1805.] 



Torkjhire, 



277 



every thing befides the refpeft due to his 

 merit, and the pleafures of a mind early ha- 

 bituated to refleftion and the improvement 

 of its ideas. This happy talent proved the 

 folacf of his nunnerous troubles ; for comply- 

 ing witli neceflity and the bent of his genius, 

 he learned to arrange his thoughts and t-xer 

 cife his undcrltanding, while his hands were 

 employed. It mud be confeHed, however, 

 that a love for philofophical corifcm(.l.iMon 

 ieems to have aggtavatea his misfortunes at 

 an eventful peTud of his life; for an acci- 

 dental perufal of tlie theological writings of 

 Dr. Pric-ftley led him to fxamine liii own re- 

 ligious principles, though furro.i loed by a 

 diftrefled family ; and the alteration produced 

 in his opinions compelled him, after many re- 

 luOant ftruggles, to feparate from that fo- 

 ciety in the bofum of which he had been edu- 

 cated. That in th'S painful afl of duty ("ac- 

 cording to his jul^meiit) he gave a decifive 

 proof of integrity and fincerity in religious 

 profefljon, will be acknowledged even by 

 thofe who regard his conviftions as ill found- 

 ed ; and it is a pleafure to add, that his fepa- 

 ration ultimately redounded to his lionorand 

 to the credit of his former friends ; for during 

 the ficknefs wliich preceded iiis i-'th the 

 members of that locicty wtre the firft to open 

 2 fubfcription for his relief, thereby teftifying 

 their refpeil for his virtues, and ftewing to 

 the world an example of candour deferving 

 the imitation of every Chriflian feil. A 

 few days after the death of this eftimable man 

 a difcourfe was deliverijJ before the fociety 

 of Proteftanr Didcnters in the M.iikrt-pljce, 

 Kendal, of which during feveral years he had 

 been a highly refpsfled member. The dif- 

 courfe concluded as follows :— " In thus 

 ftating to you the foundation upon which 

 Ihould reft our fubmiflion to the liivine vviil in 

 the near profprfl of death, I have had in 

 view the fentiments and feelings of that per- 

 fon whofe departure from among ft ub has oc- 

 caiioned this difcourfe. Often has it be^n 

 my lot, in thedifcharge of profeffional duty, 

 or in compliance with the ca Is of frienddiip, 

 to vifif trie fick and dying bed ; but never uid 

 I witnefs greater fertility of mind than he 

 was enabled to difpl y in the moft trying cir- 

 cumftances Uncur the feeLileacfs of a gra- 

 dual incurahle didine, even in the immedi- 

 ate profpeft of clifTolution^ he wis calm afid 

 traR<juil. H<! was erwbUJ to rcafun with 

 compofure upon th« nature of his future 

 profpe£ls in lite, liad life b'xn continued, and 

 to conclude witii re6c^4ti<>n, li.at though his 

 worldly 1 rofpcdit wre impr^,ving, all things 

 confidered, it wai better for him lo dcpjrt. — 

 Thii comp'ifure and rcfignation were not 

 more uwia| to a pui.olophical than to a rtli. 

 gi'ut tuffi of rand ■'-ith him, indeed, phi- 

 lofopli* and religion were firmly united. Of 

 the truth, f xci:i en(e, and injp rtai.c :, of tue 

 latter, he always appeared to have ftrong ini- 

 prelfionj j impreflioris not tinftured with rn- 

 tbufufm Dur dciivcd from fupctftition, but 



fpringing from mitnre deliberation, from ra- 



tional convi(^ion, and regulated by a foher 

 judgment His natural cndowrnents, which 

 were coiifiderable, he had cultivated and im- 

 proved by clofe application, and amidft 

 numerous and neceffary employments of a 

 diff-rent nature, had acquired a ftock of ufe- 

 fui Icarni ig. and a fund of knowledge not 

 always furpalTid by m;n of greater leifure 

 and more liiieral education. Truth he loved 

 with fincerity and defended with ardour ; nor 

 was he ever difoofed to facrifice it in compli- 

 ance with the prejudices or to flatter the paf- 

 fions of others. To the integrity and ufefuU 

 nefs of his conduft, and the high degree of 

 eftiiTiation in which his rcfpeflable charaifter 

 was generally held, many tetlimniiials mi^ht 

 be adduced ; but delicacy forbids me to do 

 more than hint atone, which was equally ho- 

 nourable to him who received ano to them 

 who g.ive it. The benevolence of his friends 

 aided the piety of his refignation, ini he part- 

 ed from life without a figh of regret In an 

 age of frivolity and vice, the contemplation of 

 fuch a charad^er (if we make eveiy allow- 

 ance for the foibles and imperfeiJlion to which 

 hi:maii nature is liable in all (tations) is 

 cheeiing and edifying. May it prove a blefs- 

 ing to thofe whom he has left behind, vvfiilll 

 they are dil'patching that journey through 

 life, which he has now fiuilTied j and mav it 

 incite them to merit the fame tefti nuuy of 

 refpeft and honour which lie has receive'.— 

 In faying fo much upon charafl.r, I hive de- 

 viated fro.n my ufual pradlice upon thtfe oc- 

 cafions, under the cor.viftion that thedeceaf- 

 ed, confidering his iljti;:i and fphere of ac- 

 tion. Was far leyond what inay be called t, 

 common charaftei, and becaaf; I think, if 

 thofe particular virtues for which he wag 

 diftinguiftied wrre more prized .» , i aimed a':, 

 wc Ihould in gen-ral be more ufetul than we 

 are. To thofe who are left to paA through 

 the world without the guide and proteiffor of 

 their early youth, it is to be hoped ihst the 

 charafler li': fuftained will orove a benefit j f» 

 tliat the favour and patronaj;e which wa» 

 (hewn to him may iu fome mtafure be ex- 

 tended to them. One depenJente indeed they 

 h?ve in common with all the deftitute and 

 affli'^ed. In the way of duty tliey miy with 

 confidence rely upon that Being who is the 

 God of '.heir fathers, and has declared him* 

 felt to be the fri nd and the protedlor of the 

 orphan Upon all occafions he is able to affill 

 anj comfort them : the virtuous he will 

 guide through life ; nor will even death it- 

 felf leaarate cheni lom his favour. To Hit 

 will may th-.y. may all at us, fubmit, and 

 in obedience to it be traif||l4y for liappinefc 

 in a future and immortal ftue.''j 



YORXSHIRS. 



The half-yearly meeting of the York 

 Agricultural S jciety, was h- Id ut the York 

 Ta'^crn, on the ilth of Augul; when the 

 following premiums Wfre adjudged : To 

 James Ward, for the b«ft flteariing tup, i*« 



