Memoir of the Life of Eli Whitney. 249 



his complairlt, which immediately threatened his life. For three 

 weeks the event was very doubtful, during which time he occasion- 

 ally suffered paroxysms of pain, of from thirty to forty minutes con- 

 tinuance, severe beyond description. These were repeated six or 

 eight times in every twenty four hours. For six weeks, he was con- 

 fined to his room, at the end of which time, he was able to walk about 

 the house, and to enjoy the society of his friends. Early in January, 

 1823, he had to endure another period of suffering, not less alarming 

 or distressing than the former. With such alternations of awful suf- 

 fering and partial repose, he reached the 12th of November, 1824, at 

 which period his sufferings became almost unremitted until the 8th of 

 January, 1825, when he expired, — "retaining his consciousness to the 

 last, closing his own eyes, and making an effort to close his mouth. 



It was his particular request, that there should be no examination 

 of his body with the view of ascertaining the nature of his disease, 

 and he desired his funeral to be conducted with as Httle parade as 

 possible. 



The strongest demonstrations of respect and regard, were mani-' 

 fested by the citizens of New Haven, in committing his remains to 

 the earth, and the Rev. President Day pronounced over his grave 

 the following eulogy. 



" How frequent and how striking are the monitions to us, that this 

 world is not the place of our rest ! 



" It is not often the case, that a man has laid his plans for the bu- 

 siness and the enjoyment of hfe, with a deeper sagacity, than the 

 friend whose remains we have now committed to the dust. He had 

 received, as the gift of heaven, a mind of a superior order. Early 

 habits of thinking gave to it a character of independence and origin- 

 ality. He was accustomed to form his decisions, not after the model 

 of common opinion, but by his own nicely balanced judgment. His 

 mind was enriched with the treasures which are furnished by a lib- 

 eral education. He had a rare fertility of invention in the arts ; an 

 exactness of execution almost unequalled. By a single exercise of 

 his powers, he changed the state of cultivation, and multiplied the 

 wealth, of a large portion of our country. He set an example of 

 system and precision in mechanical operations, ivhieli others had not 

 even thought of attempting. 



"The higher qualities of his mind, instead of unfitting him for or- 

 dinary duties, were finely tempered with taste and judgment in the 

 business of life. His manners were formed, by an extensive inter-* 



Vol. XXL— No. 2, 32 



