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either in originality of sentiment , felicity of illustration , or clearness of arrangement . Few , indeed ., have possessed in the same degree as he did , the faculty of condensing the labours of other men , and of exhibiting in a concentrated state the very quintessence of their writings . Here-cast the thoughts of others in a mould of his own ; and by refining their sentiments of every thing extraneous to the subject , he rendered them more generally known" and more intrinsically excellent . In proof of
this we might refer to his Grammar , his History of Electricity , his Introduction to Perspective , his various Lectures , his Charts , his edition of Hartley , and his History of Early Opinions . Utility was the great object of all his writings . Had his attention been directed to fine writing , the world would have been deprived of half his labours : he has some observations oh this
subject whiph we shall quote , as shewing , what indeed every page x > f these memoirs exhibits , his unparalleled activity or mind . € < These experiments employed-a great proportion of my leisure time ; and yet before the complete expiration oi the year , in which I gave the plan of my work to Dr . Franklin , I sent him a copy of it in print . In the same year , five hours of every day were employed in lectures , public or private , and one two months vacation I spent chiefly at Bristol , on a visit to my Father-in-law .
" Tliis I do not mention as a subject of boasting ; for many persons have done more in the same time ; but as an answer to those who have objected to some of my later writings as hasty performances ; for none of my publications were better received tjian this History of Electricity , which was the most hasty of them all . However , whether my publications have taken up mote or less time , I am confident that more would not have contributed to their perfection , in any essential particular ; and about any thing farther I have never been very solicitous . Jvly object was not to acquire the character of a fine writer , but of an
useful one . 1 can also truly say ^ that gain was never the chief object pf any of my publications . Some of them were writtep with the prpsr pect pi certain Joss , ( To be continued . )
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ARTICLE II . yVie Principles and Regulations of Tranquillity ; an Instil tut ion commenced in the Metropolis for encouraging and tjuihli )! ? industrious and prudent Individuals in the va-Ti (> us Classes of the Community to provide for themselves ^
by the Payment of small Weekly Sums in such a Way cts shall secure to each Contributor ^ or to his Widow and Ch ' ildren ^ the Benefit of his own ( fcco ) wmy ;—For receiving the Savings of Youth of both Sexes , arid returning the s ' fii ' n ' e at ( he Time of Marriage ' with Interest and proper- *
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434 Tranquillity . ^
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), Aug. 2, 1806, page 434, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1727/page/42/
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