YALE COLLEGE. A president; five professorships academical; and three medical. The academical professorships are-of theology; of law, natural and political; of mathematics and natural philosophy; of chemistry and mineralogy; and of languages and ecclesiastical history. The medical are-of anatomy and surgery; of the theory and practice of physic; and of the materia medica and botany. Here also is one professorship adjunct. Six tutors. The particular provinces of these instructors have been sufficiently explained in the account given of this seminary. The number of students was 313. DARTMOUTH COLLEGE. A president; five professorships academical; one medical; and two tutors. The academical professorships are-of theology; of civil and ecclesiastical history; of mathematics and natural philosophy; of languages; and of chemistry. The medical professorship is of medicine. The number of medical students exceeded 50*. BROWN UNIVERSITY, IN 1811. A chancellor; a president; three professorships academical; and two medical. The academical professorships are-of law; of moral philosophy and metaphysics; and of chemistry. The medical professorships are-of anatomy and surgery; and of the materia medica and botany. * By the catalogue of 1821, the number of students in Dartmouth college was Two tutors, and a preceptor of a grammar school, connected with the university. The number of students was 128. WILLIAMS COLLEGE. A president; a vice president; a professor of mathematics and natural philosophy; two tutors. The number of students was 95. MIDDLEBURY COLLEGE, 1812. A president; three academical professors. One of law; one of mathematics and natural philosophy; one of languages; two tutors. The number of students was 113. UNIVERSITY OF VERMONT. A president; a professor of mathematics and natural philosophy; a professor of the learned languages; a medical professor. There are also four other professorships on paper. The number of students supposed to be from 30 to 40. The means of medical instruction in New-England will be seen sufficiently in this account of its seminaries. The law school, heretofore mentioned in the description of Litchfield, as being under the instruction of Judge Reeve, and James Gould, Esq., would not, it is believed, do discredit to any country. Law is here taught as a science, and not merely nor principally as a mechanical business; not as a collection of loose, independent fragments, but as a regular, well-compacted system. At the same time the students are taught the practice by being actually employed in it. A court is constituted; actions are brought and conducted through a regular process; questions are raised; and the students become advocates in form. Students resort to this school from every part of the American Union. The number of them is usually about 40. Every theological professor in these seminaries is destined to instruct such students as apply to him in the science of theology. But the theological seminary at Andover has already engrossed most of the young men in New-England, designed for the desk. Three professors, one of theology, one of sacred literature, and one of sacred rhetoric, are already established here; and two or three more will probably be added to their number within a short time. Fifty students may be considered as the average number for three years past. As this seminary is richly endowed, and as the gentlemen employed in its instruction are pursuing their business with spirit and vigour, there are the best reasons to believe, that it will hold a high rank among institutions of the same nature. There are, also, in New-England the following medical societies: The Massachusetts' Medical Society. The Connecticut Medical Society. The New-Hampshire Medical Society. The objects of these institutions are to unite the gentlemen of the faculty in friendship, and in one common pursuit of medical science; to discourage by their united influence empiricism in every form; to furnish a centre of correspondence for the reception and publication of medical discoveries; and, universally, to elevate and improve the art of healing. A historical society was formed at Boston, in the year 1791, and incorporated in the year 1794, by the name of the Massachusetts' Historical Society. The object of this institution is to collect and publish whatever authentic documents may illustrate the past and present state of this country. Twelve volumes of its collections for this purpose have been already published; which in a very honourable manner prove the utility of the design. An agricultural society has been formed in Connecticut, and another in Massachusetts. A small collection of papers, published by each, has been favourably received. There are, also, two philosophical societies in New-England. The American Academy of Arts and Sciences in Massachusetts, which holds its sittings at Boston; and the Con * A professorship of ecclesiastical history was added in 1819.-Pub. + 1812. Now (1820) they exceed 100.-Pub. ↑ Many agricultural societies have been established in New-England during the last three years (1820).—Pub. necticut Academy of Arts and Sciences, which meets in NewHaven. The latter was incorporated in the year 1800. The American Academy has published three volumes. The Connecticut Academy has completed one volume of Memoirs, and also has begun the publication of a statistical account of the state. Both of these institutions are, it is believed, advancing. I have here given you a summary, and, as I believe, an exact account of the means, provided and employed for the purpose of diffusing literature, science, and general information among the inhabitants of New-England. It ought, however, to be added, that in a great part of the towns and parishes there are social libraries established. In some places they are considerable; and in all are of material use to the little circles in which they exist. The information which they spread is of importance. They also excite a disposition to read; and this employment naturally becomes a substitute for trifling, vicious, and gross amusements. It also contributes to render society and its intercourse, in a good degree, intelligent and refined; while thought takes place of sense and passion, civility of coarseness, and information of scandal. It also enables parents to give their children better instructions, and to govern them more rationally; and at the same time it renders the children more dutiful and more amiable. I am, Sir, &c. LETTER III. Observations of Buffon, De Pauw, &c., relative to the Deterioration of Animals; of the Bodies, and of the Minds of Men in America. Genius; what, and whence derived. Genius of Americans. Literature and Science of the Americans. Men of Learning. Causes why they are not numerous. DEAR SIR; THE Contempt, mentioned in a preceding Letter, as cast by some of the inhabitants of Great Britain upon this country, has at times extended to a great part of all which it contains to its soil; its climate; its vegetable productions; its animals; the bodies of its inhabitants, both aboriginal and derived; the minds, particularly of the latter class; their manners, arts, literature, science, government, morals, and religion. On the continent of Europe it has proceeded still further. The Count de Buffon, and Mr. de Pauw, extend it even to the continent itself; and suppose that there is something defective in its very structure and constitution. Both of these writers imagine, that America has suffered a general inundation, many years since the deluge of Noah, which kept it covered for a long time. To the recency of this inundation the Count attributes the malignancy of the climate in America; the barrenness of its soil; and the imperfect nature of its animals and people. Mr. de Pauw supposes, that the lakes and marshes, left by that inundation, are the cause of its insalubrity; the great number of its insects; the defectiveness of its quadrupeds; the barrenness, both of the soil and the women; the stupidity of the men; &c. &c. That the Americans extensively possessed traditions, and those not incorrect, concerning the general deluge, is unquestionable; traditions, which it is impossible to apply to any |