1548. CATHARINE PARR, the sixth and last queen of Henry VIII, died. She
was learned, and had sufficient prudence and sagacity to direct the
caprices of the monarch in his dotage.
1569. EDMUND BONNER, bishop of London, died. He was of low parentage,
and on coming to power, distinguished himself by a most cruel and bloody
persecution of the protestants, 200 of whom he was instrumental in
bringing to the stake, and is said to have whipped and tortured several
with his own hands. On the accession of Elizabeth he was committed to
prison, where he died.
1593. The river Thames in England almost dry from westerly winds and low
tides.
1618. JACQUES DAVY DU PERRON, a French cardinal, died; celebrated for
his learning and political knowledge.
1654. Cromwell's first parliament assembled at Westminster. The speech
explaining his policy occupied three solemn hours.
1655. STUYVESANT sailed from New York against the Swedes on the South or
Delaware river.
1685. FRANCIS NORTH, an English statesman, died. He rose through his
abilities, and found time amidst his arduous duties to prepare and
publish several works.
1701. EDMUND BOURSAULT, a French dramatist, died. He received little or
no education, yet became a correct and popular author.
1745. SIMON JOSEPH PELLEGRIN, a French ecclesiastic and poet, died. He
obtained the prize at the academy in 1704.
1752. The first play performed in America by a regular company of
comedians, at Williamsburgh, then the capital of Virginia. The piece was
the _Merchant of Venice_, and the afterpiece _Lethe_, written by
Garrick. Thus Shakspeare had the first place, in time as in merit, as
the dramatist of the western world, and Garrick the honor of attending
on his master. Lewis Hallam made his "first appearance on any stage" at
this performance. He had one line to speak, apparently an easy task, but
when he found himself in presence of the audience, he was panic struck;
he stood motionless and speechless, until bursting into tears he walked
off the stage, making a most inglorious exit. It is scarcely necessary
to add that he was afterwards the hero and favorite in tragedy and
comedy for nearly half a century.
1765. ANNE CLAUDE DE CAYLUS, a French writer, died. His _Collection of
Egyptian Antiquities_, 7 vols. 4to, is valuable. He also discovered,
from a passage of Pliny, the ancient mode of encausting painting, and of
tinging marble.
1774. The first congress met at Philadelphia. There were 52 members
present from eleven colonies. (Sept. 4?)
1778. British under Gen. Grey landed at Bedford or Dartmouth, and
destroyed above 70 sail of shipping, besides small craft. They burnt the
magazine, wharf, storehouses, vessels on the stocks, the dwelling houses
and mills, and levied a contribution of all the public moneys, 300 oxen
and 10,000 sheep.
1781. An indecisive engagement took place off the Chesapeake between the
British fleet, admiral Graves, and the French fleet under de Grasse.
While the two admirals were manœuvering, count de Barras with a
French fleet of eight line of battle ships passed the British at night
and got within the capes of Virginia; by this combination the French had
a decided superiority, and the British took their departure.
1785. LUNARDI made the first balloon ascent in Scotland. He ascended at
Edinburgh, and traversed a distance of fifty miles over sea and land in
one hour and a half.
1786. JONAS HANWAY, an English merchant and philanthropist, died. He
undertook a laborious and dangerous course of travels through Russia
into Persia, with a view of opening trade. The city of London owes many
useful improvements and institutions to his enterprise and benevolence.
1794. JOHN HELY HUTCHINSON, an Irish lawyer and statesman, died. He was
noted for his avidity after lucrative offices; of whom lord North
remarked, that if England and Ireland were given him he would solicit
the Isle of Man for a potato garden.
1800. The capitulation of the fortress of Valetta, at Malta, was signed,
two years after it had been taken from the knights by the French. It was
agreed that the French troops should march out with the honors of war as
far as the sea shore, where they should ground their arms, and then be
embarked for Marseilles as prisoners of war until exchanged, and Malta
has remained in the hands of the British.
1808. CLEMENT CRUTTWELL died; an English divine and author, whose
literary performances, for labor, extent and utility, have rarely been
equaled.
1812. First battle of Borodino, in Russia; the French under Bonaparte
and his favorite generals; the Russians under Koutousoff. The Russians
made a desperate resistance, till night separated the combatants.
1813. Action off Seguin between United States brig Enterprise, 17 guns,
Lieut. Burrows, and British brig of war Boxer, 18 guns, Lieut. Blythe;
the latter was captured in 40 minutes, with the loss of upwards of 20
killed and 14 wounded; American loss 4 killed and 10 wounded. Both
commanders were killed, and were buried together at Portland, on the
eighth.
1819. At Studein, in Moravia, at noonday, the atmosphere being serene
and tranquil, there was a fall of little pieces of earth from a small
cloud isolated and very bright.
1824. PETER LOUIS LACRETELLE died; a distinguished French lawyer and
writer.
1837. BOROWLASKI, a celebrated Polish dwarf, died in England, aged 98.
His height was short of 36 inches, though his person was of complete
symmetry. In former years he traveled on the continent, but for the last
40 years had resided in England. He excelled as a wit and humorist, was
acquainted with several languages, and his company was much courted. He
had brothers and sisters, some of whom were above six feet in stature.
1841. GRENVILLE MILLEN, an American poet, died at New York, aged 41. He
relinquished the profession of the law to devote himself to poetry and
literature, of which he published a volume in 1833.
1848. The city of Messina, in Sicily, was bombarded and taken by the
king's troops.
1848. An insurrection occurred at Leghorn, and the city was placed by
the insurgents in the hands of a provisional government.
1849. SAMUEL BUNCH, a congressman from Tennessee, died, aged 63. He
commanded a regiment under Gen. Jackson in the Indian war, and in the
charge of the battle of the Horse Shoe, was the first or second man over
the breast works of the enemy.
1852. WILLIAM MACGILLIVRAY died; professor in the university of
Aberdeen, who published works upon birds, and in other departments of
natural history.
1852. JOHN PITKIN NORTON, professor of agricultural chemistry at Yale
college, died, aged 30.
1853. I. L. MASON, a United States engineer, died at San Francisco. He
was born in Providence, educated at West Point, and constructed the
fortifications at fort Adams, and was one of the most skillful and
scientific officers of the engineer corps. He was sent out to
superintend the construction of the fortifications at San Francisco.
1853. GEORGE POINDEXTER, a Mississippi statesman, died at Jackson. He
was the second governor of Mississippi, and in 1811 killed Abijah Hunt
in a duel.
1854. ROBERT M. PATTERSON, director of the United States mint, died at
Philadelphia. He was president of the American philosophical society,
and had been a professor in the universities of Pennsylvania and
Virginia.