Account of 

 Dr Drjfdale. 



50 HIS TORT of the SOCIETT. 



loft that truly refpectable and valuable friend. He preached' a 

 fermon on that occafion from the following words : Let me die 

 the death of the righteous, and let my lajl end be like hisj and 

 though, by that time, his powers of compofition, and the 

 energy of his delivery, were much abated, he paid an affec- 

 tionate tribute to the memory of the much-refpecled partner 

 of his labours, whofe character, in defcribing that of the 

 righteous man throughout the firft part of the difcourfe, he 

 plainly alluded to, and in the conclulion delineated in direct 

 terms. 



After this time, it was evident, not only to his particular 

 friends, but alfo to his hearers, that the ftrength both of his 

 mind and body was confiderably impaired. The decline of 

 his health was much accelerated by a fevere cough, to which 

 he had long been fubject. He continued, however, occafion- 

 ally to preach, though his difcourfes wanted that energy, both 

 in compofition and delivery, which ufed to diftinguifh them. 



For fome years during the fitting of the General AfTem- 

 blies, when he felt the difcharge of the duty of Principal 

 Clerk at times too fatiguing for him, he was allowed to retire, 

 and one of the afliftant clerks officiated in his ftead. -At the 

 meeting of the AfTembly in May 1788, he appeared in his 

 place, and acted as Principal Clerk the firft day ; but finding 

 his flrength unequal to the remaining parts of the duty, on 

 the fecond day he requefled permiflion of the Court to be af- 

 fifted by his friend and relation *, who now pays this willing 

 tribute to his memory, and his requeft was unanimoufly 

 granted. 



But he did not long furvive the Aflembly of that year. 

 Early in the month of June, his cough attacked him with ex- 

 traordinary violence, and foon weakened him fo much, that he 

 could no longer rife from his bed. He flill however retained 



3 his 



* The hulband of his eldeft daughter. 



