OF THE LATE JOHN KENNEDY, ESQ. 155 



discovery in mechanical science received his cordial sup- 

 port. He was a friend and admirer of Watt, and there 

 were few distinguished men in the scientific world with 

 whom he was not acquainted, and on terms of friendly 

 intercourse. Round his table were at all times to be 

 found men who were noted for intellectual acquirements. 

 With the distinguished men of Manchester and the sur- 

 rounding districts he lived on terms of the closest inti- 

 macy; and although he did not attend regularly at the 

 meetings of this society, in consequence of a dislike to the 

 public expression of his opinions, he nevertheless took a 

 deep interest in its proceedings ; and during the whole of 

 a useful life remained the friend of Dalton, Henry, and 

 other men eminent for their discoveries and vrritings in 

 science. 



Mr. Kennedy was a man of sterling honesty in all his 

 transactions. He began life at a time when the cotton 

 trade was in its infancy, and he lived to see it attain its 

 present colossal dimensions. As a man of business he was 

 successful, but it is doubtful whether his tastes and talents 

 would have fitted him for the present system of free trade, 

 and whether he would not have been distanced by more 

 energetic and active competitors. That this would have 

 been the case is more than probable, as he was of a nervous 

 temperament, subject to great depression of spirits, which 

 might have paralysed his exertions, and prostrated him in 

 a contest to which he was unequal. As it was he attained 

 honour and success, and he lived at a time when business 

 matters were easy, and when skill and practical science 

 were much in demand. 



Mr. Kennedy never pursued business for the sake of 

 money, but for the love of improvements in his favourite 

 mechanical pursuits. To these he devoted nearly the 

 whole of his time, and there was scarcely any discovery in 

 the arts that he did not make himself acquainted with. 



