Page:History of the University of Pennsylvania - Montgomery (1900).djvu/532

528 abilities, the world have specimens enough in their hands to judge concerning them.

The Second gentleman mentioned above has long been employed in the education of youth in this province, and many of those who now make a considerable figure in it have been bred under him. He was one of the first persons in this country, who, foreseeing the ignorance into which it was like to fall, set up a regular school of education in it; and so sensible were that learned and respectable body, the University of Glasgow, of his pious and faithful labors for the propagation of useful knowlege in these untutored parts, that they lately honored him with the degree of Doctor of Divinity, sent him without any solicitation on his part, and even without his knowlege.

As to the Third of the above gentlemen, he is well qualified for his profession; and has moreover great merit with the learned world in being the chief inventor (as already mentioned) of the Electrical apparatus, as well as author of a considerable part of those discoveries in Electricity, published by Mr. Franklin to whom he communicated them. Indeed Mr. Franklin himself mentions his name with honor, tho' he has not been careful enough to distinguish between their particular discoveries. This, perhaps he may have thought needless, as they were known to act in concert. But tho' that circumstance was known here, it was not so in the remote parts of the world to which the fame of these discoveries have extended.

The Fourth gentleman in the above list has so long been an approved teacher of Mathematics and Astronomy in this city, that I need say nothing to make him better known than he is already.

The last gentleman, namely Mr. Beveridge, has been already mentioned in your magazine for June. By the specimens he has given, he will undoubtedly be acknowledged one of the ablest masters in the Latin tongue, on this continent; and it is a singular happiness to the institution that on the vacancy of a professor of languages, the trustees were directed to such an excellent choice, as it must be the certain means of encreasing the number of students from all parts, with such as are desirous of attaining the Latin tongue in its native purity and beauty.

Mr. Beveridge, in his younger years, taught a grammar school in the city of Edinburgh, under the particular patronage of the great Mr. Ruddiman, from whom he has ample testimonies of regard and esteem to produce. While in this station the famous Mr. Blacklock, the blind Poet, was placed under his care by a number of gentlemen of Edinburgh, who discovering uncommon marks of genius in him, were desirous, at their own expence, to give him the advantages of an education in the Latin Tongue, if by reason of his blindness it could possibly be communicated to him. This business Mr. Beveridge soon accomplished, and shewed very par-