1809.] 
on heterogeneous, and arbitrary custom, 
without principle, and without rule. 
The recorder of this plan, is far from de- 
fending -it; not, however, because he 
thinks it irrational, but because he be- 
lieves it impossible; and he therefore 
regrets that it was attempted by one 
whose competent knowledge of the 
English tongue might have been 
turned ‘to such great advantage in other 
branches of philological disquisition’ Nor 
is it to be denied, that, while Dr. Frank- 
lin was his great, if nothis only supporter, 
in his new system, Dr. Johnson, and other 
friends, who respected and loved him, 
saw with pain that he not only lost his 
time, but injured his purse. But Mr. 
Elphinsten was a Quixotte in whatever he 
judged right: in religion, in virtue, in 
benevolent interferences, the force of 
custom, ora host of foes, made no impres- 
sion upon him; the only question with 
him was, should it be or should. it not 
be? Such aman might be foiled in an 
attempt, but was not likely to be diverted 
from one in which he thought right was 
to be supported against wrong. The 
worst that can be said of his perseverance 
in so hopeless a pursuit is, that it was a 
foible by which he injured no one but 
himself. 
Painful, indeed, is it to think that aman 
of such merit and virtue, should, by a well 
meant undertaking, contract means of 
comfort already but too narrow: but, in 
Mr. Elphinston’s case, this pain is com- 
pensated to the observer, by contem- 
plating the rectitude of soul, and. perse- 
verance in frugality, that preserved his 
mind untainted and unbroken, He lived 
upon the square with the world, and, sup- 
ported by conscience and temperance, 
health and spirits never forsook him to 
the last day of nis life. In his sister and 
brother-in-law he bad real friends; but 
the sincerity of Mr. Strahan, in his opi- 
nion of Mr. Elphinston’s scheme, ~ aud 
the spirit of the latter, who defended his 
own judgment, created a difference, 
which, at one time, wore the appearance 
without having the reality of alienation, 
as was fully proved. Mr. Strahan died 
in the year 1785, and bequeathed a hun- 
dred pounds a-year, a hundred pounds 
in ready money, and twenty guineas for 
mourning, to Mr, Elphinston, who ex- 
pressed himself, “ deeply sensible of a 
generosity, though not then first demon- 
strated, never before fully known.” Tis 
sister survived her husband about a 
month, and by her will left her brother 
two hundred a-year more. Noble spirits! 
Moxraty Mac. No, 192. 
Memoirs of James Elphinston, esq. 
459 
Ye have now received him in themansions 
of bliss, where your generosity is uncea= 
singly. repaid with a glorious and eternal 
interest. If the voice of a mortal can ac- 
company an angel through the everlasung 
gates, receive with his heavenly, the 
earthly tribute, of one who now watts it 
as his pen passes. along the paper that 
records your worth ! 
Mr. Elpbinston was no solitary being; 
a more social or affectionate heart was 
never bestowed on man, Being now 
easy in bis circumstances, he espoused a 
lady, who, though many years younger 
than himself, had the discernment to ap- 
preciate the merits both of his head and 
heart. Onthe 6th of October, 1785, Miss ~ 
Falconar, the daughter of the Rev, James 
Falconar, and the niece of Bishop Fal- 
conar, bestowed her hand apon him; and 
a happier marriage, as proved by an ex- 
perience of four and twenty years, has 
seldom been celebrated. ° 
Soon after their marriage, the brother 
of Mrs. Elphinston, on a voyage to India, 
wrote a letter to his sister, which was 
to have been sent by a vessel met at sea, 
but he finished it too late, the vessel being 
under weigh; upon this, he consizned the 
letter to an empty bottle, which he 
corked, and threw overboard. It was 
picked up nine mouths after the date of 
it by some fishermen, on the coast of Nore 
mandy, near Bayeux. This circuimstance, 
apparently trivial, proved of great ime 
portance in the life of Mr. Elpiinston, 
as it was the cause of a friendship with 
M. De Dellevilie, the judge of the Ad. 
miralty at Bayeux, from which he ree 
ceived much gratification, Besides this, 
it appears to have afforded the ce!ebra- 
ted St. Pierre some arguments in favour 
of his visionary system. respecting the 
tides, 
In the year 1787, Mr. Elphinston once 
more visited Scotland, where he was 
again received with affection and respect ; 
and after a short stay returned to’ Eng~ 
land, and fixed his residence at Islington, 
where he continued for some years, cul- 
tivating friendship by social intercourse 
and epistolary correspondence; and 
where, having preserved a large collecion 
of letters, during the space of forty years, 
he amused himself in his leisure, with 
arranging and publishing a selection of 
them. | 
In the spring of 1792, drawn by 
friendship, he removed from Islington to 
Elstree, in Hertfordshire, where his time 
was cevoted to the same rational enjoy-~ 
ments, fr.endship, conversation, and let- 
h tei's 5 
