Saturday 03 Aug 1844 (p. 3, col. 5-6) DEATH OF DR. DALTON. ----- Our venerable and venerated townsman,—one of the greatest philosophers of his age, and the father of the present race of Chemical investigators and discoverers,—is no more. Science has lost one of its most devoted sons; England one of its greatest savans, and humanity one of its brightest living examples of the wisdom of the philosopher, united to the purity and simplicity of the child; for truly he was "wise as the serpent, harmless as the dove." His long and useful life closed unexpectedly, but apparently without suffering, on Saturday morning last. On the 10th of April, 1837, Dr. DALTON, when in his 71st year, had a severe attack of paralysis, which partly deprived him of the physical powers of his right side, and also took away his speech. He had a second slight attack on the morning of the 21st of the same month; and, for some time, both his mental and bodily faculties appeared to be affected. After an illness of some months, however, he regained both to some extent; though his articulation always remained less distinct than before. This attack, at his years, appeared to hasten the approach of physical infirmity, and he no longer appeared the hale old man, who had previously delighted in the exercise and recreation of a weekly game at bowls, with a few friends. Last year, he also suffered from illness of another kind; and, on the 17th May last, he had a third paralytic stroke (about seven years and one month after the first), which again reduced his strength, and partially deprived him of the use of his right side; increasing also the indistinctness of his utterance. During Friday, the last day of his long and useful life, although in most respects Dr. DALTON appeared to be in his usual state, and certainly in no marked degree worse, there were some trifling incidents which indicated his declining condition. Amongst others, we may mention, that when Miss WOOD, his housekeeper, told him the temperature indicated by the thermometer in the open air, just outside the window of his bedchamber, viz. 64 degrees Fahrenheit, at one o'clock, he would persist in putting it down 66 degrees the book, in which, with his own hand, he has, for the last half century, recorded three observations daily, of the temperature, atmospherical pressure, wind, rain, evaporation, &c. At eight o'clock, in the evening, he took his usual simple supper, consisting of a little water porridge, with butter and treacle in it, and a little new milk. He ate this with his usual appetite, and also took shortly afterwards, as was his custom, a little very weak spirits and water. He retired to his room about a quarter or twenty minutes after nine o'clock; and, going to his desk, on which was usually placed the book in which he recorded his meteorological observations, he entered therein the state of the barometer, thermometer, &c. at nine o'clock, and added in the column for remarks the words "little rain," denoting that but little rain had fallen during the day. He retired to bed about half-past nine, assisted as usual by his servant Thomas, who for some time had always remained with him during the night; having a bed in the same room. During Friday night, Thomas observed that his master was more than usually restless, and attended him many times during the night, administering to his wants; but, though he returned an answer to a question, he made no complaint of being unwell; and when Thomas rose, in the morning, about six o'clock, the doctor appeared to be in his usual state, and spoke to him before he quitted the room. About half-past six o'clock, Miss WOOD entered the chamber, and then perceived that the doctor was in a state of insensibility. She immediately called Thomas up stairs, and dispatched him for Mr. RANSOME, surgeon, who has always attended Dr. DALTON in his illnesses,—remaining in the room herself. But the doctor only breathed twice or thrice after Thomas left, and long before the arrival of Mr. RANSOME, who came without delay, the good old man expired. Dr. DALTON was in his 78th year. He had a pension of £150 a-year granted him in 1833; but this was felt to be so inadequate an acknowledgment of his great genius and unwearied labours in the pursuit of science and the service of mankind, that, on the representation and application of various friends, it was augmented to £300 a-year in 1836, and this pension he continued to receive till his death. Dr. DALTON had been, for more than half a century, an active and invaluable member of the Literary and Philosophical Society of Manchester. He had been president of this society since 1817; and as some brief notice of his life and labours must be interesting at this moment, we close this necessarily imperfect narrative of his latest moments with a