252 THOMAS YOUNG. 



to rest in almost entire ignorance of the popular 

 literature of the day.' 



I must, however, hasten over the early years and 

 acquirements of this extraordinary personality. During 

 his youth he had none of the assistance which is usually 

 within the reach of persons of position in England. All 

 that I have here mentioned, and a vast deal more, 

 he had acquired without having entered either a 

 public school or a university. As a classic, he was, we 

 are assured, both precise and profound. As a mathe- 

 matician, he was many-sided, original, and powerful. 

 Such an education, however, though well calculated to 

 develop the strength of the individual, was not, in 

 Peacock's opinion, the best calculated to place Young 

 in sympathy with the mind of his age. 'He was, 

 throughout life, destitute of that intellectual fellow- 

 feeling (if the phrase may be used) which is so neces- 

 sary to form a successful teacher or lecturer, or a 

 luminous and successful writer.' 



Young was intended for the medical profession, and 

 his medical studies began in 1792. He came to London, 

 and attended the lectures of Dr. Baily, Mr. Cruikshanks, 

 and John Hunter. He made the acquaintance of Burke, 

 Windham, Frederick North, Sir Joshua Eeynolds, and 

 Dr. Lawrence. By the advice of Burke he studied the 

 philosophical works of Cicero. The bent of Young's 

 moral character may be inferred from the quotations 

 which he habitually entered in his commonplace book. 

 Here is one of them : ' For my part,' says Cicero, ' I 

 think the man who possessed that strength of mind, that 

 constitutional tendency to temperance and virtue, which 

 would lead him to avoid all enervating indulgences, 

 and to complete the whole career of life in the midst of 

 labours of the body and efforts of the mind ; whom 



