Page:A Memoir of Thomas C. James, M. D. - Hodge.djvu/15

 efficient execution. Eventually however, he failed, and soon after, in the year 1790, Oct. 27th, died apoplectic, leaving his affairs in a state of derangement. His widow, with a spirit worthy not only of her pious ancestor, Thomas Chalkley, but of that Christian religion which she professed, gave up all her own private property, inherited from her parents, and never involved in the business of her husband, for the satisfaction of his creditors. Part of her property was eventually restored, there being more than sufficient for the liquidation of the debts.

Of such parentage was our friend and president: not usually termed noble, but far superior to that ancestry too often termed noble, which has no recommendation but external honours and decorations. Dr. James wawas [sic] born in Philadelphia, Aug. 31st, 1766, and was the youngest son. He was well educated after the manner of Friends, especially at their school, under the superintendence of Robert Proud, the historian of Pennsylvania. No doubt can exist, that his love of literature and of books in general, must have been at this period manifested, as his proficiency was early evinced, and a superiority over his cotemporaries in this respect existed, which could not otherwise be explained. He commenced and prosecuted the study of medicine under the direction of that eminent practitioner, Dr. Adam Kuhn, a disciple of Linnæus, whose opinion always carried weight among his medical brethren, and who had the honour of educating some of the first physicians of our country. In 1787, at the age of twenty-one, he received the certificate of bachelor in medicine, from the University of Pennsylvania, of which his preceptor Dr. Kuhn, was a distinguished professor. It was about this period that his father's affairs became deranged, and the desire of the son to have a complete medical education, then not to be procured in America, seemed to be thwarted. He did not despair, but through the influence of friends, procured in the fall of 1788, the situation of a surgeon in the Sampson, a mercantile vessel, to the Cape of Good Hope and Canton, and by the results of this tedious voyage, was enabled to carry his anxious wishes into complete execution. His voyage was productive of no remarkable incidents, but gave opportunity for reading and reflection, which was fully embraced, as well as for the exercise of his passive virtues. He returned home early in the summer of 1790, and soon afterwards completed his long contemplated preparations for finishing his medical education in Europe. After receiving advice and instructions from his experienced friends and preceptors, Dr. Adam Kuhn and Dr. Wistar,