Page:Transactions of the Provincial Medical and Surgical Association, volume 1.djvu/452

 fate, he yet lived long enough to witness the completion of all his benevolent purposes. Well might he, in the contemplation of all he had so successfully achieved, exclaim, with conscious exultation, "jamque opus exegi," and well might his pure spirit, as he approached the verge of human existence, address its Maker in calm resignation and humble confidence, " Now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace."

The special objects which Dr. Thackeray had at heart, in his various endeavours for the improvement of the infirmary, were to enlarge its sphere, increase its accommodation, provide for the spiritual care of its inmates, by a permanent chaplaincy, establish a library and museum as an appendage to the hospital, and create a pension fund from which retiring allowances should be made to those servants who, having devoted their best years to the service of the institution, might, through age or infirmity, be reduced to want, when no longer able to labour for their support. Each of these objects received its just share of his regards, and he pursued each with those enlightened and benevolent views which so conspicuously characterised all his undertakings. Not content with enlarging the infirmary, so as greatly to increase its accommodations, he laboured to remove every restriction on admissibility, and finally effected his purpose, by having it declared a general hospital, open to all who should need its assistance.

Dissatisfied with the precariousness of gratuitous spiritual superintendence, he laboured to establish a fund from which a chaplain's stipend might be permanently derived. Wisely regarding a library and museum as legitimate objects of support by the