Memoir of the Life of Dr. Thomas Young. 235 
assistance than that of a few occasional masters, when in London, he 
had rendered himself singularly familiar with the great writers of 
antiquity, keeping ample notes of his daily studies. « His reading 
was not,’ says his biographer, ‘for the purpose of merely gaining 
words and phrases, and the minuter distinctions of dialects, but was 
invariably also directed to what was the end and object of the works 
he labored through ;’ he had drawn up an admirable analysis of the 
various conflicting opinions of the ancient philosophers, and it is prob- 
able that the train of thought into which this led him was not without 
its effect in mitigating his attachment to the peculiar views of the 
Quakers. He had now acquired great facility in writing Latin ; 
composed Greek verses, which were well received by the distin- 
guished scholars of the day, and applied himself assiduously to the 
higher mathematics. To the studies of botany, zoology, and espe- 
ially of logy, he at the same time paid considerable attention. 
In the winters of 1790 and 1791, he attended the chemical lec- 
tures of Dr. Higgins, and having previously prepared himself by 
reading on this subject, he began to make simple experiments of his 
o But he is said to have been at no period of his life fond of 
repeating experiments, or even of originating new ones; ‘consider? 
ing that, however necessary to the advancement of science, they 
demanded a great sacrifice of time, and that when the fact was once 
established, that time was better employed in considerfng the purposes 
to which it might be applied, or the principles which it might tend 
to elucidate.” At Dr. Brocklesby’s recommendation, and under his 
superintendence, he now directed his views to the studies necessary 
for the practice of physic, and made to him a regular report of his 
literary and scientific pursuits. The Doctor lived in intimacy with 
Mr. Burke and Mr. Windham, and having communicated to them 
some of his nephew’s Greek translations, he was introduced to those 
two distinguished persons. Mr. Burke is said to have been so greatly 
struck with the reach of Young’s talents, and the extent of his ae- 
quirements, and more particularly by his great and accurate knowl 
edge of Greek, that he was in no small degree indebted to the good 
offices of that eminent statesman for the interest which his uncle 
afterwards took in his future settlement in life. 
‘It may probably be considered that it was at this period his char- 
acter received its developement. He was never known to relax in 
apy object which he had once undertaken. During the whole term 
of these five years, he never was seen by any one, on any occasion, 
