and on reaching Switzerland wrote to Robespierre, advising him to 'menager" the privileged classes and not put sans-culottes on a level with aristocrats."

In 1796 Vaughan published at Strasbourg an unqualified panegyric of the Directory, a system of government to be envied, according to Vaughan, even by America, much more by England, Switzerland and Holland. He confidently predicted its durability and an era of peace and prosperity. Alger says that he was also smitten with the craze of the Revolution being a fulfillment of the Book of Daniel, and wrote a treatise on the subject, but had the good sense to suppress it. "A Unitarian," he says, "should have escaped the prophecy-interpretation mania, but the Revolution upheaval turned merchants into fanatics and rationalists into mystics." Of all the English exiles in Paris he seems to have had the most peaceful old age. Not recalling his French experiences with pleasure, he was not accustomed to speak of them.

Being unable to return to England, he decided to become a citizen. of the new American Republic. The then existing war between France and England prevented his family from joining him in Paris. He therefore directed that they proceed to the United States, under the charge of Mr. John Merrick, a tutor in the family, who afterward married Mr. Vaughan's sister. His brother Charles had migrated to America, and received them on their arrival, and they resided in Brighton, Mass., until Dr. Vaughan joined them some eighteen months after, in the year 1796. He then took them to Hallowell, Maine, where he made his permanent residence, settling on lands descending to him from his mother, Sarah Hallowell, the town being named from his maternal grandfather, Benjamin Hallowell.

The original grant extended along the Kennebec River one mile, and westward to Cobbosseccntee Lake a distance of five miles. An elegant house was built on the estate, commanding an extensive view of the river and surrounding country above and below the village. The "White House" on the hill was the abode of hospitality and was furnished in costly style, but simply. His library, containing over 10,000 books, is said to have been exceeded in number of volumes only by that of Harvard College. These books were freely loaned to all who were disposed to read them. It was particularly rich in medieval works and the doctor was continually adding to it the lastest foreign publications. It embraced many choice and rare works. At his death

he gave the medical portion to the Insane Hospital at Augusta. He also made large donations from it to Harvard University and Bowdoin College, as well as to the Hallowell Public Library.

Dr. Vaughan early turned his attention to agriculture, and to him the county of Kennebec is indebted for most of her early progress in agriculture and the cultivation of fruits. He planted a large nursery of fruit trees, from which they were scattered over the adjacent country. Besides selling a large number, he gave many away to those who were not able to purchase them. He was the friend of the poor and always liberal to them, both in his valuable services and in his money contributions to their relief.

His brother Charles also settled on the same estate and to him was assigned the care of the farming interests. The Vaughans built the largest and most complete cider mill and press in New England, employing skilled mechanics from England to set up the machinery.

The doctor spent most of his time in study and investigation. He was a member of the Massachusetts Society For Promoting Agriculture, and wrote extensively and learnedly upon all agricultural subjects, many of his treatises being published in the transactions of the Society, usually with his signature, "A Kennebec Farmer." He spent his time in improving his estate, advocating conservative political views, working in his library, writing literary and political articles and carrying on an extensive correspondence. It was in Hallowell that he for the first time practiced his profession, visiting only the poor and usually supplying medicine as well as advice without charge.

He published in 1806, under the title of "Klyogg: or, the Rural Socrates," the results of his researches in Switzerland concerning the life of James Gonyer, the agricultural philosopher. He also published anonymously several political papers. At the request of President John Adams he prepared two historical articles, one concerning the northeast boundary and the other giving the writer's surmises of the manner in which Turgot's Memoirs came into the possession of Lord Shelburne several years before their publication. He was a great reader and his knowledge was always at his command. He could converse intelligently on most any subject, and it is said, "From his extensive knowledge and ready power of producing it, he has been called a walking encyclopedia." Mr. Gardiner says, "He was a learned man

rather than an original or profound thinker." His many literary productions have remained generally unknown from the fact that what he wrote was either published anonymously or over a fictitious signature, or was not written for publication.

He carried on an extensive correspondence with many of the noted men of England, France and America, among them Lord Shelburne, Sheridan, Gray, Talleyrand, Robespierre, Franklin, Jay, Jefferson, Adams, and a wide circle of celebrities of that day. In the Congressional Library at Washington, among the letters in the Jefferson collection purchased by the Government there are more than thirty letters from Dr. Benjamin Vaughan to Jefferson, written from Paris, London and Hallowell. In a recent visit to the document room of that Library I had the pleasure of seeing many of these letters. Most of them were on agricultural subjects. One, however, which I copied, was more of a personal character and indicated a close friendship with President Jefferson. It was marked "Private."

Dear Sir:

Hallowell, March 15, 1801.

You will have received a sufficiency of personal congratulations to yourself & felicitations on the part of your country, for your election to the honorable post you now fill, to make everything from me on that head superfluous. I know that your mind is of a nature to give the true interpretation to my feelings; even though being what might occasion you the needless trouble of a reply, when your moments are too precious to be lost.

