CHARACTERS. 



475 



the riches of his mind ; such was 

 the active employment of all his 

 faculties ; so constant was his ha- 

 hit of giving expression to his 

 thoughts in an extensive corres- 

 pondence, in the preparation of 

 his public discourses^ and in his 

 daily intercourse with the world, 

 that few persons ever left his so- 

 ciety without receiving instruc- 

 tion, and expressing their aston- 

 ishment at the perpetual stream 

 of eloquence in which his thoughts 

 were communicated. 



It has frequently been the sub- 

 ject of surprise that amidst the 

 numerous avocations of Dr. Rush, 

 as a practitioner and a teacher of 

 medicine, that he found leisure 

 for the composition and the pub- 

 lication of the numerous medical 

 and literary works which have 

 been the production of his pen. 



Although Dr. Rush possessed 

 by natuj-e an active and discrimi- 

 nating mind, in whi<:h were blend- 

 ed great quickness of perception, 

 and a retentive memory ; although 

 he enjoyed the benefits of an ex- 

 cellent preliminary and profes- 

 sional educaiion, it was only by 

 habits of uncommon industry, 

 punctuahty in the performance of 

 all his engagements, the strictest 

 temperance and regularity in his 

 mode of life, that enabled iiim to 

 accomplish so much in his pro- 

 fession, and to contribute so large- 

 ly to the medical literature of his 

 country. Dv. Rush, like most 

 men who have extended the boun- 

 daries of any department of hu- 

 man knowledge ; who have con- 

 tiibutjd to tlie improvement of 

 any ait or science, was in habits 

 of early rising, by which he al- 

 ways secured ^vllat Gibbon has 

 well dentnninalcd " the sacred 

 portion of the day," 



The great moralist* justly ob- 

 serves, that " to temperance every 

 day is bright, and every hour is 

 propitious to diligence." The ex- 

 treme temperance of Dr. Rush in 

 like manner enabled him to keep 

 his mind in continual employ- 

 ment, thereby " setting at defi- 

 ance the morning mist and the 

 evening damp — the blasts of the 

 east, and thecloudsof the south. "f 

 He knew not that " lethargy of 

 indolence" that follows the inordi- 

 nate gratifications of the table. 

 His ciesto did not consist in in- 

 dulgence upon the bed or in the 

 armed chair, to recover those 

 powers which had been paralysed 

 or suspended by an excessive 

 meal, or the intemperate use of 

 vinous or spirituous drinks. 



Dr. .Tohnson, during his tour 

 to the Hebrides, when fatigued by 

 his journey, retired to his cham- 

 ber, and wrote his celebrated 

 Latin ode addressed to Mrs. 

 Thrale. J Dr. Rush, in like man- 

 ner, after the fatigues of profes- 

 sional duty, refreshed his mind by 

 the perusal of some favourite 

 poet, som.e woik of taste, some 

 volume of travels, biogiaphy, or 

 h'stor)'. Tliese w ere the pillows 

 on which he sought repose. 



But the virtues of the heart, like 

 the faculties of his mind, were 

 also in continued exercise fur the 

 benefit of his fellow men ; w hiie 

 the numerous humane^ charitable, 

 and i-eligious associations, wliich 

 do honour to the city of Philadel- 

 phia, bear testimony to the phi- 

 lanthi-opy and })iety which ani- 

 mated the bosom of their departed 

 benefactor, let it also be remem- 

 bered that, as with the good Sa- 



* Dr. Julimon, t Boswell. \ Bojwel). 



maritan. 



