Page:Biographia Hibernica volume 2.djvu/554

 550 SKELTON. were dissenters, he invited their minister to dine with him, and asked his leave to preach in his meeting on the next Sunday; and consent being given, the people were so pleased with Mr. Skelton, that the greater number of them quitted their own teacher. After some time, Skelton asked him how much he had lost by the desertion of his hearers ? He told him 40l. a year, on which he settled that sum on him annually. We mentioned in a former page, that Mr. Skelton had studied physic with a view to assist the poor with advice and medicines. By this prac tice, at Fintona, he found that Dr. Gormly, the physician of the place, lost a great part of his business; on which Skelton settled also 40l. a year on him. In 1770, he published his works by subscription in 5 vols. 8vo. for the benefit of the Magdalen charity. In his latter days, when the air of Fintona became too keen for him, he passed some of his winters in Dublin, and there was highly valued for his preaching, which, in the case of charities, was remarkably successful. During a dearth, owing to the decline of the yarn manufactory at Fintona, he again exhausted his whole property in relieving the poor, and again sold his books for 100l. He said he was now too old to use them; but the real cause was, that he wanted the money to give to the poor, and the year after he bestowed on them 60l. It was one of his practices to distribute money, even in times of moderate plenty, among indigent housekeepers, who were struggling to preserve a decent appearance. He was also the kind and liberal patron of such of their children as had abilities, and could, by his urgent application and interest, be advanced in the world. His infirmities increasing, after fifty years labour in the ministry with a diligence without parallel, he now found himself incapable any longer of the discharge of his public duties, and in 1780, took his final leave of Fintona, and removed to Dublin, to end his days. Here he received great respect from many of the higher dignitaries of the church, and in 1781, the university offered him the degree