and a young poetaster may be put into a considerable perspiration by the scorching flames of love."

Hopkinson was a reformer in the cause of education, and wrote various papers, laughing at its grammatical, metaphysical, and scientific perplexities. His "Modern Learning; Exemplified by a Specimen of a Collegiate Examination," in which a salt-box is put through the various categories of the sciences, is the best of his papers of this class. In his "Sketches of the Minor Morals and Manners of the Day," he was equally happy. His "Essay on Whitewashing" was mistaken for the composition of Franklin, and published among his writings. His friend, Dr. Rush, was a great admirer of his genius in these productions.

Hopkinson took pride in his share in planning the grand Fourth of July Federal Procession at Philadelphia in 1788; a minute account of which he prepared and has left in his writings. In 1779, he was made Judge of the Admiralty of Pennsylvania. His decisions while in the office were collected by him for the edition of his writings. In 1790, he was appointed, by the President, Judge of the District Court. He died the following year, May 9th, of an apoplectic fit. Before his death, he had prepared the carefully arranged collection of his literary productions for the press, which was published by Dobson, in Philadelphia, “in the dress in which he left them," in three octavo volumes, in 1792, bearing the title: "The Miscellaneous Essays, and Occasional Writings of Francis Hopkinson, Esq." His "L'Allegro Il Penserosa" were familiar adaptations of Milton.

In person, Judge Hopkinson is described as a lively man, a little below the common size, with small, but animated, features.- Cyclopadia of American Literature.

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JOSEPH HOPKINSON.

JUDGE HOPKINSON was the author of "Hail Columbia," and was born at Philadelphia, November 12th, 1770. He was the son of Francis Hopkinson. He was educated at the University of Pennsylvania, and studied law with Judge Wilson and William Rawle. He commenced the practice of his profession at Easton; but soon returned to Philadelphia, where he acquired high distinction as a lawyer. He was counsel for Dr. Rush in his libel suit against Cobbett; and for Judge Chase, of the Supreme Court of the United States, on the impeachment of that officer by the Senate. He was a member of the House of Representatives from 1815 to 1819, where he opposed the re-charter of the United States Bank, and maintained a high position as a public speaker.

After three years' residence at Bordentown, New Jersey, at the conclusion of his Congressional career, he removed again to Philadelphia, where he was appointed, in 1828, by President Adams, Judge of the United States District Court, an office held by his grandfather under the British Crown, and to which his father had been chosen, on the organization of the Judiciary, in 1789. He retained this office until his death, January 15th, 1842.

In addition to his professional duties, Judge Hopkinson filled the office of Vice-President of the American Philosophical Society, and President of the Philadelphia Academy of the Fine Arts, an institution which owes its foundation to his exertions. He was a warm friend of education, and delivered several addresses before literary societies. The circumstances under which his famous national song was written are pleasantly described by its author, in answer to a request for such information, made several years after its composition.

HISTORY OF THE SONG OF HAIL COLUMBIA.

This song was written in the summer of 1798, when a war with France was thought to be inevitable, Congress being then in ses