395. THEODOSIUS THE GREAT, emperor of Rome, died. He was born about the
year 346, and on coming to the throne distinguished himself by his
orthodoxy, and his zeal against heresy and paganism. His public and
private virtues, which procured him the name of _The Great_, will
scarcely excuse the fierceness of his intolerance, or the barbarity of
his anger and revenge.
1569. The first English lottery drawn at London. It continued day and
evening four months. The prizes were money, plate and merchandise. It
had been advertised two years at the time it took place.
1698. PETER, the czar of Russia, arrived in England and wrought as a
mechanic in the dockyard at Deptford, as well as in the workshops of
various mechanics, with view of carrying the English arts into his own
country. He was well received by William III.
1751. A globular bottle of glass was made at Leith measuring 40 by 42
inches, the largest ever made in Britain.
1753. SIR HANS SLOANE, the eminent English naturalist, died, aged 93. He
was born at Killileagh in Ireland; studied medicine in London, and
settled there in the practice of his profession. He was the second
learned man whom science tempted to America. His museum, composed of the
rarest productions of nature, he bequeathed to the public, on condition
of the payment of £20,000 annually to his family, and was the foundation
of the British Museum.
1775. The first provincial congress of South Carolina met at Charleston.
1778. CHARLES LINNE (or Linnæus), the Swedish botanist, died, aged 71.
In his twenty-fourth year he conceived the idea of a new arrangement of
plants, or a sexual system of botany. In 1732 the Academy of Sciences at
Upsal appropriated 50 Swedish dollars to send him on a tour through
Lapland, and with this small sum he made a journey of more than 3500
miles, unaccompanied, traversing the Lapland desert, and enduring many
hardships. A series of offices and honors were conferred upon him, till
in 1753 he was created a _Knight of the Polar Star_, an honor never
before conferred on a literary man; and in 1761 he was elevated to the
rank of nobility.
1778. A collection amounting to £3815 was made for the 924 American
prisoners in England. Dr. Franklin, at Paris, applied to the British
ambassador for an exchange of prisoners, but his lordship was pleased to
return only the following answer: "no application received from rebels
unless they come to implore his majesty's pardon."
1782. Ostenburg, near Trincomalee, in the island of Ceylon, taken from
the Dutch by the British Admiral Hughes.
1795. The French, under Pichegru, crossed the Waal on the ice at
different points.
1800. WILLIAM NEWCOME, archbishop of Armagh, died, aged 79. He rose
gradually in the church to the primacy of Ireland; was a worthy man, and
author of a great number of theological works.
1801. CIMAROSA, the celebrated Italian musician, died.
1803. The Hindostan, East Indiaman, lost on the Culvers, off Margate, in
a dreadful storm.
1805. Letters of marque and reprisal issued by Great Britain against
Spain.
1807. Breig in Silesia surrendered to the French and Bavarians; 3
generals, 1400 Prussians, and considerable magazines were captured.
1810. In the night the mercury in three thermometers froze at Moscow and
withdrew into the ball. At Iraish it was observed at -44½° of
Fahrenheit immediately before it froze.
1811. MARIE JOSEPH DE CHENIER, a French poet, died. By flattering the
passions of the people he soon gained great popularity, and during the
revolution was one of the most violent democrats.
1815. Cumberland island, Georgia, taken possession of by Capt. Barrie of
the British ship Dragon. Same day British sloop of war, Barbadoes, Capt.
Fleming captured privateer schooner Fox, of 7 guns and 72 men from
Wilmington.
1817. TIMOTHY DWIGHT, president of Yale college, died, aged 65. He
entered Yale college at the age of 13, and became a tutor at 19. His
health becoming impaired, by the advice of his physicians he traveled,
walking 2000 and riding 3000 miles in the course of a year. It had the
effect to restore his constitution completely. His published works
consist of theology, poetry and travels. His biography is interesting;
he was an uncommon character.
1829. GREGORIO FUNES, a patriot of La Plata, died at Buenos Ayres. He
was actively engaged in the South American revolution from its
commencement. He was also an author.
1839. ALEXANDER COFFIN, the last survivor of the original proprietors
who settled the city of Hudson in 1784, died, aged 99. He was highly
respected for his talents, integrity and usefulness.
1839. Earthquake at Martinique, which did great damage, particularly at
Fort Royal, where only 18 houses were left standing, of 1700, and 900
hundred sufferers were dug out of the ruins.
1843. FRANCIS S. KEY, district attorney of the United States and author
of the national song, the _Star Spangled Banner_, died in Baltimore.
1853. Russia, Austria and Prussia, after considerable delay, finally
acknowledge Napoleon III as emperor of France.
1853. The caloric ship Ericsson made her trial trip from New York to the
Potomac.