Volume 1

The works, literary, moral, and medical of Thomas Percival, M.D. ... : to which are prefixed, memoirs of his life and writings, and a selection from his literary correspondence.

  • Thomas Percival
Date:
1807
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The works, literary, moral, and medical of Thomas Percival, M.D. ... : to which are prefixed, memoirs of his life and writings, and a selection from his literary correspondence. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by University of Bristol Library. The original may be consulted at University of Bristol Library.

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    malady, which feemed to abate in violence as he advanced in years, his health was feldom interrupted by any material ailment; and from the encroachment of imaginary ills no man was more perfectly or hap- pily exempt. It may perhaps be lamented, that the Correfpon- dence of Dr. Percival, which occupies a preceding part of this narrative, furniflies few details of the events and habits of his private life. The bufi- nefs of a biographer (fays an illuftrious mafter* in that branch of literature) is often to pafs flightly over thofe performances which produce vulgar poor perfons, and more wife men than fools. To this ironical obfervation, he fubjoins one both juft and pious ; viz. that fuch « difpenfations evince the impartiality of Divine Providence, in favouring thofe who want the conveniences of life with beneficial exemptions, and tempering the blefiings of others with a propor- tionate admixture of evil. In the hiftory of head-ache, the facl mentioned by Lady Ruflell, in one of her letters to Dr. Fitzwilliam, is particularly curious. Her Ladyfliip ftates, that,« being to linger in a world me can no more delight in, Gob has given her a freedom from bodily pain, to a degree flie almoft never knew; not fo much as a ftrong fit of head- *' ache having been felt by her fince that miferable time, [the execution of Lord Ruflell,] with which flieufed to be tormented P very frequently. Letter to Mrs. H. More. * Dr. Johnfon. n 2
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