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politic ** j / Jfbe ., QaniMdv « q ^ tabie 4 » td i ^ depende *** spirit- whidb p « rva 4 # < he whole * renders them extremely , ? ald&&le not only aa materials for thought Istarfi rules of & ) orbl conduct , but as exattif > $ i& of the tamper with whicfe subjects of such high importance ought tcTbe treated . In 1 796 , he accepted an offer : made to him by Mr * , Phillips ,, of undertaking the
editorship of a periodical * ro ; rk at that time projected by him . This work , ; the " Monthly Magazine , ** was accordingly superintended by Dr , Aikin from > its commencement ; and the-titimerous pampers furnished by the Editor and his friends , as well as the general spirit in which the Magazine Was conducted , ca n * tributed greatly to establish it in the pub * lie . favour . The connexion of Dr . A .
with this work was , in May 1806 , abruptly and unceremoniously dissolved by the proprietor , from dissatisfaction with an award in a dispute in which he was one of the parties and Dr . Aikin one of the arbitrators . In the same year In which the Monthly Magazine was commenced , Dn Aikin ,
in conjunction with his dear friend , Dr . Enfield , agreed with Messrs . Kearsley and Hamilton to undertake a general biographical dictionary , to be comprised in about ten quarto volumes . He didi not eugage rashly in so serious an
occupation . . From . his Jong unreserved intimacy with Dr . Enfield , he felt assured ti > at he possessed a co-adjutor of similar views with himself and of indefatigable industry ,, and he anticipated great satisfaction in the execution of the work .
Jiis own health , however , began to be impaired XnXZ& 7 by residence in London , and his indisposition rapidly increasing and assuming a very serious aspect * obliged him in the ensuing ye ^ r to qui t the Metrfcpofyj . He retired fox some mouths to Dorking , m Surrey , and in the pure aijr of that delightful yalley , aided
by gentle horse-exercise and an unusually fine summer , made som ^ progress tor wards recovery . In the winter he took a house at Stoke Newiffgton , in Which henceforth he continued to reside . In the meau time , lie ha * lost l > y death his friend and co-adjutor in this great work , the ; fjr , st volume of which wasE published in the Spring o £ 1799 ., Some time
elap * $ 4 before a successor tolf > r . Enfiedd could be found , and then commercial difficulties on , | he part of Ms fcookSeller interposed , materially impeding the sue * cess of the work by retarding its regular progress , -so that the tenth and last volume wag not published tilL 1815 . hfcfa i * bi irece ^ ry farther to detail the literary occupational which Dr . Aikin
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was engaged during his res&detoe at StokeiNe ^ ngtOB ^ White the infiraBities of &ge tjH < essed With oul f a light ban&j the greater part of every 4 li § y was devoted to wining or reading . Painful and try ^ Ing was the period when the decay of the mind , in consequence of a paralytic attack , began to- precede that of the bo ^ dily frame ; ' when the memory became
less and less capable of recalling , the past , and the intellect of recemng the impress of ^ fecj present , , One ray however , still enligMeWd the gloom ^ and , when all be ^ sides was dark , conjugal love still con- * nected him with the external world . He died December 7 ± 182 ^ / having nearly completed his 75 th year ; * '
Dr . Aikin was endowed , by nature with a good constitution , and this original advantage he was always careful to-preserve by strict temperance and abundant exercise i to this was added an intellect of great activity in acquiring and facility in
communicating ideas , and a temper calm , well-regulated and cheerful , though far from sanguine . Hence he possessed in a very eminent degree the inestimable blessing of a sound mind in a sound body . The abstractions of mathematical investigation , and the minute dissection of almost evanescent ideas which characterizes the
metaphysician , either were not adapted to his faculties , or did not agree with his taste , which was strongly attracted to the useful in morals , in politics , and in the general conduct of life , and tor the agreeable , the harmonious , the elegant in objecjts of amusement . Hence ihis stores of knowledge were all producible in the
intercourse of society , and'thus gave him * a wide range of subjects for conversation : these were communicated in simple and easy , though flawing , language , and regulated tty ; a goodness of temper , a deco- * rum and practical politeness , not of tea equalled ; never exceeded . The ruling priuciple of his conduct in great as ifr
amall affairs , was equity ; that equity , which is best expressed by the Christian maxim of doing to others as we woiild wish others to do to us . Kind , generous , compassionate to ali with whom * he , was connected , either by tiea Tof kindred and acquaintance , or ill the exercise , of his profession , he had no personal enemies
and the attachiuent © f hisfriettds was in proportion to j 4 ae ; ir intimacy with hb » , for there w ! as nothing ill hU moral charajcv ter ( using tlie : e « pression in its widest ^ j s , tent , ) which required to be ? managed , to be kept out Otf view * to-be glossed oyen f ^ m tfcefc welt , revered and be ^ loved . PtiU we wept in the eternal world I :- » AB . AIKIN * .
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^ itti * ry ^ t > r . Ai&ihi 55
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), Jan. 2, 1823, page 55, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1780/page/55/
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