RECORDS 



OF 



GENERAL SCIENCE. 



Article I. 

 Memoir of Dr. Thomas Young. By M. Arago.* 



Thomas Young was born at Milverton, in Somersetshire, 

 on the 13th of June, 1773, of parents who belonged to the 

 sect of Quakers. He passed the first years of his life at 

 the house of his maternal grandfather, Mr. Robert Davies 

 of Minehead, whom active commercial engagements had 

 not prevented from cultivating the classics. Young could 

 read fluently at the age of two years. His memory was 

 quite extraordinary. During the intervals from his long 

 engagements at a school kept by a mistress in the neigh- 

 bouring village of Minehead, he had learned by heart, at 

 four years, a great number of English authors, and even 

 different Latin poems, which he could recite from begin- 

 ning to end, although he did not understand this language. 

 The name of Young, like many other celebrated names 

 already collected by biographers, will contribute then to 

 support the hopes or fears of many good fathers, who see 

 in some well recited lessons, without fault or mistake, from 

 the latter, the sure proof of eternal mediocrity ; from the 

 former, the infallible entrance upon a glorious career. We 

 should have departed strangely from our object if these 

 historic notices could strengthen such prejudices. There- 

 fore, without a desire of weakening the lively and pure 

 emotions which are annually excited by the distribution of 

 prizes, we might remind some in order that they may 

 not give way to dreams never to be realized, and others, 



* From the Revue des Deux Mondes, December, 1835. 

 VOL. III. R 



