sity, the expansion of his intellectual powers was equal to the sphere, in which they were to be displayed. He received from the government of that society an ample testimonial of his attention, industry, and progress in literature and science, by the assignment of a distinguished part in the exercises, previous to his receiving the first honours of the university. Soon after, he went through a regular course of medical studies with an eminent physician, whose approbation and patronage he justly merited. While he was qualifying himself for his profession, he ardently pursued various branches of science, acquired the character of a scholar, and became peculiarly eminent in logick and metaphysicks. Before he entered on the practice of physick, a tutorship in the college became vacant, and his qualifications pointed him out to the government of that society, as the most suitable person to fill the office. In this a field was open for the full display of his talents. He did not disappoint the fondest hopes of his friends, nor the expectation of his electors. He showed himself well skilled in each department of his office. He communicated his instructions with perspicuity, and governed with impartiality; and he hereby commanded the respect and esteem of his pupils, Having, with dignity and approbation, discharged the daties of his office about nine years, he quitted it for the pleasures of domestick life. His eminence in his profession was honourably recognized by the PEN. I.-VOL III. N

medical society of Massachusetts, who repeatedly elected him their president. While register of probate, the widow and orphan had frequent experience of his aid and friendship. His accuracy, fidelity, and inflexible integrity, as a civil magistrate, and in every other department of life, were acknowledged by all, who were conversant with him. The social virtues formed a distinguished trait in his character. Facetious, ingenuous, hospitable, and agreeable, in his deportment, his acquaintance was sought and sedulously cultivated by those of a similar disposition. He wished the happiness of mankind; and the society and church, of which he was a member, experienced, in an especial manner, the beneficial effects of his benevolent exertions in their behalf. Truly catholick and unaffected in piety and devotion, he exemplified the religion, of which he was a professor, by the morality of his conduct. In him was exhibited one of the most striking evi dences of the poet's observation;

An honest man's the noblest work of Gods

536.

NORTHBOROUGH, MASS.

He

Here lie buried the remains of rabbi JUDAH MONIS, A. M. late Hebrew instructer at Harvard college in Cambridge, in which office he continued 40 years. was, by birth and religion, a Jew; but embraced the christian faith, and was publickly baptized, at Cambridge, A. D. 1722, and

departed this life, 25 April, 1764, aged eighty one years, two months, and twentyone days.

A native branch of Jacob see,

Which once from off its olive broke ;

Regrafted from the living tree,

Rom. 11. 17, 24.

Of the reviving sap partook From teeming Zion's fertile womb, As dewy drops in early morn, Or rising bodies from the tomb,

Is. 66. 8.
Ps. 110. 29.

John 5. 28,29

At once, be Israel's nation born. Is. 66.8. Note Mr. Monis was from the south of Europe. He was naturalized at the city of New-York, 21 February, 1715, as appears by the original instrument, containing his sign manual, now in the ar chives of the New-York Historical Society. At the time he was baptized, he delivered a discourse entitled The truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, which was published and is occasionally still to be seen in some of the libraries of the New-Eng land antiquaries. He was also the author of a Hebrew grammar, which was formerly used at Harvard college.

Mr. Monis married miss Abigail Marrett of Cambridge, who died, 27 October, 1760, in the 60 year of her age. After her decease, he resigned his office in college and removed to Northborough, where he spent the residue of his days in the family of the rev. John Martyn, whose wife was a sister of mrs. Monis. In his will, [see Whitney's

Hist. Worcester.] he made an honourable bequest to the church in Northborough, and to seven ministers of the gospel, whom he particularly esteemed. He also gave one hundred and twenty six pounds, as a fund, the interest of which was to be distributed, from time to time, among the widows of clergymen The remainder of left in indigent circumstances. his estate, as he had no children, he gave to his wife's connexions.

He was hasty in his temper and often spoke with severity to the young gentlemen of the college. As a believer in christianity, there was no reason to doubt his sincerity. In the prospect of death, however, he not unfrequently, in his exclamations, used to call, in a Jewish style, upon father Abraham. At publick worship he appeared devout, repeating after the minister, in a low voice, the words of his prayer.

-Rabbi Monis was styled the Hebrew instructer of Harvard college, no professorship for any of the oriental languages having been established at that seminary till after the time of his resignation. When the Hancock professorship was founded, the late Stephen Sewall, A. M. became the first incumbent, a man, who, for knowlege of the oriental languages was equal, if not superior, to that of any native American. The epitaph at the head of this article was written by mr. Sewall.

CAMBRIGE, MASS.

587. Note.--After the resignation of mr. Monis, the

Hebrew instructer, Thomas Hancock, esq. an opi lent merchant in Boston, having established from his munificence a professorship of the Hebrew and other oriental languages, at Harvard college, STEPHEN SEWALL, A. M. was the unrivalled candidate for an appointment upon this honourable and important foundation. His installation in the office took place in 1765.

He was a native of York, in the District of Maine, and was the sixth son and youngest child of Nicholas Sewall. He was born at a little village called Newtown, about two miles from the York county courthouse. His father, a reputable character, was a tanner, and attended to the business of his trade, at the same time, cultivating a small farm, which he owned in connexion with his tan yard.

Nicholas Sewall, the father of the professor, of whose ancestry an account may be seen in the 335 article of this work, married Mehetabel Storer, a daughter of Samuel Storer of Wells, hy whom he had these ten children, born between 1714 and 1734, in this order; Samuel, John, Hannah, Thomas, William, Mehetabel, Henry, Jane, Sarah, Stephen.

Nicholas Sewall died at the age of about 50 years, and his widow having married mr. Preble, in 1768.

Henry Sewall, esq. of York, a gentleman well known for his attention to astronomical calculations and as a clerk of the court, by whose aid the genealogical notices of the Sewalls in this work has been made, is a son of Henry and grandson of Nicholas Sewall.