VIU PREFACE. 



neglected. Mr. Isaac Dickenson, of Cockermouth, and 

 Mr. Thomas Bewley, of Bassenthwaite, have also fur- 

 nished me with interesting letters. 



It might have heen expected that more attention 

 would have been given to Dalton*s private life, living, 

 as I am, among so many who knew him, but none 

 with whom I have conversed have given any important 

 information not here embodied. I considered also that 

 Dr. Henry had very fully treated that subject, and that 

 it would be unwise and wanting in respect to go over 

 the same ground exactly, even when the same materials 

 were supplied, I have therefore been minute only in 

 such things as did not appear to me elsewhere treated, 

 or such as seemed the most characteristic according to 

 my ideas. 



The history of Dalton's many scientific inquiries on 

 subjects other than the atomic theory, is given so shortly 

 that it might almost have been left out, did it not give 

 a greater completeness to the memoir, for the use of such 

 as read no other life of the same man. The history of 

 our ideas of matter is one of the most interes^ng "fairy 

 tales of science," it is a pity that, like so much else in 

 science and philosophy, it should be so frequently spoiled 

 by dryness. The desire to avoid this has led me to extend 

 further than usual the meaning of the title. The plan of 

 quotation instead of description has been adopted, as 

 the most just as well as the most interesting, if well 

 managed, althoup^h one which may gradually be allowed 



