236 Biographical Memoir ofDr Thcmias Young. 



tion. Next day, it is true, the necessities of a numerous Navy 

 caused its voice imperatively to be heard, and one of the learned 

 men who had been deprived of his office, the former secretary 

 of the Board, Dr Young himself, was again called to resume Iiis 

 former labours. But it was a most inadequate reparation. The 

 learned secretary, at least, should not have been separated from 

 his colleagues ; nor should this sensitive individual, rich in all 

 the fruits of human intelligence, have been rated before the re- 

 presentatives of his country, like so much sugar, coffee, or pep- 

 per, in pounds, shillings, and pence. 



The health of our foreign associate, which previously was in 

 a very precarious condition, began, from this sad epoch, to de- 

 cline with a fearful rapidity. The able physicians who attended 

 him very soon lost all hope. Young himself had a strong con- 

 viction of his approaching end, and waited its approach with the 

 greatest composure. Till his last hour he was unremittingly 

 occupied with an Egyptian Dictionary then in the press, and 

 which was not published till after his death. When his weak- 

 ness no longer permitted him to rise, or to use a pen, he corrected 

 the proof sheets by means of a pencil. One of the last acts of 

 his Hfe was to obtain the suppression of a pamphlet written with 

 considerable talent, by a friendly hand, and directed against 

 those who had assisted in destroying the Board of Longitude. 



Young expired, surrounded by his family, by whom he was 

 much beloved, on the 10th of May 1825, having scarcely reached 

 the age of 56. He seemed to have died of ossification of the heart. 



If I have not dwelt too long upon the interesting task which 

 has been imposed upon me ; and especially, if I have given that 

 prominency which I wish, to the importance and the novelty of 

 the admirable law of the Interference of Light, Young must now 

 appear in your eyes as one of the most illustrious men of his 

 day, of whom England may justly be proud. Your imagina- 

 tions, anticipating my words, have already seen in the recital of 

 the honours justly bestowed on the author of such a beautiful 

 discovery, the peroration of this historical notice. These antici- 

 pations, however, I regret to say, will not be realized. The 

 death of Young in his own country attracted but little regard. 

 No title or civil honour was ever conferred upon him, and the 



