280 MEMOIR OF DR. DALTON, AND 



was according to the spiritual, but inexpressive forms of the 

 Society of Friends. 



As is usually the case on the death of an eminent man, the 

 first proof is furnished to many persons that he was once alive. 

 It was suddenly known that a man of eminence had left us, 

 and the greatest desire was shown to do his memory justice. 

 Although the body oi Friends to whom he belonged objected, 

 the funeral was given up to be conducted by the authorities 

 of the town. The remains, in a lead coffin enclosed in a solid 

 oak one, were placed in the Town Hall, and for some days a 

 constant flow of silent and gazing spectators passed through 

 the building. Some objected to this form ; but it is not easy 

 to say what in such cases should be done. True honor can 

 be given only by the mind and by the heart ; but to honor 

 any man publicly it is not enough that we feel it; it must 

 be expressed. This was a solemn method of impressing it 

 on all the forty thousand visitors, as well as on all the town 

 and neighbourhood, who were aware of what was going on, 

 and one probably which would leave a greater impression 

 than a speech over the grave, heard only by a few. True, 

 there was the explanation of his greatness wanted, but that 

 can be given only to a few at a time, and in place of that 

 there was the long continuation of the ceremony which, united 

 with a full account of Dalton's life given in the Manchester 

 Guardian^ impressed the fact on many and enabled everyone 

 to know why this man was so peculiarly selected for honour. 



The funeral took place on the 12th of August. The train 

 was nearly a mile in length, including most of the public 

 bodies of the town, numerous private friends, and still more 

 admirers on foot or in carriages. The town was occupied 

 for a time with the burial of Dalton ; the business ceased ; the 

 streets were thronged with numberless spectators ; and the 

 police of Manchester attended with a badge of mourning. The 

 burial took place in the Ardwick Cemetery, on the south-east 



