[23] Thomas Cooper, born in London in 1759, was eminent both as a lawyer and a scientist. Educated at Oxford, he practiced law, first in England, and after 1795 in Northumberland, Pennsylvania. Upon a visit to France (about 1792), he studied chemistry, and continued his researches in that science after coming to America. Upon being removed, for arbitrary conduct, from a judgeship (1811), he was appointed professor of chemistry at Dickinson College, later at the University of Pennsylvania, and in 1820 became president of the college of South Carolina. At the time of his death (1840) he was engaged in revising the statutes of the latter state, and in writing pamphlets in favor of state rights.--ED. [24] For a brief biography of David Rittenhouse, see A. Michaux’s _Travels_, volume iii of our series, note 75.--ED. [25] Alexander Wilson was for many years a weaver and poet in Paisley, Scotland. Trouble breaking out between the weavers and masters, he emigrated to Philadelphia in 1794, becoming in turn weaver, school-teacher, and peddler. In 1802 the scientist John Bartram became interested in Wilson’s talents, and gave systematic direction to his natural taste for ornithology, to which he devoted the remainder of his life. He published his first volume of _American Ornithology_ in 1808, and had nearly completed nine volumes before his death, in 1813.--ED. [26] A public reading-room called the Atheneum was established by private subscription in 1814. Ten years later it contained 3,300 volumes, including prominent foreign and American reviews. Rooms were rented from the American Philosophical Society until 1847, when the Atheneum building was erected.--ED. [27] For a sketch of John Melish, see Bradbury’s _Travels_, volume v of our series, note 129.--ED. [28] For a brief description of the National Road, see Harris’s _Journal_, volume iii of our series, note 45.--ED. {41} LETTER IV[29] Journey from Philadelphia to Pittsburg--Lancaster--Elizabeth Town--The River Susquehana--Harrisburg--Carlisle--Chambersburg--Cove Mountain--Macconnel’s Town--Sidelong-hill--The river Juniata--Bedford--The Allegany Ridge--Stoystown--Laurel-hill--Lauchlinstown--Chesnut Ridge--Greensburg--Adamsburg--Pittsburg--Interspersed remarks on the Country, Taverns, &c.--Notices of Emigrants, and occurrences by the way. _Pittsburg, 28th September._ The contents of this will be composed of notes taken on my journey from Philadelphia to Pittsburg.[30] On the morning of the 20th of September, I went to the Coach-Office in Philadelphia to take my seat. Such is the number of travellers that I found it necessary to take out a ticket two days previously. The mail-coach is a large clumsy vehicle, carrying twelve passengers. It is greatly encumbered by large bags, which are enormously swollen by the bulk of newspapers. As a substitute for glass windows, a large roll of leather is let down on each side in bad weather.