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of ChrisTaTar principle , without defining liis opinion it Christ as a person . In process of time he diverged farther from his parent society , spoke against many of their observances as leading- into formality , and finally declined the attendance of their meetings . He fearlessly avowed his opinions , according to his
characteristic intrepidity 3 . and , daring' to inquire , was too honest not to follow the result of his inquiries . For these reasons the society recorded their disownmeut of him in 1801 ^ a ad fro m that time he lived separate from all societies . At that period free inquiry was more generally practised : latterly it has become unfashionable . Most have shrunk hack
from the consequences , and have attempted ** to unthink { heir thoughts . " The results have been a want of energy , and an attempt to suppress originality of thinking in themselves and others . Knowledge in Ireland pas ' ceased to be progressive ; and , botb in politics and religion , which
generally share with each other , the search after truth has fallen off . The consequent torpor has not been productive of improvement £ and the hum an mind , for a season , has retrograded into apathy and a degrading * selfishness . But freedom of inquiry , it is hoped , may yet burst through the intervening clouds , and renovation dispel ttie mists arising from the present dread of innovation .
Phimhthro p hy was a peculiar trait in h $ fc character . He entered warmly into tne' question of tKe slave-trade , and for a time refrained from tbe use of sugar and other West Indian produce , that he might nOtparticipate in the guilt of the iniquitous trafficking * in slaves . Latterly , conceiving * tliatwars were frequently encouraged by foreign , tratle , and chiefly supported by taxes drawn from it , he abstained from the use of tea , sugar , wine , and other commodities brought over sea , and also from spirituous liquors , from his dislike of the frequent abase of them . la all these he afFordedi , proofs of the benevolence of his
dispositions and the kindness of his heart . fife was of an active turn , and delighted in exertions both of body and mind . His pen vV-as almost always employed . A fewyears ! affdlie published a volume of poetry * whicn did not meet with much
encouragement ; and his prose writings were numerous . Some lie occasionally gave to periodical publications , and great numbers of essays , on various subjects , remain among the mass ot his papers . He possessed a fine genius , ctnd cultivated a taste for
classical literature . T he activity of his disposition was farther exemplified by his entering warmly into the pursuit of * botany at a late perioi ) of liis ( ife . His unsuspecting disposition laid . him * open frequently to imposition , and his tneiiQ 0 liip , on some occasions , waa greatly
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abused . It must be allowed , that he sometimes wanted discrimination , in admitting to his intimate friendship those who were unworthy of it . The warmth of his heart also led him to lavish praise often without just discrimination .
In 179 S , when Ballitore > vas for a few days in the possession of the insurgents , and after its re-occupation by tbe army , he zealously and fearlessly exerted himself , with considerable risque , with the leaders of both , to repress , their mutual excesses , and where he could not prevent , to afford
succour to the suffering * . When , threatened by the insurgents , arid a blunderbuss was held to his breast , he resolutely refused the smallest appearance of joining with them , and openly protected a sick soldier , and the wives of some soldiers and officers .
On the change of circumstances , he equally afforded protection to the insurgents . His conduct , on this trying occasion , extorted approbation from both sides , even from some who were ready ,, after the manner of the times , to construe his liberality towards the people into a crime .
An account of his death in the papers gives the following just description of him . " He was a man endowed with uncommon versatility of talent , which , with enthusiastic ardour , was always devoted to the forwarding of some project or principle ,
calculated in his view to . promote the welfare or happiness of mankind . Even those who occasionally dissented from him in opinion , felt themselves irresistibly impelled to pay homage to his virtuous intentions . " * Yet he had much obloquy to encounter . 1 ,, | ^ ¦ - 11 --r 1 ¦ , - - ! . _ - ' - ' * 1 1 . triimr
-* His character was well delineated in the Dublin Evening Post , by the ' pen of a near relative . u His life of activity and tern iterance was blessed with health .
scarcely interrupted , till about two months before his death . Not only his own family and neighbourhood , but a ' wide extended circle , will long feel' trie loss' of a man , whose heart was warmed with the sincerest
benevolence , who loved his fel low-creature ' s , and all creation , ' arid Who wanted only to be known , to gfafn universal love . His talents , which Were of the highest order , and embraced a great variety , were accompanied with a simplicity which enhanced their value . He loved to communicate knowledge to others , tind had
conducted the boarding-school established by his grand father for many years wjlth mueh credit . Seldom in one person have been combined so many talents aiia yirtues . Ite possessed a transparency of character , through wh ^ ch w ere seen the motives 0 FJ 1 is actions £ nd sentimentt , some f . ivnicli miplit de ' viate * from ' tnV cVmmbii t tract of opinion ,, but ail nthung from it pure ana honest heart .
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384 Otittttvnj—Mr . Abraham ShackleUm .
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), Sept. 2, 1818, page 584, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2480/page/48/
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