sources of information. A preacher is to say nothing but good of the dead; a writer of lives nothing but the truth; for he exhibits men as they were. The preacher is apt to give a general view of the characters; it is the object of the biographer to enter into the most minute details. All funeral sermons, however, are Those preached upon the death

not liable to the same censure. of ministers sometimes bring an obscure clergyman into view, who preferred the shade, as the most agreeable situation, but whose virtues and talents ought to be known, that others might be stimulated by the example. On the other hand, preachers often say better things of their brethren than they deserve; upon no occasion is friendship or flattery more indelicately manifested. The reputation of the deceased depends in some measure upon the orator. If his performance be admired, strangers who read it will think highly of the subject. If the diseourse be dull or inelegant, it perhaps is not printed, and no character published. However eminent the deceased was in life, he is not known beyond the line of his near acquaintance, among whom his reputation is long preserved by a most affectionate remembrance.

The author of this work has taken the freedom to mingle his own observations with the documents received from others. His taste always led him to collect curious mss. and ancient books; he was favoured with many letters of the Hutchinson and Oliver families; and had free access to the books and mss. of the Massachusetts Historical Society. He has mostly written from one general mass of information,which he has been many years in collecting; but where he has been indebted for principal facts he has pointed to the main source of his intelligence. The original design was to give a view of eminent men in North America. The difficulty of obtaining documents, or such peculiar notices as are necessary for proper delineations of characters, induced the writer to confine himself to New England. Some articles in its pres ent form are omitted, which would be equally interesting as those which appear. Certain notices, which he expected to receive, did not arrive till it was too late for their insertion. He particularly regrets the omission of judge Trowbridge of Cambridge, gov, Jerks of Rhode Island, Mr. Hobart of Fairfield, Mr. Ellsworth, Mr. Tracy, and several other gentlemen of distinction in Connecticut.

In the beginning of the work, several lives are disproportionate to the general scale, which obliged the author to compress the articles in other parts, and under the last letters of the alphabet to introduce no person who has died since the commencement of the nineteenth century. Among those are several magistrates of this state, president Willard and professor Tappan of Cambridge, and several eminent clergymen. Memoirs of these gentlemen have been published lately, and their characters ably and fully delineated; but with the addition of such names, any work would be materially improved. If the book should ever pass through another edition improvements may be expected.

For the errors which the reader may find in the following pages some apology ought to be made,especially for the transposition of several names and the misplacing of figures in the dates. These are corrected among other typographical errata. One name is introduced, page 351, which ought not to appear among persons deceased. Those who thought the information of his death correct, are happy to learn that the gentleman still lives.

In the course of his proceeding the author has been indebted to several friends for their suggestions, encouragement and assistance. Without their kind attentions his labour would have been wearisome, The delicacy and warmth of their friendship have excited sensations which are better felt than expressed; for their literary communications, as well as tokens of their esteem and affection, he begs them to accept his grateful acknowledgements,

NEW.ENGLAND

BIOGRAPHICAL DICTIONARY.

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ABBOT HULL, minister of the church in Charlestown, was a native of Massachusetts; graduated at Harvard College in 1720. He was among the first students that were put upon Mr. Hollis's foundation, and recommended by Mr. Hollis himself, as a youth meriting the benefit of the fund for indigent and good scholars. In 1723 he was ordained, colleague pastor with the famous Mr. Bradstreet, and continued in the ministry till his death, 1774.

He left a few printed discourses, chiefly occasional, and his character was respectable as a gentleman and divine.*

ADAMS MATTHEW, is worthy of notice in an account of ingenious and literary men of Boston. In the life of Franklin it is said, that he kindled the zeal and encouraged the talents of that philosopher, who had free access to his books; and Dr. Franklin speaks of him with respect and acknowledged his attentions. Mr. Adams was only a mechanick, but with the advantages of a college education would have made considerable progress in scientifick researches, and been very useful at that period. He was one of the writers in the New-England Journal. The essays

His printed discourses are, Artillery Election Sermon, 8vo.' Boston, 1735. A Sermon upon the rebellion in Scotland, 8vo. 1746. A Sermon against profane swearing and cursing, 8ve.

1747.

he contributed were received with marks of pub lick esteem, and reprinted in periodical miscellanies of later date. Like many other ingenious men, Mr. Adams lived in depressed circumstances, and died with a name and character rather than any worldly estate. He left several children, who inherited his genius, one of whom was

JOHN ADAMS, minister of the church in Durham, New-Hampshire. His father laboured to give him a liberal education, and he was graduated at Harvard College in 1745, and in a few years after ordained at Durham, where he continued pastor of the church more than twenty years. No town in New England was ever more disturbed by fanaticks than Durham. A spirit of opposition to the order of the churches raged there. Every man who received a liberal education, who wore a band or black coat, and held a regular service on the Lord's day, was called hireling, thief, wolf, and any thing that would make him odious. They after this manner insulted this pious minister, who had not patience to bear it, and was often inveloped in gloom, or ready to sink into despondency. This might, in some measure, be owing to the constitution of the man. For he was in his best days, and when he was not exposed to peculiar trials of his ministry, very much the sport of his feelings. Sometimes he was so depressed as to seem like a being mingling with the dust, and suddenly would mount up to heaven with a bolder wing than any of his contemporaries. This would happen frequently in the pulpit, so that when he had been all the week preparing a sermon which was, according to his own expression as dull as his feelings, he would feel an exertion that would give him health, cheerfulness, and new life. It was his method to take a new text, and give a flow to his sentiments and expressions, which were much better than he was ever able to utter, with previous consideration. His delivery then was as lively as his fancy. In these

ADA

happy moments he was also a cheerful, instructive and entertaining companion. He could write as well as speak, like one who had cultivated a philological taste. A specimen of his abilities was exhibited in a letter written to a committee of the town of Boston, 1774, when the Port Bill had annihilated their commerce.*

Mr. Adams was obliged to leave Durham in the year 1778, in consequence of other disturbances than religious. He had been thought the most proper minister to live with people so enthusiastick as the inhabitants of Durham; for he was himself, from his animal frame and pious sentiments, inclined to enthusiasm; had rather favoured than opposed the New Lights in his youth, and preached the gospel according to the strictest sect of our forefathers; but as one extreme succeeds another, the most cold indifference to every thing of a religious nature was visible in the inhabitants of Durham during the latter part of Mr. Adams's pastoral relation; and they grew weary of maintaining a minister, in addition to the demands of money, to carry on the war; a contention arose upon the most frivolous pretences, and a council advised to a removal. He was soon invited to settle at Washington, in the county of York, Massachusetts. With this flock he lived in more easy circumstances. He died 1793, aged about 60 years.

ADAMS JOHN Rev. a divine, a poet, a writer of essays, &c. He was the son of the Hon. John Adams, of Nova-Scotia, and was graduated at Harvard College, 1701. He died at Cambridge, 1740. The fellows of the College were his pall-holders, and the first characters in the state attended the funeral. His character was very respectable, though doubtless the eulogy in the Boston newspapers, was from the pen of one strongly prejudiced in his favour-"It deserves to

* There was a committee appointed to receive donations. The letter was accompanied with a present from the inhabitants of Durham.