with the Indians, as we propose to settle it immediately on obtaining a grant; and are determined to give all the encouragement in our power to the soldiers who have served in this Province, to settle with us.

The quantity we petition for is 40,000 acres of arable land; 38,000 acres of which to be on the waters of the west branch of Susquehanna, as near in a body as we can possibly find it, the remaining 2000 acres at the place commonly called Shamokin. But as these lands are not within the present purchases, we would request the proprietors to make a new purchase from the Indians. Represent to the proprietors our services to the Province; and, as his Majesty has been pleased to make