the civil law, where there are many "P.S. I have most of the books references to various authors. Some mentioned above, with the excep remarks in Huree, in connection tion of Aulus Gellius. You may with the divorce of Catharine, find him at the Institution." queen of Henry VIII. Juvenal, There was a project which Sat. vi. on women, where many engaged many of Mr. Dewhurst's descriptions occur, without doubt, last thoughts, and cannot be here horribly exaggerated. Barthelemy, unnoticed with justice to its im. Voyage du jeune Anacharse. A portance, or the ardour with which chapter on women in Potter's Gre he entertained it. The institution cian Antiquities. There is not formed in 1806, under the name much, I believe, in Adam. Pro. of the Unitarian Fund, can scarcebably in Robertson's introductory ly be unknown to any Unitarians, volume to Charles V. which I and has attracted some attention have not at hand. On the whole, from Christians of other persuathe condition of women seems to sions. The design of that instituhave been much less subject to re. tion, as expressed by its founders, striction among the Romans than was for promoting Unitarianism among the Greeks, and their in- by means of popular preaching. tellectual character to have been The growing success of the deproportionably superior. Many sign, rendered highly expedient, Roman ladies of high rank, ap- if not indispensable, another object. pear, from Cicero (Brut. 58.), to This was a provision for a course have been well educated. The of study, accessible to those who common story of Cornelia is to the desired to become popular preachhonour of the Roman Matrons. ers, upon the plan of the UnitariThere is a work, professedly on the an Fund, such as might assist them subject of women, in English, but to acquire a knowledge of the I forget the author and do not scriptures, and fit them for the know its merit. A work was offices of familiar instruction, withlately published at Paris, which I out attempting to form critical suppose is one of reputation, of scholars, or accomplished writers. which the following is the title, For this purpose was projected, Les Femmes-leur Condition et during the last year, the Unitarian leur Influence dans l'Ordre Social, Academy. chez differens Peuples, Anciens et In providing the literary aid for Modernes, par J. A. de Segur. 3 such a design, it is no wonder vols. 12mo. Paris, 1803. I have not that application should be made seen it. Probably some memoirs to Mr. Dewhurst. Without dison the state of ancient women, may paraging the talents yet spared to be found in the Memoirs of the the Unitarian cause, another could French Academy of 'Inscriptions not have been easily found, who and B. L. There is something on excelled, if he equalled, him, in the subject in Lord Kaimes's extent of literary attainments or Sketches.

Dear Sir,
Very sincerely yours,
J. DEWHURST.

ability to impart them. He was eminently apt to teach, and knowing, beyond most scholars of his time, what could be discovered by literary research, he was well fit.

ted to guide the inexperienced to the most prompt acquisition of their limited but important object. The office of assisting the serious and sensible, but partially instruct ed youth, to make scriptural, rather than classical attainments, or, to speak more correctly, to employ the last in subservience to the former, could have no charms for a mere scholar. Such an one, accommodated to his utmost inclination, on th' aionian mount, has no delight in Sion hill,

every

give an account as our friend Dr. Pett, one of Mr. Dewhurst's intimate associates, who had, and we need not say well discharged, the distressing duty of attending him professionally. These papers we communicated to our friend, to have the benefit of his judgment, and with a request that he would supply that account. He has favoured us with the following reply, and we ask his excuse for adding to this interesting communication the sanction of his name.

'Clapton, Dec. 1, 1812.

"My dear Sir,

The

Or Siloa's brook, that flow'd Fast by the oracle of God. Mr. Dewhurst, on the contrary, "I have received a sincere, appeared to have imbibed that old though very mournful, gratificaand excellent maxim, Make tion from the perusal of your Mekind of study pay its contribution moir of our deceased friend. to the oracles of God. He ac- It is, in every respect, deeply incepted, and prepared to com- teresting, and admirably suited to mence, the office of classical convey a just estimate of the extutor to the Unitarian Academy, traordinary merits of the individual with the ardour of a Christian, whom it commemorates. happy in a colleague, for the theo. communications which have been logical department, who augured transmitted to you, from persons every thing agreeable to himself eminently qualified, from coinciand successful to the undertaking, dence of tastes and acquirements, from such a promising connexion. and from intimate connexion and That Mr. Dewhurst lived only intercourse with him, during the to afford the Unitarian Academy several periods of his life, to form the advantage, by no means incon- a correct judgment of the powers siderable, of his public approba. of his mind, of his accomplishments. tion of the design, is an event as a scholar, and of the copious, which we cannot but regard among the most mysterious ways of the Divine Providence. It was an af. fecting co-incidence, that this excellent man should be in the ago. nies of death, just as a public advertisement announced his acceptance of an office, which he contemplated as one of the most important occupations of his future years.

