Page:Transactions of the Provincial Medical and Surgical Association, volume 2.djvu/542

 his thoughts in his walks; and the faculty of concentrating his attention, thus strengthened, made him contemn frivolous diversions, and discontented with any thing short of full and exact knowledge, in any subject which came before him. The quickness and clearness of his apprehension led him readily to understand many subjects thoroughly, on which many, who live in society, are content to talk superficially, if they can talk agreeably; and his strict sense of what was due to truth, made him, perhaps, too prone to disputation, and too unceremonious in his manner of conducting it. These peculiarities, which were the basis of the reputation which he lived to acquire, never quite deserted him in after life; but as his knowledge increased, and his acquaintance with mankind became larger, he was observed to become less dogmatical in the assertion of his opinions, and more indulgent to those whom he knew to be wrong, and with whom he happened to dispute. But it must be confessed, that he never became tolerant of ignorant presumption; and that he was never disposed, either from courtesy to age, or respect to station, or from indifference, to allow what was true to be sacrificed to what was merely specious. As he grew older, too, and became more known, and, I may add, distinguished, he found fewer who disputed with him. Some feared his more exact knowledge, and others too deeply respected him to be guilty of much conversational provocation. Yet, with these changes, which he could not but observe, he did not become more, but less arbitrary; and, although few people ever adhere so strongly as he did to opinions formed very early in