George Washington Bethune, D. D., an American clergyman and author, born in New York in March, 1805, died in Florence, Italy, April 27, 1862. His father, Divie Bethune, a native of Scotland, emigrated to America, settled in New York as a merchant, and became eminent as a man of business and philanthropist. His mother, Joanna, was the daughter of Isabella Graham. (See Graham.) George Bethune was educated at Dickinson college and Princeton theological seminary, and for a short time acted as seaman's chaplain in Savannah, Ga. In 1828 he became pastor of the Dutch Reformed church at Rhinebeck, N. Y., removed in 1830 to Utica, N. Y., and in 1834 to Philadelphia, where he remained as pastor of a church till 1849, when he went to Brooklyn, N. Y., to become pastor of the newly organized " Reformed Dutch Church on the Heights." His health having become impaired, he resigned this charge in 1859 and went to Italy, where he remained about a year. For a few months after his return he was associate pastor of a church in New York. In 1861 he again went to Italy, taking up his residence in Florence, where he died suddenly from an attack of apoplexy. Dr. Bethune was one of the finest scholars and most brilliant orators among the American clergy.

He edited, with biographical and critical notices, a volume of "British Female Poets," and prepared a unique edition of Izaak Walton's "Complete Angler," supplying much matter relating to angling in America, a work for which his love of nature and fondness for piscatorial sports admirably qualified him. Many of his addresses and sermons have been separately printed. His last public appearance in America was at a Union mass meeting in New York, April 20, 1861, where he delivered a speech which was one of his most eloquent efforts. He wrote "Lays of Love and Faith," a volume of poems of considerable merit; "Early Lost and Early Saved;" "The History of a Penitent;" "Memoirs of Joanna Bethune," his mother; and "Lectures on the Heidelberg Catechism," an elaborate work in dogmatic theology, originally prepared as a series of lectures for his own congregation. The last two works were published after his death. A memoir of his life, by A. R. Van Nest, D. D., was published in 1867.