SOME LETTERS BY DOCTOR JOHN MACLEAN*.1.2 WILLIAMFOSTER, PRINCETON UN~VERSITY, PRINCETON, NEW JERSEY
John Maclean, M.D., father of John Maclean, Jr., the tenth president of the College of New Jersey (Princeton), was born in the city of Glasgow, on March 1, 1771. After a thorough training in chemistry, medicine, and anatomy, Dr. Maclean engaged most successfully in the practice of physic and surgery, and in the twenty-first year of his age he became a member of the Faculty of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow University. Dr. Maclean left Scotland in April, 1795, and arrived at New York the following month. A little later he went to Philadelphia, where he met Dr. Benjamin Rush, a graduate of the Class of 1760 of the College of New Jersey, who advised him to go to Princeton.. In the early summer of 1795, Dr. Maclean delivered in Nassau Hall a short course of lectures on chemistry, and on October 1st he was elected professor of chemistry and natural h i s t ~ r y . ~ Professor Benjamin Silliman, Jr., of Yale, in a paper entitled "American Contributions to Chemistry," and read July 31, 1874, on the occasion of the Priestley Centennial, said: Of the public seminaries of learning other than medical institutions where chemistry was taught from a separate chair and as a distinct branch of the college curriculum of instruction prior to 1800, we find but one, and t h a t distinction belongs to Nassau Hall. Princeton, New Jersey.
The writer recently found in the Princeton University library eight letters written by Dr. Maclean a t the beginning of the last century, four of which were addressed to Benjamin Silliman, Sr., who gave his first lecture on chemistry a t Yale on April 4, 1804, nine years after Dr. Maclean began lecturing a t Princeton. It is of interest to note that chemistry was taught at some of the old American colleges before laboratories were built and equipped for practical work in ~hemistry.~According to Ernst van Meyer, The first laboratory in Britain, small though it was, in which a young man had the opportunity of working practically a t the subject, was that of Thomas Thomsan in
* Read a t the meeting of the Division of History of Chemistry, American Chemical Society, Columbus, Ohio, April 29, 1929. I A sketch of the life and letters of Dr. Maclean by Wm. Foster is contained in the booklet "Lectures on Combustion" by Joseph Priestley and by John Maclean, which was distributed among the participants in the recent dedication exercises of the new chemical Laboratory a t Princeton. See "Doctor Maclean and the Doctrine of Phlogiston," by Wm. Foster, THIS JOURNAL, 2, 743-7 (Sept., 1925). See "A Chemist of a Century Ago," Courtney L. Hall &d., 5, 253-7 (Mar., 1928). See "Eliot and Storer," Tenney I,. Davis, Ibid., 6,86&79 (May, 1929).
Glasgow, established in 1817. This was therefore the first chemical laboratory for general instruction in any country.
The first letter by Dr. Maclean was dated December 1, 1801; it was addressed to the Reverend Dr. Samuel Stanhope Smith, President of the College of New Jersey, and a graduate of the College in the class of 1769. He was a son-in-law of President John Witherspoon, a signer of the Declaration of Independence, whom he succeeded. President Smith had no doubt received a letter from President Timothy Dwight, of Yale College, concerning chemical instruction. This was three years before Benjamin Silliman, Sr., began his lectures a t Yale. The letter is as follows: MY DEAR SIR: Be as obliging as t o inform Dr. Dwight that I am of opinion i t is impossible for me to require even a slight knowledge of chemistry without either making experiments or seeing them performed, and that t o become proficient in the science i t will require much practice as well as extensive reading. The necessity there is for seeing or making exrreriments proceeds chi& from the nature of chemis&, but partly alsofrom the manner it has been treated by~thosewho have written on it. The objects of chemistry are innumerable and very minute, so that no description can be given of even the most simple of its principles which will convey an adequate idea of i t to a person who has never seen it performed, and probably i t is from beinr aware of this circumstance that the elementam writers on this science have treated it a s if they expected it t o be read only by those who were in some degree already acquainted with it and by those who wercto have a t the same time the assistance of a master. .' The books most necessary for a student t o have in the profession are: Lavoisier's "Elements of Chemistry" Fourcroy's "Elements of Chemistry" Chaptal's "Elements of Chemistry" Tbiers' "Chemical Dictionary" Thomson's "Mineralogy" Scheele's "Chemical Essays" Priestley's "Experiments on Airs"-3 volumes Annales de Chimie Crell's Chemical Journal But by far the most valuable part of chemical writings is to he found in the publications of the different learned societies of Europe and in treatises written on particular subjects. The student will find references t o most of these in the books above recommended. The student would do well to furnish himself with a oortable chest of chemistrv. such as that of Gottling. It contains the most common chemical reagents and is accompanied with a book describing .in a. d .a i n manner the Chest. and containing directions for performing some simple experiments. It m;ry serve as a very poor substitute for a course of instruction from a master. I am Your most obt. servant, 1 Dec., 1801 JOHNMACLEAN Rev'd Dr. Sam. S. Smith
The next letter was addressed to Benjamin Silliman,z under date of August 10, 1803. This was soon after the burning of Nassau Hall, which occurred on March 6, 1802. That Silliman was planning to study a t Princeton, is also clearly shown by another letter, dated February 5 , 1804. The most important part of the first Silliman letter is as follows: Princeton, ltkh Aug., 1803 DEARSIR: Your letter of the 6th inst. I received three days ago. The keeping of boarders has never been agreeable to the members of my family. When the College burned we, as well as all the householders in the village, took students into our families; but since it has been rebuilt, we have declined it; so that I have lately been obliged to refuse several applications. . . . On looking over the list of articles of chemical apparatus in your possession they appear to be sufficient for teaching the principles of chemistry. Perhaps a mercurial pneumatic-chemical trough, a galvanic apparatus, a large double convex lens, and a simple apparatus for the decompositian of water might be added to it with advantage. But there is no end t o chemical apparatus. An experimenter will every now and then find that he is in want of something which it was impossible t o foresee. However, this is a principle which ought never to be lost sight of, that the mare simple an apparatus (provided it be sufficient),the better. A complicated set of machinery, without adding t o the accuracy of the experiments, tends to bewilder the student; while a man with plenty of bottles, tubes and corks may, with the assistance of a blowpipe, vary his apparatus so as to perform an infinity of experiments as well for use as amusement. Our college is doing well. We have 130 students. The buildings we are now erecting are more extensive than was contemplated when I had the pleasure of seeing you. My roam-I mean that for philosophical'and chemical experiments-will not be finished before January, if then; and the articlewnecessary to complete my apparatus cannot be here before that time. Permit me t o assure you it will give me much pleasure to see and correspond with you, and believe me Your most oht. servant, JOHNMACLEAN Ben. Silliman, Esq. Yale College, New Haven ~
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The second letter was addressed to Silliman when he was a student in Philadelphia. I t was in reply to a letter which J. W. Bradford, a Princeton tutor, had received from Silliman. I t was written on February 5, 1804, and runs as follows: DEARSm: Mr. Bradford our Tutor has shewn to me your letter of the 27th Jan'y. I am sorry to inform you my dream is yet unfinished and will remain so all winter, so that I am uncertain whether I will attempt to teach chemistry till the summer; this, however, will rest with the faculty. If it be determined that chemistry is t o be taught this winter I will begin in the course of a week and will spend three days each week a t i t till near the end of our session, which will be on the first Wednesday after the second Tuesday in April. It would give us much pleasure t o have you with us a t Princeton, and altho' it will be out of my power t o try any experiment of consequence till my room is finished
and I get an addition to my apparatus, yet I would be happy t o converse with you on the subject of our profession. I am with much esteem Your aht. servant, JOHN
MACLEAN
N. B. You will oblige me by informing me whether there is any person a t Philadelphia who keeps retorts and other chemical vessels for sale, as also whether there is any of the red precipitate of mercury-I mean the grecipitetlrs per se-to he had and a t what price.