Of the disorder, which closed this valuable and highly promising life, no person could so properly

varied, accurate and profound stores of erudition, criticism and general knowledge, with which it was enriched, although written by the hands of friends, contain no exaggerated representations of his high worth. Every one who had the happiness of frequent intercourse with Mr. Dewhurst, and of being well acquainted with him, will bear testimony to the fidelity of these delineations of his temper, manners and endowments. But I am wandering from my purpose,

and exceeding your wish, which most friendly assiduity,) and myself is merely, that I should state very to employ powerful measures, to briefly, the circumstances of his arrest, if possible, the progress of last illness, previously to which I diseased action in the head, of had been prevented from seeing which the symptoms were now him for several weeks. but too unequivocal. During the "The first intimation I received four succeeding days I do not re. that his health was at all inter. collect that any very alarming agrupted, was on Monday, Sep. 28, gravation occurred, nor could it when, in a short note, he informed be said that there was any material me, that he was too much indis- abatement of the more menacing posed to meet on that day a few of appearances. The faculties of his' our common friends, at my Fouse. mind, and his bodily strength, I called upon him, in consequence, gradually yielded to the continu on the following morning, when I ance of the disorder. We did not, was much shocked by his altered however, altogether despair of his appearance. I soon found that recovery, until Monday, Oct. 5th, he was labouring under symptoms during the former part of which of severe illness. I learned that day he was suddenly seized with: his health had been deranged for violent convulsions, accompanied some weeks, that he had been gra. with complete insensibility:—this dually getting worse, but that, attack left him in a state nearly notwithstanding, he had, until the approaching to stupor. A less preceding day, pursued, almost forcible recurrence of a similar with his accustomed regularity seizure took place in the afternoon, and diligence, his usual studies and he expired about eight o'clock and occupations. On that day, at night.

his bodily powers were subdued "It is deeply to be deplored, that by his ordinary exertions, which he had neglected, in a much earin the existing state of his health lier stage of his illness, to consult must have been toilsome and ex- some medical friend respecting the hausting, and he was suddenly state of his health, which had cerseized with faintness, at the house tainly been declining for some of a distinguished physician, who weeks; for although it would be had in consequence prescribed for presumption to assert that the fatal him. It cannot be desirable that issue might have been averted, you should receive a medical de- yet there can be no question, that tail of the course of his illness. It the growth of disease was encou. was but too evident at my first raged by his unremitting and la visit, that the most important borious exertions, in executing his functions were in a greatly disor. frequent, and often distant engagedered state, and I could not but ments;-in fact, he seems to have entertain the strongest apprehen. worn out his energies, to have pursions for his safety. On the fol. sued his course until his exhausted lowing day he was manifestly strength could no longer support worse, and it was deemed neces- him,-to have toiled onwards, sary, both by my judicious friend, until he sunk under the continual, Mr. Hacon (who attended him ly increasing pressure of disease throughout his illness, with the and infirmity.

"It would be rash in me to sible of the weakness and confu attempt to make any addition to sion of his intellects, and especi the large, interesting, and satis- ally of the failure of his memory, factory illustrations of the charac- a faculty in which he almost ter, habits and accomplishments surpassed any one I ever knew for of our deceased friend, which you precision, extent and promptihave received from individuals of tude. The consciousness of the such incontestable authority and bewildered state of his mind appeared to have been the only real cause of anxiety.

judgment. It is however but doing justice to his memory to state, that during the trying and often most painful scenes of his last illness, the whole of his behaviour was in strict conformity to the general tenor and spirit of his life.

