E M E 



575 



E M I 



- m. part of this account is taken. He was also a frequent 

 < -^"Y"~ < *' correspondent to the Ladies Diary, a work which has 

 greatly contributed to the diffusion of mathematical 

 knowledge, and added a stimulus to youthful exertion. 

 Emerson was, in person, somewhat below the middle 

 size, but firm, compact, and well made, very active and 

 strong. He had a good open countenance, with a rud- 

 dy complexion, a keen penetrating eye, and an ar- 

 dour and eagerness of look that was very expressive 

 of the texture of his mind. His dress was simple and 

 plain, or, perhaps, some might say slovenly and gro- 

 tesque ; but Emerson was a man of independent mind, 

 and, therefore, was no way uneasy about the appearance 

 he might make in other people's eyes he knew his 

 own value as a man, and disregarding the opinion of 

 the superficial observer, who places all worth in out- 

 ward appearances, he claimed kindred, and wished to 

 be ranked only with the intellectual nobility. His diet 

 also was as plain and simple as his dress ; and his meals 

 gave him little interruption in his studies, employ- 

 ments, or amusements. During his days of close ap- 

 plication he seldom sat down to eat, but he would take 

 a cold pie, or meat of any kind in his hand, and reti- 

 ring with it to his place of study, he satisfied his ap- 

 petite for knowledge and food at the same time. And 

 when his stock of groceries, or other necessaries in the 

 article of house-keeping, run low, on Monday morning 

 he took his mallet, which he flung obliquely across his 

 shoulders, and set forward to the market of Darling- 

 ton, three miles distant, and after providing the neces- 

 sary articles, he would set himself contentedly down in 

 some public house for the remainder of the day, and 

 frequently for the night too, sometimes not returning 

 home till late on Tuesday or Wednesday : he remained 

 talking or disputing on various topics, mechanics, poli- 

 tics or religion, according to his company. Being M '- 

 ilom possessed of any stock of ale at home, he would 

 sometimes indulge in these protracted potations at Hur- 

 worth, and he was always remarkably exact in appor- 

 tioning each man's share of the reckoning. 



His style in conversation was generally very abrupt 

 and blunt, and often ungrammatical, and this led many 

 people to suppose that lie could not write his own pre- 

 faces ; but this was no rule to judge by, as we cannot 

 with any degree of certainty determine how a man will 

 write from his conversation. It will ever be a lasting 

 reproach to the rich and great of his day, that such a 

 man '>n was suffered to end his days in obscu- 



rity. It is true he possessed a small farm,' which ren- 

 dered him in some measure independent; but his .bi- 

 lities deserved greater encouragement, and it is proba- 

 ble his name would scarcely have been known in the 

 republic of letters, but for the friendship of Mr Mon- 

 tagu, who first recommended him to that eminent book- 

 seller Mr Xoursc, of I-ondon, who engaged him on very 

 liberal terms, to furnish a regular course of the mathe- 

 matics for the use of students. It does not appear that 

 he was very anxious about literary distinctions or titles : 

 lie did not wish to be admitted a fellow of the Royal 

 Society, because, he said, it was a hard thing that 

 a man should burn so many farthing candles as he 

 had done, and then have to pay so much a year for the 

 honour of F. R S. at his name. Emerson, like other 

 men, had his foibles and defects. He was singular and 

 uncouth in his dress and manners, and hasty and im- 

 petuous in his temper. But whatever failings | le ],.]_ 

 they were more than overbalanced by his virtues. He 

 Juid a firm and independent mind, that could not be 



brought to submit to any thing mean, base, or disinge- Emero 



nuous ; a pure, genuine, and ardent love of truth, and 



, .* _J-,-i \ c IT- i. Emieration. 



a detestation of falsehood of every species. His hones- ._ " _ .. 



ty and integrity were such, that all who knew him re- 

 posed in him the most implicit confidence, and no man 

 could ever justly complain that Emerson had deceived 

 him. 



His abilities as a mathematician will not rank him 

 amongst those of the first class. Though he cannot be 

 said to have added any remarkable discovery to the sci- 

 ence, yet when we take into consideration the many 

 valuable works which he has written, and the astonish- 

 ing progress which he made in every branch of the ma- 

 thematics, perhaps without any assistance but the exer- 

 tions of a vigorous mind, we cannot fail to regard him 

 as a mathematician of wonderful acquirements, and as 

 entitled to the gratitude of posterity. He died May 

 21, 1782, and lies buried in the churchyard at Hur- 

 worth, at die west end of the church, against which is 

 erected to his memory a stone, with a short Latin in- 

 scription ; but his works furnish a more splendid, as well 

 as a more durable monument to his memory and fame. 

 For a more detailed account of the life of this celebrated 

 mathematician, and of his works, see his Tracts, new 

 edition, printed in London, 1793, by F. VVingrave. (G.) 



EMERY. See ORVCTOONOSY. 



EMETICS. See MEDICNIE. 



EMIGRATION. When a people find themselves Nations d 

 uncomfortable in their native country, and when they not quit 

 depart out of it in order to settle and live in some other, ^^, wn 

 there must be strong inducements leading them to wldurert 

 adopt such a measure. It is directly repugnant to those powerful 

 natural feelings, which local habits and residence, toge- motives. 

 ther with tender attachments, create ; and these feelings, 

 even in rude and barbarous countries, are commonly 

 both strong and lasting. The motives which prove suc- 

 cessful in overcoming such feelings, and which operate 

 as inducements to emigrate, must be so powerful as to 

 produce these effects ; and at the same time to meet 

 and controul those apprehensions, which the prospect 

 of dangers and of difficulties raises in such an under- 

 taking. 



The records of history furnish many disjoined facts, whole na- 

 which lead to the conclusion, that great emigrations tions have 

 have taken place ; whole nations having quitted their seldom been 

 native countries, in order to settle in others which they kr | own to 

 deemed preferable. But such events appear to have JJ!^^ 5 

 been rare. Lesser bodies of people have emigrated f re- dies fre- 

 quently, in the prospect of settling in other countries qucntly; 

 likely to afford them superior advantages. The etni- and inll >- 

 gration of individuals has always been frequent. vidnals 



In early ages, when the earth was thinly peopled, ften " 

 and tile patriarchal government subsisted, or something w -'n<lerina 

 resembling that form, wandering tribes or families of llor ' 1 ? H j 

 people often migrated from one spot of territory into f n j^ 

 another, in order to find better and fresher pastures for siylc, 

 their flocks. A removal of this kind was easily nd 

 speedily accomplished ; and it was not attended with 

 much hazard, anxiety or labour. The habits of such 

 a life, however, were productive of a particular cha- 

 racter among the people ; they were necessarily denied Ac( l uir e 

 the comforts of regular and permanent habitations t ; lmractcr 

 their attachments were not strictly local ; their life 



oc 



was mostly of the pastoral description ; and they living. 

 were exposed to such privations as the want of re- 

 gular tillage must have occasioned; the chase occu- 

 pied part of their time, and in such a disorderly state of 

 society, petty feuds and warfare frequently occurred ; 