According t o your request I handed your letter to Dr. Maclean. He returned it t o me with the ahave open, and directed t o you. As he has given answer to your inquiries I will not trouble you by a repetition of them in a separate lett,er. Yours truly, J. W. B R ~ O R D
In the third letter, dated February 10, 1810, Dr. Maclean refers to the editing of an American edition of Henry's "Chemistry." The following is a copy of the letter: Princeton, 10th Feb., 1810. MY DEAR SIR: I had the pleasure of receiving your favor of the 8th inst.; but awing t o my having bruised, severely, one of my fingers I could not answer it. Permit me to congratulate you an your marriage and t o assure you if will give me much pleasure, if I ever have it in my power, to accept of your kind invitation, end to pay my respects to you and the other gentlemen of your college. I n regard to chemistry, you ought t o be thankful that you are only liable t o "growing rusty." As for me, owing in a great measure t o certain arrangements in our College, I have paid no attention t o i t for the past eighteen months; so that it will require a scraper and burnisher t o ruh away the rust I have contracted. This being the case it would be wrong for me t o suggest anything as fit t o be added t o or attended in Henry's "Chemistry." Indeed, I dislike the notion of altering another man's book-and as for Henry's, altho' I still think i t a g w d book, yet if I were t o alter it, very probably, i t would be so modelled as to appear a new ane-I say probably, for I must go t o study again. With sincere wishes for your welfare and that of every one dear t o you, I am Your obt. servant and friend, JOHN MACLEAN
The following interesting postscript constitutes a part of this communication: Have you seen the last number of the Medical Repository? If not, be informed that the great Gas Holder Mitchill, in order t o excite a blaze, bas thrown two bubbles of hydrogen a t the heads of the antiphlogistians-God help him; like all other tail bearers
of Stahl, he thinks he must he right, if his opponents in any one instance have been wrong. I hope that some one will give him, if he is worthy of notice, that flagellation that he merits.
The gentleman referred to was Professor MitchiU of Columbia C ~ l l e g e . ~ . ~ The fourth letter to Silliman was dated May 14, 1811. It was concerning one Dr. McLane, a former student at Princeton. A copy of the letter is given below. Princeton, 14th May, 1811. MY DEARSIR: Permit me to introduce t o you the bearer of this-Dr. McLane; he was formerly a student a t this College and has studied medicine a t Philadelphia. He intends visiting Europe before he settles himself; but having the laudable ambition of being well acquainted with his own country before he visits foreign ones he is no6 on a journey t o New England. You will oblige me by showing him such attention as may be necessary while he is a t New Haven. I have seen and read with pleasure the additions you have made t o the Boston edition of Henry; but owing t o some unaccountable negligence I have not got the number of Bruce's Journal in which are your remarks on the phlogiston theory. By the by, I presume you have heard that Gay-Lussae and Thfnard are now satisfied they were too hasty in renouncing the antiphlogistic doctrine. Be so good as to present my respects to Dr. Dwight and Mr. Day. Wishing you every happiness, I remain, Dr. Sir, Yours sincerely, JOHNMACLEAN Prof. Silliman. Yale College.
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A letter dated September 29, 1808, was addressed to Samuel Bayard, Esq. According t o this letter, Dr. Maclean was Clerk of the Board of Trustees of the College of New Jersey. DEAR SIR: My neck is still so stiff and painful that I am afraid t o venture out today. I hope the Trustees will excuse me for not attending them and that they will appoint a clerk p. t. You will oblige me by mentioning the claim made by Mr. Ralph Phillips, to have returned t o him the amount paid for boarding by his son when a t home by permissionthe time was eight weeks-xcuse me for suggesting the propriety of making some general rules on this subject. Ought there t o be a distindion made between those whose connection with the College is dissolved by dismission, suspension and otherwise; and those who are permitted t o leave the College for a few weeks, hut the time of whose return is uncertain? The Trustees a t their last meeting directed the Faculty t o charge the charitable funds with the room rent of boarding of the students of Divinity after deducting the dollar per week paid by them; and a t a preceding meeting, as you may find by looking See Edgar F. Smith's "Priestley in America," pp. 82-9
a t the index of vol. 2d. of minute book, they ordered the pension 'to be continued to those who have received one from the charitable funds, and who choose to remain here as students of Divinity, but with a deduction of the usual tuition money. Accordingly since that time such have been paid $65 instead of $30 possession. Be so goad as to enquire whether this tuition money is to be p w e d to the credit of the College, and in general whether the charitable funds are to be charged with the tuition of the students of Divinity. If either or both of these be the case, be so good as to get an order to that effect entered on the minutes. I am with much respect Your abt. servant, JOHN MACLEAN Sam. Bayard, Esq.
