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fished also to see displayed in the conduct of his friends ; and an ungenerous remark or an illiberal censure , even on an avowed adversary , never passed without his animadversion and reproof . He well knew that virtue and benevolence are not confined to any one class of political opinions , or to the precincts of any one religious sect ; and when the
indications of these appeared , he was ^ ver eager to do them justice . That this temper and conduct smoothed many of the asperities to which the inflexible assertion of his own principles gave rise , cannot be 4 pubted ; and he will long continue to be held in affectionate
remembrance by many , who whilst they differed with him on essential points of belief and conduct , yet loved and venerated the man If , amongst those harsher spirits , who , convinced of their own infallibility , can make no allowance for the dissent of others , there were some who
considered his principles with abhorrence and his talents with dread , their violence or injustice produced upon his calm and dignified mind no reaction of a similar nature ; insomuch tHat few persons have so uniformly practised throughout life that great Christian maxim , which if adhered to by others in an equal degree would lay the basis of human
happiness , ** To lo * ve your enemies —— tp 6 less those thai eurSe you—and to prafy for those ivbo dcspitefully use you and persecute you . " — The character and conduct of this
distinguished friend of liberty , humanity and peace , and the direction which he gave to his talents , were such as to have ) ejft , on his own account , no cause of regret amongst his surviving friends . ! 1 is mission *^ performed ^ and from a life of £ are and anxiety , attended with no common share of suffering from bodily indisposition , he is gone to receive the reward of his labours . But those to
whom he was more intimately knpv .-n will find it difficult ; to suppress a sentiment of sorrow and disappointment" , that the great endowments of his mind , and the benevolent dictates of his hearf , had not an opportunity of exerting themselves on a still wider scale . Had he , v / hiist in the vigour of his powers , been called to take an active part in general and national concerns , it is impossible to say what might not have been effected fry his fervid eloquence , his undaunted iii ' mncssi and his earnest desire to pro-
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mote the general happiness . But tlie $ e regrets are vain and fruit less . A colcj , a narrow , and a short-sighted policy , has infused itself throughout the country-Asp irit of hatred , of retaliation , and of revenge , has superseded the common feelings of humanity , and too often broken down the boundaries of right and justice ; and ths eifect of these , under the wise constitution of the moral
world , have already been severely visited upon ourselves . These evils were beyond his power to remedy ; and apt apprehension x > f that decline of public virtue , and that progress of corruption , which must finally end in disgrace an * i ruin , occasioned him many moments of solicitude and regret . ^
True excellence is always the more highly esteemed as it is the more nearly approached and the more intimately known , and notwithstanding the respedt paid to his acknowledged merits in
public life , it was in the social circle , and in the society of his family and friends , that his character appeared in it ' s most favourable aspect . On these occasions it was impossible not to be struck wiih that soul of benevolence which disclosed
itseif in every word and looky and with . that simplicity of manner which indicated that he had not a thought to conceal . As his views were extensive , and his experience considerable , so the tenor of his conversation was always instructive , and it may most truly be said of him .
that a word scarcely ever escaped his lips thaf was not directed to sonic benevolent purpose , to impart pleasure , to communicate knowledge or to do good . His person and appearance were strikingly impressive , and conciliated attach - ment , whilst they inspired respect . His
manner was peculiarly natural and engaging ; and throughout his discourse , the aptitude of his illustrations , and the playfulness of his fancy , always confined Within the strictest bounds of propriety and decorum , never failed to delight his hearers .
For a lpug time the declining state of Mr . Rathbone ' s health had caused thy : most serious apprehensions to his friends ; but a few months since , his complaint . * assumed a more alarming form , and h ^ had to struggle with sufferings beyond what generally fall to the lot of humanity , If there he a spectacle on eartjj more peculiarly deserving of admiration than any other , it is thu contemphtiof *
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Ohltnary . % 2 J
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JMr . Rathbone . ~ . .- A
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), April 2, 1809, page 237, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1735/page/61/
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