I proceed, therefore, to the only point which can be essential, if even that should be thought so, namely to tender to you my affectionate & unbought services. I live in a sequestered but important part of the Union, and independent of any speculative opinions, may occasionally be able to report to you facts. Should the offer prove acceptable, the only return which I shall ask is that my correspondence may rest unknown to all but yourself and me; and my brother John, who will be the easy channel through which it may be conducted. If your letters pass to him under blank covers, he will forward them to me, without trouble. Even though yours should be without direction to me, he will know what to do with them.

I trust that your administration will have few difficulties in these parts, provided it steers clear of religion. You are too wise & just to think of any official attacks upon religion; too sincere to make any overtures in favor of it. You know where you are thought to be in this respect; & there it may be best to stand. If a ruler, however, at times acts with a view to accommodate himself to the feelings, in which many of the citizens for whom he takes thought, participates; this can neither be considered as a violation of truth or of dignity; and is not likely to prove unexceptable, if done avowedly with this view. For example, it is not in & is perhaps without the constitution, to recommend fasts and thanksgiving from the federal chair at the seasons respectively when the New Englander looks for those things, and therefore you will not think it perhaps needful for you to meddle with such matters. But if you did, this example will serve my purpose. You may then, I presume, safely and acceptably interfere with a view to name a time, when a large proportion of your constituents may be enabled

to do the thing in question consertingly & cotemporaneously. You certainly may make your self in this an organ of the general convenience without departing from any of your own principles, especially as you will take due care to use decorous language, should the occasion be used. I do not, however, see any necessity for a federal fast or federal thanksgiving, when these things are open to the states approving them, to order for themselves. I treat the case, therefore, merely for illustration. The religion of the New Englander will require to be touched with tenderness. Your opinions are known, in defence of those opinions you have your office, consequently you must continue to hold them as a privileged person. But it will be wise, as to these parts of the Union, to keep these opinions in the only situation in which they have hitherto been seen; a private one; and for the regulation of your own private conduct.

I may venture to state one thing more, without entering into any general field (for which I am not yet provided with the favor of your consent); namely, that in your public discourses, you should not be too diffident in your explanations of yourself.. Christian humility may be becoming; but French humility, or the humility of phrases, may be spared you. Your choice and your submission to that choice as made by your confidents have rendered superfluous any reference to such species of feelings.

The public considers too highly of your merits, to accede to your renunciation of them. You are in a situation to oblige the public, and you are I hope well qualified with means & ability for the purpose; and though the absence of confidence may be wise in itself & satisfying to the observer, yet a very little more than this will suffice. You are not in danger, in your proclamations of writing "my people" & "my subjects" in large letters, as a certain King does beyond the Atlantic, and for the rest, nothing, or at least, little more is necessary, than a warm affection for the happiness & a firm attention to the rights of the nation over which you preside.

I shall keep no copies of my letters & it will be lost time, to both of us, to write them over again on account of corrections.

I am, dear sir, with high esteem & respect,

Yours affectionately,

This letter is addressed to Thomas Jefferson, President of the United States, Washington, and is without signature, but indorsed, Vaughan, Benjamin, Hallowell, Mch. 15. Many of his letters are without signature. This habit of Dr. Vaughan, to have everything that he wrote either unsigned or under a fictitious name, has made the attempt to learn anything of his life extremely difficult. Mr. Gardiner says: "That Dr. Vaughan came to this country expecting to find the ideal republic, with its patriarchal simplicity, which he had imagined in Europe. Wishing to conform to this fancied simplicity he directed his plate to be sold, and he had his family dressed in the plainest manner. A few years' residence here and observations of the practical workings of our institutions, disabused him of these visionary theories of the purity and unsophisticated simplicity of a democratic republic, and he became a strong conservative and warm Federalist. Having professedly retired from party strife, he abstained from exercising the elective

franchise which he had acquired; but no one felt a stronger interest in the great events which agitated the political world during his residence in this country."

Talleyrand on his visit to the United States was for a time the guest of Dr. Vaughan at Hallowell, as were also many other noted men of Europe and America.

Dr. Vaughan was the highest type of a Christian gentleman; benevolent and kind, he was greatly beloved and respected by all classes of citizens for his great usefulness, his exalted worth and his many virtues. His sound influence contributed much to the early distinction of the town of Hallowell in intelligence and enterprise. In his declining years his amiable philosophy won him much regard. The degree of LL.D. was conferred on him by Harvard in 1801, and by Bowdoin in 1812. He was one of the incorporators of the Maine Historical Society and for the remainder of his life a useful member. He was also a member of numerous literary and scientific societies both in Europe and in this country.

He died in Hallowell December 8th, 1835, after a short illness, in the eighty-fifth year of his age, in full possession of his faculties and honored and respected by all who had ever known him. "The happiest man I ever saw," said one who knew him well.

GEORGE S. ROWELL