was sometimes quick, warm, and vehement in expressing his disapprobation of the character or conduct of an individual, particularly if he thought that the person had practised anything like duplicity or fraud. In such cases, his indignation was absolutely scorching and withering. But he never cherished any personal resentments in his bosom. He did not let the sun go down upon his wrath. His anger was like a cloud, which passes over the disk of the moon, and leaves it as mild and clear as before. Let me relate an incident illustrative of this remarkable trait in his character. Dr. Bowditch had been preparing a plan of the town of Salem, which he intended soon to publish. It had been the fruit of much labor and care. By some means or other, an individual in the town had got possession of it, and had the audacity to issue proposals to publish it as his own. This was too much for Dr. Bowditch to bear. He instantly went to the person, and burst out in the following strain: "You villain! how dare you do this? What do you mean by it? If you presume to proceed any farther in this business, I will prosecute you to the utmost extent of the law." The poor fellow cowered before the storm of his indignation, and was silent; for his wrath was terrible. Dr. Bowditch went home, and slept on it; and the next day, hearing from some authentic source that the man was extremely poor, and had probably been driven by the necessities of his family to commit this audacious plagia

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rism, his feelings were touched, his heart relented, his anger melted away like wax. He went to him again, and said, "Sir, you did very wrong, and you know it, to appropriate to your own use and benefit the fruit of my labors. But I understand you are poor, and have a family to support. I feel for you, and will help you. That plan is unfinished, and contains errors that would have disgraced you and me had it been published in the state in which you found it. I'll tell you what I will do. I will finish the plan; I will correct the errors; and then you shall publish it for your own benefit, and I will head the subscription list with my name."

What a sublime, noble, Christian spirit was there manifested! This was really overcoming evil with good, and pouring coals of fire upon the poor man's head. The natural feeling of resentment which God has implanted within all bosoms for our protection against sudden assault and injury, was overruled and conquered by the higher, the sovereign principle of conscience.

He said to one, in his last illness, "From my boyhood my mind has been religiously impressed. I never did or could question the existence of a Superintending Being, and that he took an interest in the affairs of men. I have always endeavored to regulate my life in subjection to his will, and studied to bring my mind to an acquiescence in his dispensations; and now, at its close, I look back with gratitude for the manner in which he has distinguished me, and

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for the many blessings of my lot. I can only say that I am content, that I go willingly, resigned and satisfied." To another he said, "In my youth I fell in with some young associates who were skeptically disposed, having read the books and imbibed the notions of Voltaire and Paine, and they labored hard to make me of the same way of thinking with themselves. But I battled with them stoutly, not with the logic of Locke, for I knew nothing about that, but with the logic here"-pointing to his breast.

Dr. Bowditch was very familiar with the Scriptures, both of the Old and New Testaments, more so than some professed theologians who make it their especial study. He had read the Bible in his childhood, under the eye of a pious mother, and he loved to quote and repeat the sublime and touching language of Holy Writ.

Such had been the life, and such the character of this distinguished man; and such was he to the last, through all the agonies of a most distressing illness. In the midst of health and usefulness, in the full discharge of the duties of life, and in the full enjoyment of its satisfactions, the summons comes to him to leave it. And he meets the summons with the utmost equanimity and composure, with the submission of a philosopher, and with the resignation of a Christian. He certain ly had much to live for-few have more -but he gave up all without repining or complaint. He said he should have liked to live a little longer, to complete his

great work, and see his younger children grown up and settled in life. "But I am perfectly happy," he added, “and ready to go, and entirely resigned to the will of Providence." He arranged all his affairs, gave his directions with minuteness, and dictated and signed his last will and testament. While his strength permitted, he continued to attend to the necessary affairs of his office, and on the day previous to his death put his name to an important instrument. In the intervals of pain he prepared, as already remarked, the remaining copy and corrected the proof sheets of the fourth volume of his great work, the printing of which was nearly finished at the time of his death. It was gratifying to him to find that his mind was unenfeebled by disease and pain; and one day, after solving one of the hardest problems in the book, he exclaimed, in his enthusias tic way, "I feel that I am Nathaniel Bowditch still-only a little weaker."

