SCIENTIFIC NEWS. <JJ 



amiable and unafluming difpofition in fociety, will be long 

 regretted by the world, and by his friends in particular. He Some account of 

 was a native of Weflmoreland, and after a regular education, hlsllfc ' 

 liudied phyfic at Edinburgh, which he afterwards practifed 

 at Harrowgate. Subfequent to this period, he commenced 

 a courfe of lectures on chemiftry and experimental philofophy 

 at Liverpool, which he repeated at Manchefter with fuch 

 fuccefs, that when a vacancy offered in Anderfon's Inflitu- 

 tion at Glafgow, he became a candidate for the appointment, 

 and obtained it. In this fituation he acquired fo high reputa- 

 tion, that he was applied to by the Managers of the Royal 

 Inflitution to be the firfl Lecturer in that eflablifhment, which 

 unsolicited honour he accepted, and delivered a very extenfive 

 and truly laborious courfe of lectures during the commencing 

 feffion of that corporate body, which were followed by the firfl 

 ranks in audiences fo crowded, as perhaps were never before 

 witneffed on a iimilar occafion. ' 



Before he quitted Harrowgate he married a Mifs Cleveland, 

 whofe talents and accomplifhments were peculiarly adapted to 

 his own. With this amiable friend and partner of his fortunes 

 he paffed a few fhort years happily, and became the father of 

 two daughters. But the birth of the latter infant was fatal to 

 her mother. It was foon after this event, and during the 

 early exertion of his fortitude under fo great an affliction, that 

 he became attached to the Royal Inftitution. His conftant at- 

 tention to his numerous occupations, fupported by the hope of 

 fecuring an independence for himfelf and the orphan reprefen- 

 tatives of their regretted parent, afforded the moil rational 

 means of confolation. But the energies of the mind cannot 

 fupport the phyfical flructure under accumulated labours, anx- 

 ious reflections, and the folitary privation of that domeftic fo- 

 ciety which choice and habit had rendered dear to the human 

 heart. His health became impaired, but his determination to 

 proceed, continued in all its vigor. He took an houfe in 

 Marlborough ftreet, increafed his flock of apparatus, com- 

 pleted a lecture room, and his claffes became highly refpect- 

 able under him as the lecturer on his own private account. At 

 this period it was, when he had applied the whole of his means 

 and the utmofl ilretch of his powers to the well grounded plan 

 of eftabljfhing himfelf in the ufel'ul and honourable profeflion 



he 