A letter under date of June 10, 1810, was addressed to Dr. Ebenezer Stockton, a graduate of t h e College i n t h e class of 1780. W h e n Dr. Maclean came to Princeton i n 1795, he formed a partnership with Dr. Stockton "for the practice of physic a n d surgery." T h i s partnership was soon dissolved, however, for after Dr. Maclean w a s elected to a chair of chemistry in t h e College of New Jersey, he soon decided to devote his entire t i m e to teaching. I n t h e Stockton letter
Dr. Maclean advocates:
, . . that all the regularly licensed physicians and surgeons of the State should on application he received as members of the Medical Society and that they should be invited to become subscribers to a fundto he raised for the support of their widows and children; and that while this fund should he held in trust by the Medical Society, the management of it should be confined to suclCmembers as were contributors towards it. I was induced to recommend this from experience. Being a member of the Faculty of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow which was incorporated for the promotion of Medical Science. I observed the attendance of the members at their monthly meetings was not very punctual until a fund for the support of their widows and children was instituted and then few neglected to he present. Besides, before that took place few could be induced to become members who could avoid it; yet afterwards many solicited for admission and were admitted who otherwise would rather have kept the admission fee in their pockets. The fee I paid together with other little expenses attending the admission amounted to sixty guineas and I have been told it had since been raised. Thus an object not contemplated a t the institution of the Faculty, tho' useful in itself, has been one means of raising its respectability and increasing the patronage extended to it. Many schemes might be proposed for such a fund as has been suggested, but perhaps one, the same principles with that for the support of the widows and children of Presbyterian ministers, would be as eligible as any.
The last letter was addressed to M a j o r B. Walker, of t h e State of N e w York, and is d a t e d July 27, 1812. It concerns his call to t h e chair of chemistry in William a n d Mary College, Williamsburg, Virginia, and also t h e education of Theodore Bainbridge, a nephew of Mrs. Maclean. Dr. Maclean married Phoebe Bainbridge, o n November 7, 1798. S h e was t h e eldest daughter of Absalom Bainbridge, practitioner of medicine i n New
VOL.6, No. 12
LETTERS BY DR. JOHN MACLEAN
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York, and a sister of Commodore Rainbridge, U. S. N. The letter reads as follows: SIR: Through inexcusable negligence your favor of the 31st of last January has not been answered. The receipt far three hundred and ninety-one dollars and 63 cents on acct. of Theodore Bainbridge was received and afterward+accepted by the Bank of Pennsylvania with deduction. M y reason for addressing you a t this time is that as I intend t o move from this place to the State of Virginia and am doubtfull how far i t would be proper to take Theodore t o such distance from his sister, I wish t o have your advice on the subject. Having been appointed a Professor in William and Mary College, I will probably settle a t Williamsburg. Could a good academy be found in your neighborhood where he would be strictly attended to, i t would perhaps be better t o place him there. I say strictly attended to, for altho' he is a kind-hearted fellow, he fron! his tempestuous temper requires to be with one of whom he stands in awe.
His uncle Commodore Bainbridge is of opinion I ought to take him along with me; hut as I am doubtfull of the propriety of it you will oblige me by informing me as s w n as possible what you and the other executors of the boy's mother's estate think of it. I am Your obt. servant, JOHN MACLEAN Major B. Walker, Utica, State of N. Y.
Dr. Maclean spent a year a t Williamsburg, but as he was in poor health he returned to Princeton a t the close of the college year, where he died on February 17, 1814. He was buried in the old cemetery, his grave being contiguous to those of the college presidents and professors. The inscription on Dr. Maclean's tomb is given herewith.
JOURNAL O* CAEMICAL EDUCATION
DECEMBHR, 1929
The Inscription on Dr. MacLean's Tomb Original
Translation
LAUSDEOOPTIMOMAXIMO
Intra hoc Sepulchrum, depositae sunt, spe resurrcctionis beatae, Reliquiae Mortales Johennis Maclean, M D . Viri admodum uenerandi: omnibus dotibus enimi praecellentis: Qzri
Glesguae Scotorurn natus, Kol. Martii A. D.MDCCLXXI. I n Arnericam migrevit Anno MDCCXCV. Physicae Naturalis scientie penitus instrudus ct Arte Chemi~epraecipue porens. Earum Artium in Academia Nassovica Professor designatus est. Prid. Kal. Oct. ejusdem Anni Pmferrorzbur a6 Juventuti i n Collegia Mire diledus, atyue obsewatus, E vita eheu decessit Omnibus plorandw. Idibur Februarii MDCCCXI V.
BE GLORY. Within this tomb, in hope of a happy .. resurrection, are deposited the mortal remains of John Maclean, M.D., a man t o be held in great veneration, with all the endowments of a superior mind, who born a t Glasgow, Scotland, on the Kalends of March, A. D., 1771, removed to America, in the year 1795 Thoroughly versed in the Science of Natural Philosophy, and especially excelling in the Art of Chemistry, he was chosen Professor of these Arts a t Nassau Hall, on the 30th of September of the same year. Exceedingly beloved and esteemed by the professors and youth of the College, he departed this life, lamented by all, on the Ides of February, 1814.
