HI8T0BY OF THE ATOMIC THEOHY. 51 



CHAPTER III. 



daltdn's social life. 



We now approach the most important discovery of Dalton, 

 and before entering upon it, it may be well to acquaint the 

 reader with the general character and appearance of the man 

 in his vigour. It is not my intention, as before stated, to 

 amuse myself or readers with many little incidents of his life, 

 nor can we gain by looking at such a character apart from 

 the student of nature ; but it is needful to give some slight 

 account of the appearance and habits of the agent by which 

 such valuable knowledge of natural law has been gained. 

 On his habits, Miss Johns's Journal, lent me freely by Mr. 

 WooUey, is the best authority. The Rev. W. Johns, once 

 a colleague of Dalton's at the academy, had a school in 

 George-street, near the Literary and Philosophical Society, 

 which had given up a portion of its room to Dalton. In 

 the autumn of 1804, Mrs. Johns saw him casually pass, and 

 asked him why he never came to see them. Dalton said, " I 

 do not know; but I will come and live with you, if you will 

 let me." He did so, and took possession of the only bedroom 

 at liberty, sitting with the family. In this family he lived 

 for twenty-six years in the greatest amity, until Mr. Johns, 

 giving up the school, sought a purer air in the suburbs of the 

 town. 



The portrait which is appended to this memoir, is from a 

 picture by Allen, presented to the society by that painter on 

 the occasion of Dalton being made president. It represents 

 him in the vigour of life, and must of course be a more suit- 

 able representation of the man than those taken in old age, 

 although one at least of those by Stephenson is an excellent 

 portrait of a late period, and a beautiful engraving. 



