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(George Bethune), American writer and linguist, b. Cambridge, Ma ., 7 March, 1787. He studied law and divinity, and graduated at Harvard, 1807, but becoming sceptical published Grounds of Christianity Examined , 1813. The work excited some controversy, and has been reprinted at Toronto , 1839 . He joined the Egyptian service and became General of Artillery. He had a variable genius and a gift of languages. At Marseilles he pa ed for a Turk with a Turkish amba ador; and at Washington he surprised a delegation of Cherokees by disputing with them in their own tongue. He wrote a reply to his critics, entitled Five Smooth Stones out of the Brook , and two letters to Channing on his sermons against infidelity. Died at Washington, 20 Sept. 1828.