Page:Biographia Hibernica volume 2.djvu/651

 YOUNG. 647 Trinity college became vacant, he had attained so high reputation in that branch of science, that he was elected to the office without opposition. His “Essay on Sounds” had been published two years, and it was known that he was engaged in the arduous task of illustrating the “Principia” of Newton. He now devoted himself to the duties of his professorship: and the college having been enriched with the excellent apparatus of Mr. Atwood, Dr. Young improved the occasion of carrying his lectures to a degree of perfection unknown in the university of Dublin, and never perhaps exceeded in any other. He proceeded, in the mean time, in his great work, “The Method of Prime and Ultimate Ratios, illustrated by a Commentary on the first two books of the Principia,” and had nearly completed it in English, when he was advised by his friends to publish it in Latin. He readily ac quiesced, and thus had an opportunity, while translating i t , o f revising the whole, and rendering i t fuller and more perfect. I t was finished a year o r two before his promo tion t o the see o f Clonfert, a t which time h e was engaged i n preparing i t for the press. The circumstances o f this promotion reflect equal honour o n himself and o n the lord-lieutenant (Earl Cornwallis) who conferred i t . I t was a favour a s unsolicited a s unexpected, unless the report made t o his excellency b y his principal secretary, o n being consulted a s t o the properest person t o fill the vacant see, may b e called solicitation. His report was, that “he believed Dr. Young t o b e the most distinguished literary character i n the kingdom.” His attention, however, was now diverted from his intended publication, b y the occupations incident t o his new charge: and before h e could return t o i t , a cancer i n his mouth had made a n alarming progress, and, i n about fifteen months, terminated fatally, November 28th, 1800, a t Whitworth, i n Lancashire.