=Ross, Alexander Milton=, M.D., Montreal, the eminent Canadian philanthropist, scientist and author, has had a career of striking interest. He was born on December 13th, 1832, in Belleville, Ontario. His father, William Ross, was a grandson of Captain Alexander Ross, an officer of General Wolfe’s army of invasion. Captain Ross took part in the battle on the Plains of Abraham, which resulted in the defeat of the French and the conquest of all Canada. He subsequently received a grant of lands from the Crown, and settled in Prince Edward County, Upper Canada, where he lived until his death, which occurred in 1805. Captain Alexander Ross was a grandson of Alexander Ross, laird of Balnagown, Ross-shire, Scotland, who descended in a direct line from Hugh Ross, of Rariches, second son of Hugh, the sixth and last Earl of Ross, of the old family. Dr. Ross’s grandmother, on his father’s side, was Hannah Prudence Williams, a descendant of Roger Williams (1595-1683), the famous liberal preacher, and apostle of freedom, of Rhode Island. His mother, Frederika Grant, was the youngest daughter of John Grant of the British army, who died from wounds received at Niagara, in the war of 1812-1814. His maternal grandmother was Mary Jenks, a daughter of Joseph Jenks, colonial governor of Rhode Island. Governor Jenks has left a famous record of public services. He was speaker of the House of Representatives of Rhode Island, from Oct., 1698, to 1708; deputy governor from May, 1715, to May, 1727; governor from May, 1727, to May, 1732. He was a staunch and persistent friend and advocate of political and religious liberty. In his boyhood Dr. Ross made his way to New York city, and after struggling with many adversities, became a compositor in the office of the _Evening Post_, then edited and owned by William Cullen Bryant, the poet. Mr. Bryant became much interested in young Ross, and ever after remained his steadfast friend. It was during this period that he became acquainted with General Garibaldi, who at that time was a resident of New York, and employed in making candles. This acquaintance soon ripened into a warm friendship, which continued unbroken down to Garibaldi’s death in 1882. It was through Dr. Ross’s efforts in 1874 that Garibaldi obtained his pension from the Italian government. In 1851 Dr. Ross began the study of medicine, under the direction of the eminent Dr. Valentine Mott, and subsequently under Dr. Trall, the celebrated hygienic physician. After four years of unremitting toil, working as compositor during the day and studying medicine at night, he received his degree of M.D. in 1855, and shortly after received the appointment of surgeon in the army of Nicaragua, then commanded by General William Walker. He subsequently became actively and earnestly engaged in the anti-slavery struggle in the United States, which culminated in the liberation from bondage of four millions of slaves. Dr. Ross was a personal friend and co-worker of Captain John Brown, the martyr. Although Dr. Ross’s sphere of labour in that great struggle for human freedom was less public than that of many other workers in the cause, it was not less important, and required the exercise of greater caution, courage and determination, and also involved greater personal risks. Senator Wade, vice-president of the United States, said, in speaking of the abolitionists:—“Never in the history of the world did the same number of men perform so great an amount of good for the human race and for their country as the once despised abolitionists, and it is my duty to add that no one of their number submitted to greater privations, perils or sacrifices, or did more in the great and noble work than Alexander Ross.” He has received the benediction of the philanthropist and poet, Whittier, in the following noble words, which find their echo in the hearts of thousands:—