Page:History of the University of Pennsylvania - Montgomery (1900).djvu/300

296 And as a tribute to his personal attractions, the Bishop further says, when speaking of his own consecration: The recollection of the benefit which I had received from his instructions in early life, and a tender sense of the attentions which he had shown me almost from my infancy, together with the impressions left by the harmony which had subsisted between us in the discharge of our joint pastoral duty in Philadelphia, being no improper accompaniments to the feelings suited to the present very interesting transaction of my life. 8 Mr. Duche was the first alumnus to enter the Trusteeship of his College, being elected 10 February, 1761, to fill the vacancy made by Mr. Martin's death. His attendance at the meetings was constant, and his counsel arid influence must have been felt, for as pupil, tutor, and professor he was thoroughly informed as to the needs of the College and was ready at all times to further the plans of the Provost. The last meeting he attended was on 28 June, 1777 from that date to 25 September, 1778, "there were no regular meetings of the Board on account of the State of public affairs, nor any Minutes taken", as the city was then in possession of the British army. FRANCIS HOPKINSON was born Philadelphia on 21 September (o. s.), 1737, the son of Thomas Hopkinson, a Trustee of the College and Academy, a sketch of whose life has already been given in a preceding page. His talents for literature and music must early have displayed themselves, and his mother who had been adequate to the pains taken, was the late Rev Jacob Duche, of the City of Philadelphia. When he began his ministry in Christ Church of that city, his voice, his pronunciation, and his action, were immediately subjects of great commendation; but he had the disadvantage of nearness of sight. In a short time, however, he was observed to lay by, almost entirely, the help of his manuscript; his notice of which, when it happened, became visible to the congregation; as he had to bring his face very near to the cushion on which his sermon lay. This amiable gentleman had a very extraordinary talent for that particular exercise of the memory, to which he was thus incited. There are many still living who know with what ease he prepared himself in this department. And he has often been heard to acknowledge, that it would have been generally impossible to him, a few days after the delivery of a sermon, to have recited a single paragraph of its contents. Certain it is, that he manifested no signs in the pulpit, of his being there puzzled in the work of recollection. And this circumstance, added to what has been said of his voice, and the praise due to the correctness of his action, made his delivery exceedingly pleasing." From " A Commentary on the Duties of the Public Ministry " in the Quarterly Theological Magazine, Philada, for January, 1814, p. 129. 3 Memoirs of the Protestant Episcopal Church, New York. 1836, p. 137.