norary degrees in later times, and especially in our own country, may be ascribed to a variety of causes-to the multiplication of colleges in the United States, beyond the necessities of the country, and beyond its power of efficient support; each of which colleges, deems itself bound to continue the habit of annually bestowing its honours :-to the great increase, of the number of those, in proportion to the mass of society, who pass through a collegiate course, and receive the first collegiate laurels, by which their ambition is excited to seek after those of a higher grade: and, perhaps, in some measure, to the prevailing plan of government adopted in colleges on this side of the Atlantic. But to whatever causes it may be ascribed, the fact itself is unquestionable; and is chargeable, it is believed, in a greater degree, on the colleges of America, than on any others in the world. What a contrast between that state of public sentiment, and public habit, which permitted president Dickinson, president Burr, president Edwards, president Davies, the apostolic Tennents, Mr. Whitefield, and a long catalogue of similar men, to descend to their graves without a Doctorate; and that which now lavishes the title, on juvenility, on ignorance, and on weakness, with a frequen cy altogether unworthy of the dispensers of literary honour! And although the venerable subject of these memoirs, received his education, his habits, and his clerical title, in the better days of literary administration, if the expression may be allowed; yet it must be owned that his great benevolence and urbanity, too often prompted him, when called to act as one of the guardians of literature, to concur in that system of facility and yielding on this subject, which has so much reduced the value of Academic honours*. : * The practice of conferring the honours of literary institutions on individuals of distinguished erudition, commenced in the twelfth century; when the Emperor Lothaire, having found in Italy a copy of the Roman law, ordained that it should be publicly expounded in the schools and that he might give encouragement to the study, he further ordered, that the public professors of this law should be dignified with the title of Doctors. The first person created a Doctor, after this ordinance of the Emperor, was Bulgarus Hugolinus, who was greatly distinguished for his learning, and literary labour. Not long afterwards the practice of creating doctors was borrowed from the lawyers by divines, who, in their schools, publicly taught divinity, and conferred degrees on those who had made great proficiency in this science. The plan of conferring degrees in divinity was first adopted in the universities of Bologna, Oxford, and In the summer of 1768, the Reverend Doctor Witherspoon reached America, and took charge of the college at Princeton, to the presidency of which he had been called a short time before. Doctor Rodgers was among the first to do honour to the talents, learning, and piety of this eminent stranger; and was always ranked among his most respectful and affectionate friends. In 1769, he accompanied Dr. Witherspoon on a visit to Boston, and other parts of New-England, where they spent some weeks; and where they were received and treated with the most gratifying distinction and respect. This journey was exceedingly interesting to both. It introduced them to a new, and highly valued circle of friends; Paris. See Mather's Magnalia Christi Americana, B. iv. p. 134. It is remarkable that the celebrated Dr. Samuel Johnson, when he had become eminent in literature, could not obtain the degree of Master of Arts, from Trinity college, Dublin, though powerful interest was made in his behalf, for this purpose, by Mr. Pope, Lord Gower, and others. Instances of the failure of applications of a similar kind, made in favour of characters still more distinguished than Johnson then was, are also on record. So cautious and reserved were literary institutions, a little more than half a century ago, in bestowing their honours! and furnished matter for pleasing reflection, and entertaining anecdote, to the end of life. Few men were ever more free from feelings of envy and jealousy than Dr. Rodgers. He had the discernment to perceive, and the magnanimity to acknowledge, intellectual and literary superiority wherever they existed; and was unfeignedly gratified with the public honours received and enjoyed by such superior minds. His intercourse with Doctor Witherspoon was a striking exemplification of this part of his character. That distinguished president of Nassau-Hall, had, probably, one of the most sound and vigorous minds of the age in which he lived; and in every company, or deliberative body, in which he appeared, his superiority was apparent*. Yet * Doctor John Witherspoon was a native of Scotland, where he was born, February 5th, 1722. He was lineally descended from John Knox, the eminent reformer. He received his education in the university of Edinburgh, which he left, after completing his studies, in the Theological Hall, at the age of twenty-one. From that period, until his arrival in America, he devoted himself to the work of the gospel ministry, first at Beith, and afterwards at Paisley. Whether we consider this great man as a divine, a statesman, or the head of a literary institution, his talents and usefulness were pre-eminent. no man ever perceived in Doctor Rodgers the smallest uneasiness at the fame and honours of his illustrious friend; though, amidst the intercourse of many years, he was often called to witness them. On the contrary, he was ever among the most forward to confess his superior powers, and to promote his merited reputation. He cultivated towards him the most affectionate friend Many men have had greater brilliancy of genius, and greater variety and extent of learning; but scarcely any man ever possessed more sound practical wisdom, more comprehensive views, or a mass of information better selected, or more thoroughly digested, than he. His works will do him honour, as long as piety, orthodoxy, good sense, and profound discussion of truth and duty, shall be esteemed among men. He was the first person in Great-ritain who published the leading doctrine relating to the illustration of the powers of the human mind, on the principles of common sense, afterwards so largely and successfully developed by Dr. Reid, and others. It is asserted, by competent judges, that an essay in the Scott's Magazine, by Doctor Witherspoon, published several years before Dr. Reid had given any thing to the world on the subject, distinctly exhibits the grand doctrine for which the latter has received so much praise. And it is certain that Dr. Witherspoon himself, whose temper was very remote from vanity or arrogance, always laid claim to the honour of being, in a sort, the discoverer of that doctrine. |