of this great grief (although he had manifestly in his heart the only consolation that can rob sorrow of its bitterness), doubtless hastened his own departure, and when a few days more of patient suffering had passed, and the last solemn hour arrived, that strong religious faith which from early life had guided him in safety through all perils, and which had controlled the unfolding beauty of his character, now sustained and comforted him at the close. Peacefully, and full of Christian hope, he went to his rest, having accomplished so much in his short life, and leaving so much unfinished, which none but he could do so well."

His remains were laid, by sorrowing relatives and friends, in Laurel Hill Cemetery, in a spot designated by himself only a few days before his death; and with a copy of the inscription on the memorial stone which marks his grave, we close this notice.

In
Memory

of

HENRY STUART PATTERSON, M.D.

Died, April 27, 1854,

in his 39th year.

A lover of wisdom and of his kind,
faithful and honored,

in the schools of medicine
and in the care of the sick;
gentle, patient, and beloved,

his many gifts, his varied attainments,
and his ever ready kindness,
made him the acceptable

and efficient helper
in all good enterprises.
At Home,

he was hospitable, kind, and instructive.
Having finished his work,

he gave this dying testimony
of his faith.

"I am passing under the cloud,
and without a doubt

His rod and his staff they comfort me."

CHARLES WILSON PEALE.

MR. PEALE, of Philadelphia, during the war which led to the independence of the United States, served as a soldier, and painted in camp and in Philadelphia, a valuable collection of portraits, which was the foundation of his celebrated Museum. To these he added a large and most valuable collection of scientific and natural curiosities and works of art. It is greatly to be regretted that the city of Philadelphia allowed this collection of rare and valuable historical portraits of eminent American patriots and statesmen of the Revolution to be sold to strangers; they should have been preserved as the property of the city, and placed in a building open to the public, under rules and regulations. When the compiler was a boy, Philadelphia and "Peale's Museum" used to be mentioned together, whether travelling in the United States or Europe.

There are many incidents in the life of Mr. Peale, which would be valuable to the history of his times could they be procured. His son, Rembrandt Peale, has still in his possession an original likeness of Washington taken by himself in 1798, considered by the best judges as superior to any of those taken by the celebrated painter, Gilbert Stuart. His last painting was a full-length portrait of himself, at the age of eighty-three.

He died in his eighty-fifth year, in 1826, not of old age, but by an affection of the heart, induced by over-exertion.

CHARLES PEIRCE.

BY I. L. PEIRCE, M.D.

CHARLES PEIRCE was born in Kittery, Maine, on the 29th of July, 1770. At an early age, he entered the office of the late John Melcher, of Portsmouth, New Hampshire, to acquire a knowledge of the printing business. After passing two or three years with him,

he went to Boston, Massachusetts, on account of the greater facilities afforded him in the office of Major Russell for acquiring a more perfect knowledge of the business. Here he remained until the year 1793, when he returned to Portsmouth, New Hampshire, and, in connection with his profession as printer, he opened a large bookstore, and also commenced the publication of a semi-weekly newspaper, entitled "The Oracle of the Day," but which, for many years past, has been continued under the name of "The Portsmouth Journal." On the 10th of March, 1793, previous to his removal to Portsmouth, he was married to Elizabeth Oliver, of Boston. Under the closest attention to business, they were blessed with a rapid accumulation of this world's goods, until the great fire of Portsmouth, in 1802, swept away every cent of property they possessed, except a partial insurance upon the house in which they resided. In addition to this misfortune, others of still greater moment occurred at the same time, consisting of the total blindness of Mrs. Peirce, and the death of one of their children. After being prostrated for several months by this accumulation of ills, Mr. Peirce rallied, rebuilt his house, and again entered into business with renewed vigor, but with such enfeebled health, that he was under the necessity of resigning his newspaper into other hands. His business soon became more prosperous than ever. Industry and kindness secured friendship, and prosperity and happiness crowned his efforts, until, in 1813, she, who had for twenty years been the faithful partner of his toils, was removed from him by death. In the spring of 1814, he removed to Philadelphia, where he resided until the 4th of July, 1816, at which time he was married to Francis V., daughter of the late Dr. Samuel Blair, of Germantown, to which place he then removed. During three of the nine years of his residence at Germantown, Mr. Peirce held the office of Clerk of the Mayor's Court of this city, to which he was appointed by Governor Heister. In 1825, he returned to Philadelphia, where he resided until September, 1848, at which time he removed to Bristol, Pennsylvania. In a few weeks after this change, Mrs. Peirce was, after a very short illness, called from works to rewards. This unexpected stroke fell so heavily upon the survivor, that, in his feeble state of health, it was thought he would soon follow her to the grave

