122 BIOGRAPHIES OF SCIENTIFIC MEN 



He was a man of great industry, perseverance, and 

 modesty. " It was with difficulty that he accepted any 

 of the numerous honours proffered him. At first declining 

 to become a candidate for the F.R.S., he was elected in 

 1822 without his knowledge." In 1830 he was elected 

 one of the eight foreign associates of the Academie des 

 Sciences, and in 1832 Oxford University conferred upon 

 him the degree of D.C.L. 



In 1822, Dalton visited Paris. Here he met many 

 distinguished men, among whom may be mentioned, 

 Cuvier, Laplace, Gay-Lussac, Arago, Biot, and others. 



In 1836 William IV., on the recommendation of Lord 

 Melbourne, granted Dalton a civil list pension of 300 a 

 year. 



In 1834 he received the degree of LL.D. from Edinburgh 

 University. 



Dalton's private life was monotonous, and to a certain 

 extent uneventful. His character " was most amiable, 

 simple, and unostentatious/' His life was in his work. 

 Science was everything to him. The chief recreation in 

 which he indulged was bowls ; he belonged to a bowling 

 club which met at the Dog and Partridge Tavern in 

 Manchester. Dalton was of medium height, robust and 

 muscular ; his voice was gruff, and his manner curt. 

 When asked why he never married, he replied that 

 he never had time (most likely impecuniosity was the 

 primary cause). He was not, however, totally indifferent 