"The degree to which this dread of approaching mental in capacity predominated over every other impression, I once most distressingly witnessed in the early part of his illness, when being called "He implicitly obeyed the in- to him in the night by the just structions of his medical friends. alarm of his attendants, I found From the first he was sensible that him suffering under acute bodily the powers of his mind were con- anguish, and greatly harrassed and siderably impaired. He distinctly exhausted; yet even under these stated to me that for some time he circumstances the sense of pain had been conscious of existing and the expectation of almost im and increasing difficulty in apply- mediate death were overpowered ing his mind to subjects with by the apprehension of losing his which he was perfectly familiar; mental powers, and he exclaimed and he strongly expressed to me with impassioned emphasis, 'Oh, the apprehensions which were this is nothing-this and more I excited by his having recently can bear; but my reason! my observed that he could not with reason!' his usual facility pursue the pro- "Indeed I am persuaded that cess of mathematical demonstra- the dread of this calamity was ex. tion. During his illness he was clusively the source of real solicioccasionally tortured with acute tude, for although he willingly pain, but neither this nor any and gratefully listened to the conother circumstance forced from soling assurances of his friends, him any expressions of discontent yet his fears soon revived, and it or impatience; nothing hasty, became necessary, almost to the peevish, or querulous escaped last, again and again to soothe from him; he preserved, through. and quiet these alarms; which, out, that mildness, composure however, seemed best tranquillized and equanimity, for which when by those exercises of devotion in in health he seemed peculiarly which he evidently was often distinguished. He was uniformly engaged. grateful for the attentions and assistance which he received, and although perfectly aware of his danger he was calm and resigned. He was, however, distressingly sen

I remain, dear Sir, yours truly, “S. PETT.”

That the death of such a man so suddenly snatched from the society of his friends, should ca!!

forth expressions of deep regret may be easily imagined. One instance shall be given. It is the extract of a letter from a friend whose authority we have used in an early part of this memoir. The letter was written a few days after the death of Mr. Dewhurst.

believe, his favourite objects. But no branch of useful or orna. mental learning was indifferent to him. It was a proof of the correctness of his judgment, and of the strength of his understanding, that he did not despise those departments of literature which had "The thought of my dear, de. not immediately engaged his atparted friend has hardly been ab. tention. At school, and at the sent from my mind, ever since academy, he made considerable you communicated to me the sad proficiency in mathematics, and information; and it was only on particularly, I have reason to Friday last that I wrote respect- think, in geometry: to the long ing him, to a correspondent, in calculations required in many alterms strongly expressive of my gebraical processes, I have heard sense of his superior accomplish. him express some repugnance; ments and worth. yet I imagine that he was skilful "We lived, for many months, even in these, and could easily under the same roof; and I had have raised a large superstructure some of the fairest opportunities on the good foundation which he of witnessing and admiring his had laid first at Hull, and aftervarious excellencies, Not a day wards at Northampton. It is my passed in which I was not in- opinion, yet I am sensible that structed by his conversation, and opinion ought not to have much charmed by his amiable temper, weight, that the Dissenters have and gentle, unassuming manners. seldom, if ever, had among them At a comparatively early age, he so universal, and, at the same had made great attainments in time, so substantial a scholar. literature and science: these, too, Or if there should occur to you were accompanied with an intel. any name which should dispute lect, the several faculties of which the encomium with Mr. Dewwere cultivated, not simply with hurst's, I must request you to care and success, but in what I consider that our friend is cut off may call the nicest mutual pro- at the age of 36! His memory, portion; and, to crown the his taste, his sagacity, his quickwhole, the abilities and treasures ness of apprehension, yet patience of his mind were adorned by all of investigation and soundness of the qualities which sound religion decision, his simple and copious, and morality enforce; by the and, I may add, harmonious strictest self-government, cnlight style, you have enjoyed still more ened, habitual devotion, and an and better advantages than I have earnest desire of doing good His of adequately appreciating." knowledge was extensive, accu- Besides his offices of tuition in rate, and, as you must have had the family with which he was frequent occasions of perceiving, so long and happily connected, completely at his his command. M:. Dewhurst had assisted several Classical studies and history, young persons in their classical both ancient and modern, were, I pursuits. One gentleman, not