124 Literary and Philosophical Society. 



young men were sent to Manchester from a distance to 

 learn at the Academy where the Rev. Ralph Harrison was 

 classical teacher. Here again we find the influence of Dr. 

 Percival, as we learn that soon after Mr. Henry left the 

 Academy he became, as others also had done, a reader and 

 assistant to Dr. Percival, whose weak eyesight prevented 

 his activity. It was a great favour to be allowed to study 

 with such a man ; Henry lived for five years in the house, 

 having succeeded Dr. Holme who acted in the same 

 capacity. We do not find that he went to any university 

 until after being for some time practically engaged in the 

 Infirmary, under Dr. Ferriar, another of those physicians 

 who made Manchester famous. He went to Edinburgh 

 in 1795, and a second time in 1805 ; to what place could a 

 man go in England to study medicine and receive a uni- 

 versity education at the same time .'* In Edinburgh he 

 studied chemistry under Dr. Black, a man whose style of 

 thought and of work was well calculated to produce enthu- 

 siasm in a mind prepared by intimacy with Dr. Percival, 

 a man of similar manners and elevation of character. 

 Henry had the advantage when not too young, as many 

 Scotch students are, of hearing other eminent men of that 

 city. Playfair and Dugald Stewart took up much of his 

 time ; whilst among the students he had such acquaintances 

 as became well known to the world under the names of 

 Marcet, Roget, De la Rue, Thomson, Allen, Scarlett, 

 Jeffrey, and Lord Brougham. He was roused there to the 

 highest enthusiasm, and quitted the place with regret, feel- 

 ing long afterwards that all his time in Manchester was 

 comparatively given to inglorious repose, active although 

 most people considered him to be. He took his degree 

 of M.D. in 1807, but ten years previously he had given 



