Lowell, John

Lowell, John an American philanthropist, deserves our notice as the founder (in 1839) of "the Lowell Institute," at an expense of $250,000, to maintain forever in Boston, his native place, annual courses of free lectures on natural and revealed religion, the natural sciences, philology, belles-lettres, and art. Mr. Lowell was born May 11, 1799, and was entered student at Harvard in 1813; but was compelled already, in 1815, by poor health, to seek relief by residence in the East. He died at Bombay March 4, 1836. He was a superior scholar, and possessed one of the best private libraries in America. See New American Cyclop. s.v.