Part 108

Here Dr. Rittenhouse’s ends: The remainder of the versification is continued by another hand.

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FIRST ZEPHYR.

Yes! much more pleasing is your task; I would imbrue my wings in dew, And bear the fragrance of these flow’rs, Melinda to refresh, like you.

But see! she breaks through yonder grove, Refulgent as a summer’s morn; Her step is grace—her lip of rose The smiles of modest worth adorn.

Like you, transported, let me fan her; Like you, admire the bounteous maid: For, sure, a fairer face I never Spread forth my cooling wings to aid.

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Diploma.

Praeses et Professores Collegii, seu Universitatis, GULIELMI ET MARIÆ, omnibus at quos præsentes literæ pervenerint, Salutem.—Cum eum in finem gradus academici majoribus nostris prudenter instituti fuerint, ut viri optimé meriti, seu in gremio nostræ matris educati, seu aliundi bonarum artium disciplinis eruditi, istis insignibus a literatorum vulgo secernerentur; sciatis, quod nos, ea sola quæ possumus viâ, gradu Artium Magistri libenter studioséque concesso, testamur quanti facimus DAVIDEM RITTENHOUSE Philosophorum Principem, qui ingenio nativo Machinam celeberrimam, motus et phænomena cœlestium manifestius exhibentem, commentus est:—Idcirco, in solenni convocatione, tricessimo die decembris, Anno Domini millesimo septingentesimo octogesimo quarto, habito, conspirantibus omnium suffragiis, eundem virum egregium, DAVIDEM RITTENHOUSE, Artium Magistrum creavimus et constituimus.—In cujus rei testimonium, sigillum Universitatis, quo in hac parte utimur, præsentibus apponi fecimus. Datum in domo nostræ convocationis, anno domini, die et mense, prædictis.

J. MADISON, Præses, et prof. Ma. and Nat. Phil. G. WYTHE, Leg. et Polit. Prof. ROBERTUS ANDREWS, Math. Prof. CAROLUS BELLINI, Neot. Ling. Prof.

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Diploma.

Præses et Curatores Collegii Neo-Cæsariensis, omnibus has Literas lecturis, plurimam Satutem.

Quandoquidem æquum sit et ratione prorsus, consentaneum, ut ii qui labore et studio bonas didicerunt artes præmia suis meritis digna referant ut et ipsis benè sit, et aliorum provoceter industria.

Quando etiam huc potissimum spectant amplissima illa jura nostro Collegio publico Diplomate collata. Quumque clarissimus vir DAVID RITTENHOUSE sit non tantum Moribus inculpatus et Ingenio insignis, sed et sibi tantam in Artibus liberalibus cognitionem Industria laudabili acquisivit, ut summos Honores Academicos probe mereatur.

Idcirco notum sit omnibus, quod nos, Senatus-consulto Academico nec non Facultatis Artium decreto, supradictum DAVIDEM RITTENHOUSE Titulo Graduque DOCTORIS IN LEGIBUS adornandum, et dehinc pro Adepto et Doctore habendum volumus; cujus, hæc Membrana, Sigillo nostri Collegii rata et Chirographis nostris munita, Testimonio sit.

Datum Aulæ Nassovicæ, Pridie Calendas Octobris Anno MDCCLXXXIX.

JOANNES WITHERSPOON, Præses. Joannes Rodgers, Joannes Bayard, Joannes Woodhull, Guls. Paterson, Isaacus Snowden, Jacobus Boyd, Joannes Beatty, Guliel. M. Tennent, Andreas Hunter, Curatores.

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An English Obituary Notice of Dr. Rittenhouse: Extracted from the European Magazine, for July, 1796.

In the sixty-fourth year of his age, died DAVID RITTENHOUSE, The American Philosopher. His history is curious, from the admiration in which his character was held.

Rittenhouse was a native of America; and, in the early part of his life, he mingled the pursuits of science with the active employments of a farmer and watch-maker. In 1769, he was invited by the American Philosophical Society to join a number of gentlemen who were then occupied in making some astronomical observations, when he particularly distinguished himself by the accuracy of his calculations and the comprehension of his mind. He afterwards constructed an observatory, which he superintended in person, and which was the source of many important discoveries, as well as greatly tending to the diffusion of knowledge in the western world. During the American war, he was an active assertor of the cause of independence. Since the establishment of the peace, he successively filled the offices of Treasurer of the State of Pennsylvania and Director of the National Mint; in both of which capacities, he was alike distinguished for strength of judgment and integrity of heart. He succeeded the illustrious Franklin in the office of President of the Philosophical Society; a situation which the bent of his mind and the course of his studies had rendered him eminently qualified to fill: and towards the close of his days, he retired from public life to the enjoyment of domestic happiness; when he formed a circle of private friends, who will continue to admire his Virtues as a Man, while the world will applaud his Talents as a Philosopher.

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Footnote A50:

He never professed the business of making watches: the first mechanical occupation he assumed was that of a clock maker, an employment he pursued many years, in the earlier part of his life. W. B.

Footnote A51:

Having, in the preceding note, adverted to the unimportant error in the text, wherein our Philosopher is stated to have pursued the employment of a watch-maker, instead of that of a clock-maker; it becomes necessary to notice, in this place, another mistake, though likewise an inconsiderable one, into which the liberal and candid writer of the article, above quoted, has been led. Dr. Rittenhouse’s Observatory, at Norriton—the place of his original residence and the seat of his farm-house—was erected prior to the celebrated “Astronomical Observations” made by him, in the year 1769; which were those relating to the Transit of Venus over the Sun’s disk, on the 3d of June in that year. W. B.

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