In 1788, he was a member of the convention of New-Hampshire, which adopted the present constitution. In 1789, he was chosen a senator to congress. In 1793, he was elected the first governor of the state, which office he filled with his accustomed promptitude and fidelity, until his infirm state of health obliged him to retire wholly from public business. This eminent man and distinguished patriot, closed his earthly career on the 19th of May, 1795./

Dr. Bartlett possessed a mind quick and penetrating. His memory was tenacious, and his judgment sound and perspective. In all his dealings he was scrupulously just, and faithful in the performance of all of his engagements.

He received an honorary degree of doctor of medicine from Dartmouth University, and was an honorary member of the Agricultural Society.

BROWN, CHARLES BROCKDEN, a distinguished writer, was born in Philadelphia, on the 17th of January, 1771. Possessing from infancy a delicate constitution, he early acquired that love of books, which made them at once his passion and his pursuit throughout life. He received a classical education under Robert Proud, the well known author of the History of Pennsylvania. Before he had attained his sixteenth year, he had written a number of essays in prose and verse, and had sketched plans of three distinct epic poems. But his poetic fervour was damped by that universal sedative of the imagination, the study of the law, which, however, he made subservient to the acquirement of a clear and vigorous style of expressing himself, which he had always made an object of his ambition.

(At the age of eighteen, he commenced the study

of the law, in the office of Alexander Wilcox, Esq. an eminent lawyer of Philadelphia.

The practice of his profession he found so irksome that he did not attempt to follow it; though the thought of making his family uneasy by relinquishing it, rendered him for a time extremely unhappy. They were, however, partial and forgiving, and their indulgence was soon rewarded by the fame which he began to acquire as an author.

One of the first novels which he wrote was entitled the "Sky Walk;" but owing to the death of the printer, it was never published.

He afterwards incorporated parts of it into "Arthur Mervyn," "Edgar Huntley," "Ormond" and "Wieland;" of which the last three are entitled to as high a rank among the literary productions of the present age, in point of powerful description, truth of sentiment, and striking situations, as that which has been so willingly assigned in our own country to the numerous volumes which, under the name of the "Waverly Novels," have imposed a kind of obligation on the public to read them; whether they come forth in sterling worth of original genius, or the more questionable shape of old chronicles, modernised, and forgotten stories revived.

To Mr. Brown the praise of full originality is amply due; he is universally grand, yet simple ; moral and affecting.

In 1797, he gave to the world "Alcuin." In 1798, he published "Wieland." This powerful and original romance excited great attention, and brought the author into notice.

In 1799, he published "Ormond, or the Secret Witness." From this time he prosecuted his labour with success in the region of fiction, with an ardour and rapidity of execution seldom paralleled. "Arthur Mervyn" and "Edgar Huntley" next appeared in quick succession.

In 1801, Mr. Brown published his novel of

"Clara Howard." In October, 1803, Mr. Brown commenced a periodical publication, entitled the "Literary Magazine and American Register." This work continued for five years, and is replete with the effusions of erudition, taste, and genius. In 1804, he published in London his last novel, "Jane Talbot."

In 1806, Mr. Brown commenced a new periodical work, entitled the "American Register," of which he lived to see five volumes published.

His health being very much impaired, he made several excursions into the Eastern states, to restore it, but alas! a period was put to his sufferings on the morning of the 22d of February, 1810, at the age of thirty-nine years.

His life, together with his original letters and the fragments of "Carwin," "Calvert," and "Jessica," have been published in two volumes octavo.

Most of his novels have been re-published in London, and are there esteemed as productions of extraordinary genius.

BIDDLE, NICHOLAS, captain in the navy of the United States, was born in the city of Philadelphia, September 10, 1750.

Among the brave men who perished in the glo- . rious struggle for the independence of America, there are none more entitled to a place in the biographic annals of this country.

His services, and the high expectations raised by his military genius and gallantry, have left a strong impression of his merit, and a profound regret that his early fate should have disappointed so soon the hopes of his country.

Very early in life he manifested his partiality for the sea, and previous to the year 1770, had made several voyages.

He afterwards went to England, with an intention of entering the British navy, and did for some time act in the capacity of a midshipman; but his ardent mind, however, could not rest satisfied with his situation, and he afterwards embarked in the expedition fitted out at the request of the Royal Society, to ascertain how far navigation was practicable towards the north pole; to advance the discovery of the north-west passage into the south seas; and to make such astronomical observations as might prove serviceable to navigation. Impelled by the same bold and enterprising spirit, young Horatio, afterwards Lord Nelson, had solicited and obtained permission to enter on board the same vessel, and both acted in the capacity of cockswains, a station always assigned to the most active and trusty seamen. These intrepid navigators penetrated as far as the latitude of 81° 39'. On his return, the commencement of the revolution gave a new turn to his pursuits, and he repaired without delay, to the standard of his country. Soon after his arrival at Philadelphia, he was appointed to the command of the Andrew Doria, a brig of fourteen guns, and sailed in the expedition under commodore Hopkins, against New-Providence. Immediately after taking this post, he was ordered to cruise off the banks of New-Foundland, and was very active in capturing the enemy's vessels. While he was thus indefatigably engaged in weakening the enemy's power and advancing his country's interest, he was disinterested and generous in all that related to his private advantage. The brave and worthy opponent, whom the chance of war had thrown in his power, found in him a patron and friend, who on more than one occasion was known to restore to the vanquished the fruits of victory. In the latter end of the year 1776, he was appointed to the command of the Randolph, a frigate of thirty-two guns. He sailed from Philadel

phia in February, 1777, and soon after he captured an English ship of twenty guns, and three sail of merchantmen, and proceeded to Charleston with his prizes.

He immediately refitted, and was joined by other vessels, and sailed for the West-India seas. / On the night of the 7th of March, 1778, he fell in with the British ship Yarmouth, of sixty-four guns, and engaged her. Shortly after the action commenced, he received a severe wound and fell. He soon, however, ordered a chair to be brought, and being carried forward, encouraged the crew. The fire of the Randolph was constant and well directed, and appeared, while the battle lasted, to be in a continual blaze. In about twenty minutes after the action began, and while the surgeon was examining his wounds on the quarter deck, the Randolph blew up. The number of persons on board the Randolph was three hundred and fifteen, all of whom perished, except four men, who were tossed about for four days on a piece of the wreck, before they were discovered and taken up.

Thus prematurely fell, at the age of twenty-seven, as gallant an officer as any country ever boasted of. In the short career which Providence allowed to him, he displayed all those qualities which constitute a brave commander. Consummately skilled in his profession, no danger nor unexpected event could shake his firmness or disturb his presence of mind. He was a sincere christian, and his religious impressions had a decided and powerful influence upon his conduct. His temper was uniformly cheerful, and his conversation sprightly and entertaining.;