HISTORY OF THE ATOMIC THEORY. 69 



in Dalton, although it was under subjection to routine. This 

 was seen in the regular manner in which he went on Sunday 

 to dine, at Mayfield, with Mr. Neild, even if the host were not 

 at home, and in the regular manner in which he joined the 

 family of Mr. Johns every evening, enjoying the society of the 

 younger members who had grown up from childhood under 

 his eye, and under the same roof, and in the great pleasure 

 he had in taking them with him in his summer excursions. It 

 was a mild enjoyment, allowing of little enthusiasm, this was 

 reserved for the sterner aspects of nature on the summits of 

 Scawfell or Helvellyn ; but it was his nature to be calm, a 

 violent life does not suit the inquirer into nature. 



He was simple in his habits by nature and by education, 

 but still more so from his pursuits. Such are always found to 

 be disturbed when wealth, by enlarging the establishment, 

 claims too much the care of the possessor, and when work, 

 ceasing to be urgent, allows us to imagine that the cultivation 

 of an acquaintance is the great business of our life. To the 

 courtly especially, he seemed morose, but that it was merely 

 a question of form, and not of inward feeling, we see addi- 

 tional proof in the letter where he makes a similar complaint 

 of Sir H. Davy, as lacking that geniality which he jocularly 

 represents under the symbol of tobacco. 



To a certain extent he was separated from society by the 

 constancy of his work. Many have been separated, and 

 separated themselves for idleness, but for work, few; and 

 whilst the world is overflowing with those who would willingly 

 give themselves to the pleasure of social intercourse, an 

 occasional exception for a higher purpose stands forth as a 

 subject for our admiration, surely not for a censure. 



Dalton never married, he had not time, he said. In early 

 life his position prevented him, in middle life constant work, 

 when he seems to have been struggling for an independency, 

 not knowing that it would come to him with ease as soon as 

 his failing strength demanded it. This desire to become in- 



