30 CHAPMAN. 



only an anatomical organ necessary for the circulation of the blood. 

 A sense of isolation from his brethren made him shrink from their 

 society and avoid their presence ; but he did so as one conscious 

 of an infirmity, not boasting of an excellence. He was like a deaf 

 mute, sitting apart from a circle whose looks and gestures show 

 that they are uttering and listening to music and eloquence, in pro- 

 ducing or welcoming which he can be no sharer. Wisely therefore 

 he dwelt apart. He was one of the unthanked benefactors of his 

 race, who was patiently teaching and serving mankind, whilst they 

 were shrinking from his coldness or mocking his peculiarities. He 

 could not sing for them a sweet song, or create a ' thing of beauty,' 

 which would be ' a joy for ever,' or touch their hearts, or fire their 

 spirits, or deepen their reverence or their fervour. He was not a 

 poet, a priest, or a prophet, but only a cold clear intelligence, ray- 

 ing down pure white light, which brightened everything on which 

 it fell, but warmed nothing a star of at least the second, if not of 

 the first magnitude in the intellectual firmament." 



As Cavendish had lived, so he died alone. He died after a short 

 illness, probably the first as well as the last under which he ever 

 suffered. His habit of curious observation continued to the end; 

 he was desirous of marking the progress of disease and the gradual 

 extinction of the vital powers. With this view, that he might not 

 be disturbed, he desired to be left alone. His servant returning 

 sooner than he had wished was ordered again to leave the chamber 

 of death, and when he came back a second time he found his master 

 had expired. Although in many respects of a highly liberal cha- 

 racter, so great was the frugality of his ordinary mode of living in 

 comparison to his income, that at his death Cavendish left the 

 enormous sum of 1,200,OOOZ. to be divided among his relations. 

 Life of the Hon. Henry Cavendish, by George Wilson, M.D., F.R.S.E. 

 London, 1851. Brougham's Lives of Philosophers. London and 

 Glasgow, 1855. 



WILLIAM CHAPMAN, M.R.I.A. 



Born 1749. Died May 29, 1832. 



William Chapman, Civil Engineer, was born at Whilby. in York- 

 shire, of a respectable; and wealthy family, who had resided in that 

 town for several generations. lie, inherited the freedom of Newcastle- 

 upon-Tyne from his father, who, in common with all the chief people 

 of Whitliy, was eni^iL'-ed in shipping, and was besides particularly 

 distinguished for his attainments in mathematics and other scien- 



