In the mean time young Mr. Beattie cultivated a taste for poetry, after his father was satisfied that he possessed a poetical genius. But in the midst of his career this promising youth began to be afflicted with disease, and, notwithstanding the counteracting power of the manly exercises, to which his father very prudently had accustomed him, his constitution seems to have been weakly during the whole period of his short life.

Observing, in 1788, that his health had suffered from the fatigues of the preceding winter, his parent sent him to pass the summer at Peterhead; and as he had a genius for mechanics, and was master of the theory of organbuilding, with Dr. Laing's assistance he contrived to build an organ for himself.

Some weeks before the commencement of his last illness, he obtained his father's approbation to his studying medicine, not for the purpose of appearing in the world as a physician, or of accepting money for his prescriptions, but because he was anxious of relieving the sufferings of his fellowcreatures, and "would fain be useful occasionally to his friends, and the poor especially."

At length, during the night of the 30th of November 1789, he was suddenly seized with a fever, which threatened his immediate dissolution, and, although he lived a year longer, he was never afterwards able to engage in any serious study. His disease, which was termed a nervous atrophy, daily assuming a more fatal appearance, he at length finished his mortal career,

without a groan or even a sigh, November 19, 17902 AMYA i

The last sad and melancholy duty on the part of his unhappy father, was the publication of the posthumous works of his son*, of whom he concludes an interesting account as follows:

"I have lost," says he, "the pleasantest, and, for the last four or five years of his short life, one of the most instructive companions that ever man was delighted with. But-THE LORD GAVE; THE LORD HATH TAKEN AWAY: BLESSED BE THE NAME OF THE LORD! I adore the Author of

..

all good, who gave him grace to lead such a life, and die such a death, as makes it impossible to doubt of his having entered upon the inheritance of a happy immortality."

ANNA MARIA SCHURMAN.

THIS highly accomplished woman was born at Cologne, in 1607, and was descended from a noble family in that city.

{་

From her childhood she showed an uncommon capacity and strength of understanding: at three years of age she was able to read extremely well, and at six she could, with a knife and scissars, cut out curious figures, such as animals and landscapes, in paper. As she advanced in years her mental talents increased wonderfully, and so in an equal degree did her desire of learning. She never rested until she had obtained the object of her inquiry; and she was possessed of so quick and penetrating a genius, that she easily

comprehended the most intricate subjects.

In her very infancy she applied herself to painting, in which she executed flowers and insects with a most lively resemblance to nature. It is likewise related of her, that without any other instrument than a knife, she cut out, in box, the bust of herself, her mother, and brother, so very curious, and such striking likenesses, as to astonish all who saw them. Even the first rate artists beheld them with admiration; and the celebrated painter, Honthorst, valued that of her brother at a very considerable sum.

At seven years of age she learned the art of embroidering in three hours; and in a little time she became mistress of music, both vocal and instrumental. Her writing, in the characters of vari