its establishment was appointed Professor of Medicine.

To qualify himself more fully for the responsible duties of his station, he subsequently visited Great Britain, where he spent a year, partly in attendance on the lectures of the celebrated Medical School of Edinburgh, and partly in witnessing the practice of the hospitals of London.

On his return, his professional reputation and practice rapidly advanced, and the School of Hanover became justly distinguished among the best Medical institutions of the country.

In the autumn of 1813 he accepted the professorship of the Theory and Practice of Physic and Surgery, in the Medical Institution of Yale College, and discharged his official duties with eminent zeal and ability. He also delivered, after his removal to New Haven, "a course of lectures on the same branches at Dartmouth College; one at the Vermont University, in Burlington; and two at the Medical Institution of Brunswick College, in Maine."

His character, in all the variety and diversity of its elements, is happily drawn by his eulogist, Doctor Knight, to whom the writer is indebted for the principal facts embraced in this brief notice. So great were his services to his profession, and so fully acknowledged, that his Eulogist does not hesitate to declare, that "the assertion, that he has done more for the improvement of Physic and Sur

gery in New England, than any other man, will, by no one, be deemed invidious."

"His acquaintance" (says Doctor Knight) "was not only extensive, but reached to every rank in society. The poor knew him as their benefactor; the sick, as their skilful, attentive physician; the rich were honored by his society; and the wise and the good received him as their friend and companion."

In September, 1829, Thomas Hubbard, M. D. an experienced practitioner in Windham County, Connecticut; and William Tully, M. D. of Albany, advantageously known as a Professor in the Vermont Academy of Medicine, were appointed to Professorships.

In addition to the regular Professorships, Timothy P. Beers, M. D. the Health Officer of New Haven, and a physician of great experience in the department assigned to him, has been invited to deliver a course of lectures on Obstetrics.

The corps of instructors throughout is considered by competent judges as arranged with great felicity, both in regard to literary and professional talents.

A State Hospital, connected with the Institution, is to be erected the ensuing season; for which purpose a beautiful tract of ground, situated on the southern extremity of the city, has been purchased. This will afford a valuable practical school for the students.

By the regulations of Yale College, students in the Medical department can attend the classical

lectures of the University, and have access to the Library on the same terms as the Junior and Senior classes. A convenient opportunity of thus supplying the defects of early education,.cannot be deemed an unimportant advantage. Indeed the elevation of the Medical profession, in general literature, which drew from Governor Clinton, in a message to the New York Legislature, the high eulogium, that they were "the missionaries of science," renders it necessary, that those who are ambitious of distinction should add to approved theoretical knowledge and practical skill, the advantages of extensive learning.

Although quackery in Medicine, like specious systems in all departments of business, will undoubtedly always receive support and encouragement from credulity and ignorance, yet the true dignity of the profession will keep pace with the growing intelligence of the world, and the advance of society in valuable knowledge. Probably the observation made by Johnson, on the poor success that attended the Medical efforts of Akenside, the poet, would have to be considerably qualified, to render it applicable to the present condition of the profession. He says, "a physician in a great city seems to be the mere plaything of fortune; his degree of reputation is for the most part, totally casual; they that employ him know not his excellence; they that reject him know not his deficience. By an acute observer, who had looked on the transactions of the Medical world for half a century, a

very curious book might be written on the " fortune of physicians."*

This evil, so vividly described, has been in a great measure obviated by the successful exertions of modern physicians to elevate the profession in a knowledge of practical and popular branches; which, being more familiar to the comprehension of mankind than the arcana of medicine, are to a great extent, adopted as guides of judgment as to the qualifications of professors.

The circular, issued by the Faculty, and copied in the Appendix, presents a brief statement of the course of Medical instruction and expenses at Yale College.

* Lives of Poets, vol. 2, p. 428.

CHAPTER XIII.

Commencement Celebrations, and award of Literary Honors.

FOLLOWING the example of a venerable guide, it is proper to make a few remarks on the manner of celebrating the great academic festival, called Commencement.

President Clap gives the following account of its celebration during the middle of the last century.

"The public Commencement is ordinarily on the second Wednesday in September annually: at which there is a large assembly, consisting of the President and Fellows, a great number of Ministers, and other learned and superior gentlemen. The President begins the solemnity with prayer, one of the candidates for the first degree makes a salutatory oration to the Governor and Council, the Officers of College, and the whole assembly: the others give a specimen of their learning, by disputing syllogistically on the questions printed in their theses; which are then distributed. The like is done in the afternoon by the candidates for the degree of Master of Arts. Then the President, with the consent of the Fellows, gives them their degrees, three at a time, in this form :

"Pro auctoritate mihi commissa, admitto vos ad Primum Gradum in artibus; pro more Academi