MEMOIR Ol- DB WRIGHT. 127 



very successfully, the imputation of disrespect to Lord Ken- 

 yon. 



" What think you of the style ? I thought it very supe- 

 rior. What he says of you is universally, I find, thought ex- 

 tremely to the purpose, and has occasioned in 



great uneasiness. So I was told by a London lawyer a few 

 days ago. How beautiful is the eulogium on Hebekden ! 



" You must know that Wells and I were school-fellows, 

 and slept a long time in the same room. I know him of 

 course well ; and am deeply interested in him. The man is 

 singularly noble, — brave beyond all sense of fear, — ready to 

 sacrifice his life to serve any generous purpose, — and not ca- 

 pable of a mean or base thing to save his life. He has the 

 corresponding faults, — an unbending pride — unaccommoda- 

 ting manners, — inflexible determination, — a disposition to 

 act solely under the impulse of his own lofty spirit, — and to 

 scorn the consequences, whatever they may be. With all 

 these obstacles to success, such is the strength of his talents, 

 that he would rise to the first rank of society, if the life of 

 man were lengthened to twice or thrice its present duration. 



" I wish he could get a professorship in your University. 

 There he would shine ; and he could lecture on any branch 

 of science.' 11 



The following passages occur in a letter of Dr Cur- 

 rie to Dr Wright, of the 29th of November 1799 : 



" I know not whether I mentioned to you before, that my 

 book has been abridged, and printed in America, in the form 

 of a shilling or eighteen penny pamphlet, which is circulating- 

 through all the great towns, — and, I hope, doing some good; 

 but of this I have not yet particular accounts. A copy of 

 this abridgment has been sent to me by the author of it, a 

 Mr Peter Edes of Augusta, in the district of Maine, who 

 seems a man of good understanding, and some information. 



