the best founded hopes, were James Otis and John Hancock. They were both essential to the Revolution, and both fell sacrifices to it.

"Mr. Otis, from 1760 to 1770, had correspondences in this province, in New England, in the middle and southern Colonies, in England, in Scotland. What is become of these letters and answers? Mr. Otis, soon after my earliest acquaintance with him, lent me a summary of Greek Prosody of his own collection and composition; a work of profound learning and great labor. I had it six months in my possession before I returned it. Since my return from Europe, I asked his daughter whether she had found that work among her father's manuscripts? She answered me with a countenance of wo, that you may more easily imagine than I can describe, that she had not a line from her father's pen!' That he had spent much time and taken great pains to collect together all his letters and other papers, and in one of his unhappy moments committed them all to the flames.' I have used her own expressions.

"Such has been the fate of the memorials of Mr. James Otis and Mr. Samuel Adams. It was not without reason, then, that I wrote to Mr. Niles of Baltimore, that the true history of the American Revolution is lost forever. I could write volumes of other proofs of the same truth, before, during, and since the Revolution. But, cui bono? They would be read by very few, and by very few of those few would be credited."

July 19. From Nathaniel Lord, 3d, of Ipswich.

His proposal for "a new edition of the Alphabetical Catalogue of Graduates at Harvard University."

August 24. From John Adams of Quincy. "Judge Vanderkemp needs no recommendation to you. If your health and official duties will admit of your coming with him, you know that you both will be received with open arms. If I have not been in a delusion for more than thirty years, he is a salt mountain, i. e., of the salt of the earth. I have said to him, that my only fear is, that you Bostonians will kill him with kindness, as the Parisians did Voltaire."

Oct. 26. Mr. Shaw has notice of his being elected an honorary member of the New York Historical Society.

Dec. 13. From Jonathan Russell at Mendon. He speaks of his correspondence with J. Q. Adams, and of sending to Mr. Shaw the letter from Mr. Adams mentioned under date of November 7, in the

last year.

1814, January 1. From Dr. Samuel L. Mitchell of New York. "I beg you to place in the Boston Athenæum, my commencement of the description and classification of the fishes of New York. The Boston market has long been celebrated for its animals of the same class. It would gratify me exceedingly to know distinctly what they are. With the hope of gaining this information, I here with send you a bunch of those caught in this vicinity. It consists of about seventy sorts, fifty-four of which are good for human food. Fifty have been described by myself from fresh specimens, and forty

of them are unknown to the systematic compilers of Europe. A few copies only have been printed, at my expense, for distribution to the worthy. Additional specimens are almost daily coming to hand. Should I authorize a new edition, there are many additions ready to be made to it. In the course of the current year, I hope to render it as correct and complete as possible. Will you, or some zoologist of Massachusetts, go through the finny tribes of your waters, as I have done and continue to do here?"

Jan. 8. From Henry Channing, of New London, Conn. "The statement given in the Gazette of this city, respecting lights exhibited near the entrance of this harbor, on the heights, as signals to the enemy, on Monday night, December 12th, when the report prevailed, that our squadron would put to sea before morning, is correct. Com. Decatur, in his communication to the navy department, says twenty. He told me, that his officers calculated forty or fifty, but that he wished to be far within bounds in the number given." Mr. Channing remarked, that federalist as well as democratic presses should denounce such treason.

Feb. 19. From Samuel Ewing of Philadelphia. "We have just associated together to establish an athenæum or reading-room in our city. I have been appointed one of the managers. It is our wish to be guided by the experience of those who have gone before us. I do not know of any one, to whom we could apply with better hopes than yourself. I am sure there is no one who feels more zeal

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in the cause of letters than yourself. I have presumed on our former intimacy to address myself to you, for such information as may enable us to carry our object into execution."

Feb. 27. From A. W. Atherton of Portland. "We are contemplating to establish in this town an institution like your Boston Athenæum. Knowing your zeal and willingness to contribute to the general dissemination of useful knowledge, I may venture, without an apology, to request your answer to the following questions." These relate to concerns, which readily present themselves to the mind in connection with the subject.

March. In the report of a committee for examining the library of the Athenæum, they say, that "to the exertions of the librarian, (Mr. Shaw,) are in a great measure, owing the great value and flourishing state of the institution."

March 29. From William Tudor, Jr., London. He remarks on the death of William Scollay of Boston, in the East Indies. "He is a loss not only to his family, but to his country, for he possessed talents that would have, sooner or later, distinguished him."

CHAPTER XIV.

Governesses-American Speeches-Linnæan Society-Pitkin's Statistics- Cyclopædia-North American Review-Coins-Institution for Deaf and Dumb- Curiosities - Prejudice against the North-Lexington, Ky.-Belsham-Expedition for the NigerGreek Newspaper - Artiguenave - Minutes of John Adams's Life—Invitation of Campbell-Imputations of Plagiarism—Perkins's Tractors-Webster's Publications-Preference to Foreign Books-Sea Serpent-Portrait by Stuart-Beneficence-Close of Life.

1814, May 1. From B. P. Barrett, dated in Washington. He vindicates himself, as an officer, against the charge of cowardice at Ormstown, October 26, 1813.

May 27. From George Jefferys in Boston. He desired a loan to supply his necessities. He had been in this country near four years. He had a son with him. He states, "My eldest son is now out of his time, and clerk in one of the first merchants' houses in London, Messrs. Cook, Prince & Co. My two eldest daughters are superintending the education of children. The one with a branch of the Duke of Argyle's family and the other in the Earl of Kingston's, where they have been four years. During that time, they have assisted my son. After Christmas, the time they receive their income, they will make me a remittance of a few hundred dollars."