John Dalton. 199 



a man of science and of talent, an explainer of nature 

 although unable to look at its surface. He gave his 

 advice. 



John Dalton had learnt much from this gentleman, and 

 had used his books and physical apparatus. Indeed, we 

 may look on Gough as one of the early props of the Society, 

 although living in Kendal, and as a man of mark of the 

 time he stands described by Wordsworth in ' The Excur- 

 sion ' : 



Methinks I see him, how his eyeballs rolled 

 Beneath his ample brow in darkness pained, 

 But each instinct with spirit, and the frame 

 Of the whole countenance alive with thought, 

 Fancy and understanding ; whilst the voice 

 Discoursed of natural and moral truth, 

 With eloquence and such authentic power, 

 That in his presence humbler knowledge stood 

 Abashed, and tender pity overawed. 



Dr. Crompton, the friend of so many in Manchester, 

 as well as their wise and kind physician, grandson of the 

 inventor of the ' spinning mule/ which has done so much 

 for Lancashire, received from Wordsworth a letter con- 

 taining this passage : ' Your conjecture respecting that 

 passage is remarkable. Mr. Gough, of Kendal, whom I 

 had the pleasure of knowing, was the person from whom I 

 drew the picture which was in no respect exaggerated. He 

 was a most extraordinary person, highly gifted, &c. The 

 sadness which the contemplation of blindness always pro- 

 duces, was in Mr. Gough's case tempered by admiration 

 and wonder in the most affecting manner.' 



Jonathan Dalton helped his cousin George Bewley, who 

 had a school at Kendal, and John after some years fol- 

 lowed. He had been keeping a school in his native place, 

 Eaglesfield, nearly three miles south-west of Cockermouth, 



