Part 59

Footnote 242:

The body of Dr. Franklin was interred in the cemetery belonging to Christ-Church in Philadelphia, under a plain marble tomb-stone, inscribed with only his name, the time of his decease, and his age. But the following epitaph on himself was written by him, many years before his death. As it contains a pretty allusion, typically expressed, to his belief in the Immortality of the Soul, it may not be deemed superfluous to add, on the present occasion, the testimony of this philosopher in concurrence with Rittenhouse’s, on that subject. If the doctrine had needed any further verification than before established it, the suffrages of two such men as FRANKLIN and RITTENHOUSE could scarcely fail to remove the doubts of the most sceptical. This epitaph is copied from Stuber’s Continuation of the Life of Franklin.

THE BODY of BENJAMIN FRANKLIN, Printer, (Like the Cover of an old Book, It’s Contents torn out, And stript of its Lettering and Gilding,) Lies here, food for worms; Yet the Work itself shall not be lost, For it will (as he believed) appear once more, In a new And more beautiful Edition, Corrected and amended by THE AUTHOR.

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In supplying the vacancy which had thus occurred in the Presidentship of the Society, the members of that body could not hesitate in selecting, for that honourable station, a suitable successor to their late venerable patron and chief: the eyes of all were immediately directed towards Dr. Rittenhouse. He was accordingly elected to be President, at the stated annual meeting of the Society for the purpose of chosing their officers, held in January, 1791. On being notified of this appointment, he addressed the following letter to Mr. Patterson, one of the secretaries of the Society.

“Philadelphia, Jan. 22 1791.

“Sir,

“I am extremely sensible of the honour the members of the Philosophical Society have done me, by electing me their President, in the room of that very worthy patron of the Society, the late Doctor Franklin.

“They have, by this act of theirs, laid an additional obligation on me to promote the interests of the institution, by the best means in my power, to which I shall ever be attentive; though my ill state of health will frequently deny me the pleasure of attending the stated meetings.

“I send you, herewith, two letters which you will please to communicate to the society.—I am, Sir, your very humble servant.

“DAVID RITTENHOUSE.”

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“In this elevated situation, the highest that Philosophy can confer in our country,” says his learned and eloquent Eulogist, “his conduct was marked by its usual line of propriety and dignity.”—“Never,” continues his Eulogist, “did the artificial pomp of station command half the respect, which followed his unassuming manners in the public duties of this office. You will,” says he, “often recollect, Gentlemen, with a mixture of pleasure and pain, the delightful evenings you passed in the Society, every time he presided in your meetings. They were uniformly characterized by ardour in the pursuits of science, urbanity, and brotherly kindness.”

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Footnote 243:

Benjamin Rush, M. D.

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About the time of Dr. Rittenhouse’s elevation to the Presidency of the Philosophical Society, and indeed pretty generally afterwards, the delicate state of his health confined him much to his house and his observatory. On a dry day, he would, occasionally, walk a little abroad; in the proper seasons, he would now and then recreate himself in a pretty little flower-garden adjoining his house, which Mrs. Rittenhouse took pleasure in decorating. His evenings were uniformly passed at home; except at the times of the stated meetings of the Philosophical Society, when he usually attended, if the weather permitted.

Besides a few of his most intimate friends, who were in the habit of visiting him pretty often towards the close of the day, many strangers of distinction, and persons who had no particular claims upon him on the score of friendship, made him occasional visits at other times: but in such portions of his time as he could retrench from these avocations, he was much employed in reading; and the books he read comprehended works of literature, taste, and science. He blended the utile cum dulci, in the choice of his subjects; and while he devoted some of what might be called his leisure hours, such as were abstracted from his more appropriate pursuits, to works of amusement, he did not neglect studies of a more serious and important nature. He was at no loss for books: independently of his own collection, he had ready access to two valuable and extensive public libraries; those of several literary gentlemen were open to him; and some of his friends occasionally supplied him with new publications. The following note addressed to him by Mr. Jefferson, in the beginning of the year 1791, will shew that Dr. Rittenhouse then devoted some attention to chemistry, and that he continued to read works of natural science, in French, as well as in his own language.

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Footnote 244:

Of those gentlemen who were among Dr. Rittenhouse’s more particular acquaintances, and with whom he maintained the closest friendship, few, if any, visited him more frequently than the late Francis Hopkinson, Esq.

Mr. Hopkinson was a man of genius, taste and learning. He possessed an exuberance of refined and genuine wit, rarely to be met with; and his vein for satire, which was always applied to useful ends, was almost unrivalled. His knowledge of music was correct and extensive, both in the theory and practice of that art; and he had also a critical acquaintance with painting, as well as a good judgment, in relation to the fine arts in general. These qualifications and attainments, united with a vivacious temper, a knowledge of mankind, and a love of virtue, rendered him a pleasing companion: but the more solid acquirements in literature and science, of which, also, he possessed a very considerable share, made his society not less interesting than agreeable. No one set an higher value on Dr. Rittenhouse’s talents and virtues, than this gentleman; their esteem was mutual; and a constant and intimate friendship long subsisted between them.

Mr. Hopkinson held an appointment in the Loan-office of Pennsylvania, for some years. He afterwards succeeded George Ross, Esq. in the office of Judge of the Admiralty, for that state. In this station he continued until the year 1790; when President Washington, by whom he had the honour to be much esteemed, conferred on him the place of Judge of the District Court of the United States, for Pennsylvania: which important office he held during the remainder of his life. A collection of Judge Hopkinson’s writings, on various subjects, was made after his death, and published in the year 1792, in three octavo volumes; constituting a curious and entertaining miscellaneous work. He died on the 8th of May, 1791, in the fifty-third year of his age, and somewhat more than five years before his venerated friend, Rittenhouse.

Mr. Hopkinson was one of the executors of Dr. Franklin’s Will; but he survived the Doctor little more than a year.

Footnote 245:

Belonging to the Library Company of Philadelphia, and to the American Philosophical Society.

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