He continued, indeed, in all respects, the same man to the last. His feelings were unaffected, his manners unchanged, by the prospect before him. He seemed to those about him only to be going on a long journey. In his great kindness he exerted himself to see many friends, every one of whom, I believe, will bear testimony to his calm, serene state of mind. The words which he spoke in those precious interviews they will gather up and treasure in their memory, and will never forget them so long as they live. She cer tainly will not, to whom, when on her

taking leave of him she had said, "Good night," he replied, "No, my dear, say not 'Good night,' but Good morning,' for the next time we meet will be on the morning of the resurrection."

On the morning of his death, when his sight was very dim, and his voice almost gone, he called his children around his bedside, and arranging them in the order of age, pointed to and addressed each by name, and said, "You see I can distinguish you all; and I now give you all my parting blessing. The time is come. Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word." These were his last words. "And the end of that man was peace." Such a death alone was wanting to complete such a life, and crown and seal such a character. He died on Friday, the 16th day of March, 1838.

The sailor traverses the sea more safely by means of his labors, and the widow's and the orphan's treasure is more securely guarded in consequence of his

care.

He was the Great Pilot who steered all our ships over the ocean; and though dead, he yet liveth, and speaketh, and acteth, in the recorded wisdom of his invaluable book. The world has been the wiser and the happier that he has lived in it.

He has left an example full of instruction and encouragement to the young, and especially to those among them who are struggling with poverty and difficulties. He has shown them that poverty is no dishonor, and need be no hindrance;

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that the greatest obstacles may be surmounted by persevering industry and an indomitable will. He has shown them to what heights of greatness and glory they may ascend by truth, temperance, and toil.

Above all, Dr. Bowditch has left a most glorious and precious legacy in his example of integrity, love of truth, moral courage, and independence. He has taught the young here, and the world over, that there is nothing so grand and beautiful as moral principle, nothing so sublime as adherence to truth, and right, and duty, through good report and through evil report. He has, indeed, blessed the world greatly by his science and his practical wisdom; but far more by his upright and manly character. He has taught mankind that reverence for duty, and trust in Providence, and submission to His will, and faith in the rectitude of all His appointments, and a filial reliance upon His love, are sentiments not unworthy nor unbecoming the greatest philosopher. For this we honor and eulogize him; not for wealth, title, fortune, those miserable outsides and trappings of humanity, but for the qualities of the inner man, which still live, and will live forever. He studied the stars on earth-may he not now be tracking their courses through the heavens? Long ere this, perhaps, he knows all the beauties and the mysteries of their tangled mazes-has examined the rings of Saturn and the belts of Jupiter, traversed the milky way, and chased the comet through

Ir may, perhaps, be matter of doubt whether the microscope or the telescope has introduced the most wonderful facts to our notice. If the telescope has brought us acquainted with vast bodies which we had not previously conceived to exist, and thus unmeasurably extended our conceptions of the vastness of the universe, and the power of its Creator, it is no less true that the microscope, though, perhaps, with less imposing pretensions, has laid open to us most unexpected revelations of the wisdom, the power, and the providence of the Almighty, by discovering to us innumerable orders of living beings, endowed with numerous capacities, and provided with ample means of enjoyment. An example which partially illustrates this last remark is supplied in the annexed engraving, which represents a single drop of water as it appears through a microscope, peopled with various species of minute animals called animalcules, of the habits of some of which we purpose to give a brief account. It may be observed in general of the microscopic orders

of animals, that the smallest which have ever come under notice have been discoved in water. Not that we may infer from this that there are not creatures of equally diminutive size inhabiting the air, or creeping upon the earth; the reason is simply that, from the transparency of water, and from its confining the creatures in it, we can more easily bring the assistance of the microscope to bear on the examination of them.

Of these, indeed of all animated beings, the monas is the most simple. The termo is the most minute creature of this genus, being so extremely delicate and transparent as often to elude the highest magnifying powers, and seeming to blend with the water in which it swims. Anoth er and very minute class of animalcules is that which has been termed by Mr. Baker the hair-like insect, on account of its shape, being extremely slender, and frequently a hundred and fifty times as long as it is broad.

These creatures are so small, that millions of millions of them might be con