398 LIFE OF DALTOX : 



those who had pursuits akin to his own ; and a few intimate 

 friends and pupils, with whom he sometimes unbent himself 

 after the labours of the day. One of these friends describes 

 him as exceedingly cheerful and facetious on such occasions. 

 We can readily believe in his cheerfulness, but find it 

 difficult to imagine in Dalton anything approaching to wit. 

 Even in the fashion of his amusements there was the same 

 order and method as in other things. Every Thursday 

 afternoon he indulged in his favourite diversion of bowling ; 

 watching with a sort of scientific eagerness the motions of 

 the bowls, and noting down minutely in a book all the losses 

 or gains of the few pence for which the game was played. 

 In every other habit of his life, as to hours, labour, and food, 

 there was the same simplicity, order, and temperance. 



Occasionally he visited London, or made excursions into 

 the Lake scenery of his native county. A notable incident 

 in a life thus tranquil was a visit to Paris in 1822, which we 

 know to have afforded him singular pleasure. Six years 

 before he had been elected a 'Corresponding Member of the 

 Academy of Sciences a proof of the reputation he had 

 already earned abroad. Mr. Dockray, his companion on this 

 journey, graphically describes a dinner given to Dalton by 

 Laplace at his country-seat at Arcueil ; the beautiful 

 grounds of which derive no less fame from having been the 

 residence of this philosopher, than from the earlier destiny 

 of the spot as the abode of the Emperor Julian, when 

 Governor of Gaul. At this dinner Berthollet, Arago, Cuvier, 

 Biot, and Fourier were among the guests names all 

 illustrious in the annals of science. Mr. Dockray pictures 

 to us Dalton walking in the evening through the ruins 

 which yet remain of Julian's residence, between Laplace and 

 Berthollet a remarkable group, and almost as much so in 

 the diversity of the men as in the community of their fame. 

 From our own recollection of Laplace we feel how great 



