580 



ANNUAL REGISTER, 1809. 



other institutions, the subscribers 

 have the means of affording rehef 

 to some sick or distressed neigh- 

 hours, or have something to dispose 

 of, some good they can personally 

 confer; but in this instituiion, there 

 is nothing of the kind, which has 

 been an obstacle to its establish- 

 ment. Its patrons and promoters 

 have, it is true, the godlike satis- 

 faction of knowing they contribute 

 towards preserving the lives of many 

 of their fellow-creatures from pre- 

 mature death. They have a grati- 

 Hcation too, of avery superior kind, 

 afforded them at the anniversary 

 festival ; they see men, women, and 

 children, whom they have contri- 

 buted to rescue from an untimely 

 death, walk in solemn and silent 

 procession, expressing, as they 

 pass, their gratitude to God and to 

 their benefactors. This is one of 

 the most interesting and affecting 

 scenes a man of feeling can witness ; 

 and it seldom fails to cause the tear 

 of sympathy to steal down the 

 cheeks of the spectators. It cer- 

 tainly required all the energy and 

 undeviating perseverance of Dr. H. 

 to place this institution in opposi- 

 tion to numerous difficulties, in that 

 state of respectability and perma- 

 nence in which he has left it, and 

 to which such a cause is justly en- 

 titled. To the same zeal for saving 

 the lives of his fellow-creatures, 

 must we attribute his uniform atten- 

 tion to the establishment of similar 

 societies in numerous towns of the 

 united kingdom, and in various 

 parts of Europe, America, and In- 

 dia. No man could be more alive 

 to distress of every kind than Dr. 

 Hawes ; and to a great variety of 

 which he was a constant witness in 

 his attendance on the poor, as phj'- 

 sician of the London and Surrey 



Dispensaries. In many cases he 

 found them more in want of nou- 

 rishment than medicine; having 

 told them what was necessary, he 

 would afibrd them the means of 

 procuring this nourishment, and 

 hasten from them to prevent their 

 overwhelming him with their gra- 

 titude. Instances too have frequent- 

 ly occurred of his overtaking per- 

 sons in the street, whom he knew 

 to be in great want; of his taking 

 his hand from his pocket, and put- 

 ting the means of relief into their 

 hand, and passing quickly on. The 

 instances of his benevolence, hu- 

 manity, and real charity, must have 

 been numerous, for many of those 

 which are known, have been inci- 

 uentall)'^ discovered. It was truly 

 said of him in the Morning Chro- 

 nicle, a day or two after his death, 

 that he was a man of whom it may 

 with the greatest truth be asserted, 

 that his only failings arose from an 

 overflow of the milk of human kind- 

 ness ; that he was open and unsus- 

 pecting as noon-day ; that his heart 

 was always in his hand, and his be- 

 nevolence unbounded; andthat the 

 tears and regrets of thousands would 

 follow him to the grave, with the 

 consolatory reflection that he is 

 gonp to receive the reward of a 

 well-spent, active, useful, and vir- 

 tuous life. As a friend, he was 

 sincere, and without the least re- 

 serve. In him was no guile. To 

 his family he was the affectionate 

 friend, and indulgent father; and 

 by whom he was most deservedly 

 and tenderly beloved. His highest 

 gratification was, tosee those around 

 him happy, and to contribute by 

 every means in his power to pro- 

 mote their pleasures and comfort. 

 His manners were kind and conci- 

 liating; his tempei' frank, generous, 



and 



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