Editorial note — PREFACE.

I1. The biographer of Rittenhouse entirely coincides with the compilers of the Encyclopædia Britannica, in opinion, respecting the utility and propriety of giving an account, in such Memoirs as the present, of things as well as persons, connected in various ways with the main object of the work.

In the preface to that useful dictionary of arts, sciences and miscellaneous literature, are the following observations: the consideration they merit; is submitted to the good sense of the reader.

“While one part of our readers,” say the encyclopedists, when referring to the biographical department of their work, “will regret that we have given no account of their favourite philosopher, hero, or statesman, others may be disposed to remark, that we have dragged from obscurity the names of many persons who were no proper objects of such public regard. To these we can only reply, that, with the greatest biographer of modern times, we have long thought that there has rarely passed a life, of which a faithful narrative would not be useful; and that in the lives of the most obscure persons, of whom we have given any account, we saw something either connected with recent discoveries and public affairs, or which we thought capable of affording a lesson to great multitudes in similar circumstances.”—“Between eminent achievements and the scenes where they were performed, there is a natural and necessary connexion. The character of the warrior is connected with the fields of his battles; that of the legislator, with the countries which he civilized; and that of the traveller and navigator, with the regions which they explored. Even when we read of the persons by whom, and the occasions on which, any particular branch of knowledge has been improved, we naturally wish to know something of the places where such improvements were made.”

I2. Mr. C. W. Peale painted at the same time another portrait of him, for himself; which is likewise altered from the original painting. It has a place in Mr. Peale’s Gallery of Portraits. There is a third, by the same hand, in the possession of the American Philosophical Society.

Another good picture of Dr. Rittenhouse was also then made, by Mr. James Peale, for the Rev. Mr. Barton. This (which represents him with a wig) is now in the possession of John Moore White, Esq. of New-Jersey, who married Mr. Barton’s youngest daughter.

A pretty good mezzotinto, in a large size,—done from Mr. C. W. Peale’s painting of our Philosopher,—was executed by Mr. E. Savage, in the winter of 1796: and since that time, some small engravings have been made from different pictures of him; but these do not so well preserve the likeness.

I3. Some interesting information was likewise communicated by the late Professor Rush. The death of that gentleman having occurred since the completion of the present work, the author has inserted a concise biographical notice of him, in the Appendix, in place of the mention originally made of his name in this preface.