sketch, abridged from "Wheeler's Manchester," (published in 1836,) from the pen of one the deceased's oldest and most intimate friends:— "John DALTON was born at Eaglesfield, near Cockermouth, in Cumberland, on the 5th of September, 1766. Little is known of his early history. His grandfather, Jonathan DALTON, owned a small copyhold estate, which descended to the elder of his two sons, who bore the name of his father. Joseph, therefore, the father of the great philosopher, was originally possessed of no property, although, on the death of his brother, the family estate descended to him. He had six children by his wife, Deborah DALTON, of whom Jonathan, John, and Mary only grew to the years of maturity; and the first-named, on the death of the father, came to the estate. He, however, died a few years ago, leaving the property to John DALTON, the subject of this memoir. Limited as were his means, Jonathan strove to give his children the best education he could obtain for them. John DALTON attended a school kept by a member of the Society of Friends, named John FLETCHER, until he had attained his twelfth year. "At the age of twelve or thirteen, DALTON commenced a school in his native village, and persevered in it for two winters; his vacant time was filled up in assisting his father upon the farm, and he is also said to have taken part, at this early period of his life, in the labour of altering the farm-house. He appears to have had an early tendency to mathematical pursuits. It is related that, when about ten years old, his curiosity was excited by a dispute among some mowers, as to whether sixty square yards and sixty yards square were identical: at first he concluded that they were, but after-reflection showed him that they were not. When about ten years old, he was taken notice of by a Mr. Elihu ROBINSON, a gentleman of some property, in whose service was a young man, named William ALDERSON, of double DALTON's standing in the world. Mr. ROBINSON, himself a gentleman of liberal education, had an accomplished wife, and under their joint direction, ALDERSON being disposed to self-improvement, he and DALTON pursued their studies together. Mr. ROBINSON used to relate, that when any difficult question in mathematics was proposed, DALTON, with the resolute perseverance which has so strongly marked his character, far from being daunted, used to encourage his companion, by remarking, in the dialect of his country, "Yan [one] might do it." On one of these occasions, ALDERSON proposed to settle a dispute with DALTON by a bet of sixpence, but Mr. ROBINSON put his veto upon the proposition, and suggested that, instead of risking money, the losing party should undertake to supply his companion with candles for the nights' studies during the winter. The suggestion was adopted, and DALTON won the wager. In the year 1781 he went to Kendal, where better opportunities were afforded for satisfactorily combining an indulgence of his own inclination with the necessary attention to the acquisition of an honourable livelihood. “During his residence in Kendal, he contributed largely to two works, called the 'Gentleman's and the Lady's Diary.' The volumes, extending from 1784 to 1794, contain the name of DALTON very frequently among the answers to queries of a mathematical, philosophical, or general character; but, strange to say, his mathematical anwers [sic] did not seem to have been very generally received by the editor of the work. His contributions, when inserted, appear as from 'Mr. John DALTON, teacher of the mathematics, Kendal;' and he was so successful as to obtain two of the prizes awarded by the editors. "In 1788, he commenced his 'Meteorological Observations,' which have been continued to the present time. In 1793, he published a volume of 'Meteorological Observations and Essays;' a work which displays much original thinking, and the germs of some of DALTON's after discoveries. The first edition is dated at 'Manchester, September 21st, 1793.' Some time previous to the publication of this work, DALTON had serious thoughts of qualifying himself to practise either as a physician or a lawyer, and corresponded with a relative in London on the propriety of residing there for that purpose; but his views and determination were changed in consequence of the receipt of a letter by his friend Mr. GOUGH, from Dr. BARNES, making inquiry for a gentleman to fill the situation of Professor of Mathematics and Natural Philosophy in the New College, Mosley-street, Manchestester [sic]. DALTON accepted the proposal, and removed hither upon his appointment to that office. He resided for about six years within this institution, with which Dr. BARNES was contemporaneously connected as Theological Professor, and continued to hold his office until the college was finally removed to York.