1817. The memorable law upon which the system of internal improvement of the state of New York is based, passed the legislature.
1820. John Bell, an eminent surgeon of Edinburgh, died at Rome. He is well known for his valuable works on surgery and anatomy.
1825. Henry Fuseli, a Swiss painter, died. He was induced to visit England, where he distinguished himself.
1828. Michofsky, a Russian farmer, died at Pleskow, in the government of Novogorod, aged 165. He led a very sober life, though occasionally he partook of ardent spirits. He never ate meat more than twice a week. At 120 he still labored in the field. His mother lived to the age of 117, and one of his sisters 112, but his father died at 52.
1834. Aylet Hawes, a distinguished philanthropist, died in Culpepper county, Virginia. He manumitted his slaves, 110 in number, and provided for their removal to Liberia.
1840. James Browne, a Scottish author, died at Edinburgh; a man distinguished for his learning and research, for several years editor of the Caledonian Mercury, and a writer of valuable articles in the Encyclopedia Britannica, particularly on grammar, history, biography, &c.
1843. Charles Bulfinch, an eminent American architect, died in Boston, Mass. The state house at Boston and the capitol at Washington were built after his designs.
1846. At an eruption of mount Hecla the pillars of fire rose from a new crater to the height of 14,000 feet. The ice and snow which had covered the mountain for many centuries were wholly melted, and pieces of scoriæ weighing 200 pounds were thrown a league and a half.
1852. Alexander Mackay, an English political economist and reformer, died, aged 33. He was many years connected with the Morning Chronicle newspaper; traveled in the United States in 1846-7, and published his observations in three volumes, under the title of Western World.
1854. James Moore died at Metrechin, N. J., aged 100. His death was occasioned by a fall, before which he was accustomed to walk 12 miles a day.