Account of Dr. 
to wafte itfelf in vague generalities and 
unprofitable afpirations; but was invi- 
gorated and rendered daily and kourly pro- 
ductive by the particular and local exer- 
cifes. of its beneficence. The neany ufe- 
ful inftitutions in the town and vicinity of 
Mancheiler,of which he was the patron or 
promoter; the readinefs with which his 
attention and his counfels were afforded 
to the difficulties and the emergencies of 
his neighbours; the alacrity with which 
the fervices of courtefy and good-will 
were performed by him, towards all with- 
m the range of his acquaintance; and the 
activity of his exertions for the welfare 
of thofe, to whom the clofer ties of inti- 
macy fupplied yet ftronger claims; all 
evinced the difinterefted ardour, and prac- 
tical energies of his focial affections. In 
thofe charitics, which may be termed 
patriotic, he was exceeded by none. His 
fenfibility to every infringement of the 
honour and the liberties of his country, 
was of the hivelFeft nature; but whilft he 
breathed the pure! fentiments of indepen. 
dence, he always held in view the funda- 
mental principles of legitimate authority. 
To him the fedu€tions of a fallacious free- 
dom could prefent no charms. His dil- 
cerning eye eafily difcovered the true 
Bounding line between liberty and Jicen- 
tioulnefs, between innovation and im- 
provement: and he ftood at all times 
equally removed, and equally averfe from 
the debafements of defpotiim, and the ma- 
chinations of faétion. Of the Chrifian 
charities his breaft was peculiarly fufcep- 
tible. Every refemblance todivine good- 
nefs moft powerfully excited his regard: 
and to the man pofleffed of moral worth, 
he felt himfclf irrcfillibly drawn, as to a 
brother. But whilft his benevolence ema- 
nated thus widely on all furrounding ob- 
jects, its radient ** flame,” toufe his own 
expreffions, ** became more warm and 
bright, to thefe which were moft near, in 
proporticn to the diffufion of its luftre.” 
And in the relations cf hufband, friend, 
and parent, ali the kindly affections of his 
nature were kindled to their higheft 
fervour. 
If ever man could be faid to have lived 
for his children. and his friends rather 
rhan for himfelf, it was he. So unceafing 
his attentions to their interefts, fo tender 
his anxiety for their welfare, fo affiduous 
his endeavours for their improvement, that 
they feemed almoit to have mingled with 
his con{cioufvefs, und to have formed a 
part of his very effence. The endearments 
with which his inftruStions were conveyed, 
the lenient remonfirances with which 
4 
Thomas Percival. 
[Nov. 1, 
youthful errors were reproved, the tem. 
pered indulgence with which the reims of 
paternal authority were guided, procured . 
for him from his children their fondett » 
regard and moft friendly confidence; at 
the fame time that the known firmnels of 
his reétitude and his indignant abhor- 
rence of every deliberate deviation from 
principle, infpired them with an awe, 
which, whilft it impreffed upon their 
hearts the ftrongett feay of offending, 
ferved to heighten yet more the feelings 
of virtuous attachment and reverential 
love. With fuch a iave. combination of 
tranfcendent qualities, with a charafter in 
which the moit placid virtues were affo- 
ciated with the brighteft intelleGtual en- 
dowments and the moft inflexible inte- 
grity, foftened and embellifhed by the 
moft concilating accomplifiments, with 
the faireft reputation derived from a long 
and uninterrupted courfe of honourable 
and meritorious conduct, with the efteem, 
the love, and the veneration not only of 
thofe immediately connegted with him in 
the bonds of amity and kindred, but of 
all who were the witnefles of his a€tions, 
and capable of appreciating his deferts;_ 
with the complacency of mind which ac- 
companies the confcioufnefs of well-doing, 
and the peculiar felf gratulation arifing 
from the contemplation of the rich fruits 
returned to his paternal culture, in the 
enlarged underftandings, the regulated 
affeStions, the confirmed principles, and 
the amiable manners of thofe, whom it 
bad been his great bufinefs to form to 
knowledge and to goodnefs :—=it feems as" 
if fuch a ftate, without alloy, were, too 
profperous for man; and it was his lot to 
experience fome feverely afflifting provi. 
dences in that quarter where his tendereft 
affections were engaged. But here the 
confolations of Cariltian hope and the 
unfhaken affurances of Divine goodnefs 
were his refuge and fupport. And whillt 
ke bowed in refigned fubmiffion to that 
fearching difcipline with which it was the 
good pleafure of his God to exercife his 
faith, and with the pious Job was enabled 
to praife and glorify that Being who hath 
both given and taken away; he turned 
with grateful contentment to thofe nume- 
rous domettic bieflings which were yet per- 
mitted him to enjoy, and which he conti- 
nued with pious thankfulnefs and Guickened 
{:nfibility to cherifh and improve to the 
laft moment of his exiftence. ‘Fhus the 
feverity of his trials but proved the fta- 
bility of his virtue; and his probationary 
forrows, by foftening his devotion and re- 
fining all his beft difpofitions, ferved only. 
t 5 to 
