tie late Maxwell Garthshore, M.D. 335 



judices, and envious broodincs, which too often disgrace 

 the professional character. For these and many other good 

 services to genuine philosophy every friend ot science will 

 heave a jrrateful sigh lo his memory, and at the same time 

 breathe a prayer for the protracted life of his right honour- 

 able and steady friend, the worthy President of the Royal 

 Society. Both kept open houses for the learned of all na- 

 tions, 'both devoted their lives and fortunes to the meliora- 

 tion of their species, and both have obtained the esteem 

 of great and good men. The patronage of Sir Joseph, 

 indeed, has been much more extensive and more glorious, 

 but could not be more zealous, than that of Dr. G. ; and 

 the latter often regretted the inadequacy of his means, 

 which prevented him from being more directly useful to 

 the general progress of philosophy. Even his age did not 

 abate this propensity ; but his zeal for science never led 

 him to forget the sutferings of the indigent or unfortunate, 

 and during the latter part" of his life he distributed in pri- 

 vate charities, and subscribed to humane institutions, above 

 a thousand a year, besides his gratuitous prescriptions and 

 advice to the poor. Nor was tliis the consequence of in- 

 stantaneous feeling, the mere impulse of the moment, but 

 a fixed principle of action, the discharge of a Christian 

 duty ; and it is now known that at an early period of his life, 

 and when his fortune was very limited, he gave in one 

 charitable donation to the full amount of a year's income ! 

 To practise rather than to speak of beneficence was his 

 uniform principle, and his generous heart and hand always 

 gave to the utmost extent that his cooler judoement could 

 approve. His habits of life were the most exemplary and 

 rcffular. At four o'clock every morning he commenced his 

 studies in his library till a fevv days before his death : this 

 was the time allotted to write his Diary, which he kept near 

 60 years. His temperance was scientific, his ceconomy the 

 result of rational reflection* and extensive charities to the 

 distressed ; and perhaps no physician in London ever 

 contributed so liberally, and with so much extreme delicacy, 

 lo the necessities of the widows, orphans, or indigent rela- 

 tions of his professional brethren. So numerous indeed 

 was this class of pensioners, and so liberal was his assist- 



• It is possible that there may be some persons ipnorant enough to cen- 

 •ure liim in tiiis respect; hut if there be, it caa only prove their incapabi- 

 lity of discriminating what should be the conduct of a philosopher and a 

 Christian from tliat of a common jiarcemi. Such, in<lfced, is the pri){;ress 

 of extravagant luxury, that some vulgar minds begin to think it a necessary 

 duty ! 



Y 4 ance 



