(84) lIIStORr of the SOCIETT, 



Accoai;t of ced a fpirit of enterprife and induftry, before that time littk 



Dr Rcebvck. ^^ ^ •' ' 



known in Scotland, which foon pervaded many other depart- 

 ments of labour, and gave birth to many other ufeful projects. 

 He brought from England, then much farther advanced in arts 

 and induftry, many ingenious and induftrious workmen, at 

 great expence, who, by their inftructions and example, commu- 

 nicated and diffufed Ikill and knowledge to others. At all times 

 Dr Roebuck held out liberal encouragement to rifing genius, 

 and induftrious merit ; and fpared no expence in making trials 

 of improvements and difcoveries, which were conned:ed with 

 the different projects and works which he was carrying on. 



Such was the acftive and ufeful life of Dr Roebuck, a man 

 of no common caft, who united, in a very high degree, a great 

 number of folid and brilliant talents, which, even feparately, 

 fall to the lot of but few individuals. Diflinguilhed by an ar- 

 dent and inventive mind, delighting in purfuit and inveftigation, 

 always afpiring at fomething beyond the prefent ftate of fcience 

 and art, and eagerly preffmg forward to fomething better or 

 more perfedl, he thus united energies the moft powerful, with 

 the moft unwearied and perfevering induflry. To that pecu- 

 liarity of imagination, fo fitted for fcientific purfuit, which rea- 

 dily combines and unites, which fteadily preferves its combina- 

 tions before the eye of the m.ind, and quickly difcovers relations, 

 refults and confequences, was added, in his character, great 

 promptitude and firmnefs in decifion. Strongly and early im- 

 preffed with the great importance of applying chemical and 

 phyfical knowledge to the ufeful arts, to the melioration of 

 civil life, he never loft fight of that favourite view, and dif^ 

 covered great boldnefs and refource in the means and expe- 

 dients which he adopted to promote it. He was certainly ma- 

 fter of the beft philolbphy of chemiftry known in the earlier 

 parts of his life, and though, in every ftage of that fcience, he 

 marked and underftood the progrefs of the difcoveries, yet his 



numerous 



