[Rarebooks] FS: 1822 Liverpool Packet Shipwreck Kills Yale Professor

[Joslin Hall Rare Books]

TITLE: “An Eulogy on Alexander Metcalf Fisher, A.M. Professor of
Mathematics and Natural Philosophy in Yale College, Who Perished in the
Wreck of the Albion, April 22, 1822. Delivered in the College Chapel, June
26, 1822. By James L. Kingsley, A.M. Professor of the Hebrew, Greek, and
Latin Languages”

Published in New Haven; printed at the Journal Office: 1822.

DISCUSSION: Young Professor Fisher, who had been born in Franklin,
Massachusetts in 1794 and was an up and coming star at Yale, had the
misfortune to take the advice of friends and embark on an “excursion” to
Europe, “to visit the places of public instruction, and examine by actual
inspection the modes of communicating knowledge in the foreign
universities –to form an acquaintance with men who were distinguished in
his own department-, and to obtain such information as might enable him
more fully to aid in raising the scientific character of his country, and
in promoting the usefulness and prosperity of his college”.

All of which were good things, but he had the misfortune on April 1, 1822,
to embark on the Liverpool packet 'Albion'. The April 30, 1822 edition of
The Strabane Morning Post details the rest of the story-

“Extract of a letter from Kinsale, dated Monday April 22:-- "This is to
convey to you an account of one of the most melancholy shipwrecks that
occurred on this coast for a number of years. The beautiful ship Albion,
of New York, Captain Williams, one of the packets between that port and
Liverpool, having lost her masts during the gale of last night, was driven
into Garretstown-bay, to the West of the Old-head, where she struck on a
ledge of Rocks, and went to pieces. All the passengers, consisting of
nearly 30 ladies and gentlemen, perished, with the exception of one, and
of the crew, only six were saved. These clung to the quarter deck, which
was washed ashore, under an immense high cliff, and were preserved by the
most extraordinary exertions of the people present, some of whom were in
the most imminent peril of their lives." Another letter, dated Kinsale,
Monday evening, says, "One of the mates and six of the crew reached the
shore, with one cabin passenger, a young gentleman of Boston, and
melancholy to relate, poor Capt. Williams, and the rest of his cabin
passengers, 15 men and 17 ladies, met a watery grave. The Albion was a
fine ship, of near 500 tons burthen; part of the deck only that floated
ashore is all that was seen of the ship, and I hear a few bales of cotton
have also come on shore--Jacob Mark, Consul U.S.A.”

DESCRIPTION: Pamphlet. 5.5”x9”, 23 pages.

CONDITION NOTES: Some soil and wear, old institutional blindstamp and date
mark.

PRICE: $75. -

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