But his cup of suffering was not yet full. His physical

infirmities increased in intensity, and his daily aspirations were, "Father, if it be thy will, take me to thyself; but not my will, thine only be done." In this manner he lingered on until the 23d of September, 1851, when his longing spirit was released, in the eighty-second year of his age.

While Mr. Peirce resided in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, his heart and his house were always open to cases of suffering and distress. Frequently he would receive into his own family the sick, and those whom he wished to assist in the benevolent work of reformation; and before the organization of charitable associations, during a winter of great destitution and distress, at the suggestion of his wife, whose soul was likewise always alive to the sufferings of others, Mr. Peirce raised by subscription a sufficient sum of money for the purpose, and twice in each week, for more than three months, he delivered from his own house several hundred four-pound loaves of the "staff of life," to those who were almost starving therefor. This probably laid the foundation in his mind of the establishment of Soup Societies in Philadelphia, of which he was so active a promoter after his removal to this city. Hundreds and thousands will probably recollect his untiring efforts in esta blishing and maintaining the Western Soup House of this city, which he personally superintended for many years. His collections by subscriptions enabled him not only to feed many thousands of hungry mouths every winter, but also to procure a lot, upon which he caused to be erected a suitable building for the purpose; thus establishing the Society upon a permanent basis.

Mr. Peirce's house was also always open to the reception of strangers of intelligence who visited Portsmouth; thus not only indulging his own fondness for cultivated society, but also giving them an opportunity of becoming acquainted with his interesting and intellectual companion, who, through the loss of her eyesight, was deprived of many of the enjoyments of life.

Mr. Peirce was brought more immediately before the public by his "Reviews of the Weather," which were for many years published monthly in the "United States Gazette." From January 1st, 1790, to January 1st, 1847, fifty-seven years, he kept an accurate account of the weather. His observations were recorded three times a day, interspersed with remarks on passing events and

were

interesting occurrences. Sunrise, two, and ten o'clock P.M., his stated hours for noting the state of the weather, as these generally gave the extremes of the twenty-four hours. At the close of the year 1846, he found his bodily infirmities increasing with the advance of age to such an extent that he was reluctantly compelled to relinquish his favorite amusement, and at the request of his friends he compiled the result of his fifty-seven years of meteorological observations into a book of three hundred pages, which will no doubt be a standard reference upon the subject for many succeeding generations.

The most prominent characteristics of the subject of this memoir were love to God and love to man. The former was manifested by his deep and unaffected devotion; the latter, by his ready sympathy and active co-operation in all plans for the amelioration of the condition of his fellow-men. He was frequently called upon to deliver public addresses before benevolent associations, and to the inhabitants of our almshouses, and similar institutions, who were deprived of the benefit of regular religious instruction. He was ever ready to assist in the performance of devotional exercises.

WILLIAM PENN.

WILLIAM PENN, on the 4th March, 1681, by charter, dated at Westminster, was constituted full and absolute proprietor of Pennsylvania; and Charles II granted him letters patent for a tract of land lying north of the patent granted to Lord Baltimore, and bounded by the river Delaware on the east, now the State of Delaware. On the 5th May, 1682, he published, in England, his "Frame of Government for Pennsylvania." He was born in London, October 14th, 1644, and was the first proprietor of Pennsylvania. On the 24th October, 1682, he first arrived in America, in the ship Welcome, and landed at Newcastle, Delaware, with one hundred passengers; the next day, peaceable possession of the country was given him. Philadelphia was first chartered by him on the 25th October, 1701, and Edward Shippen was appointed