Mr. Hey's conduct as an apprentice, obtained the approbation and secured the permanent esteem of those with whom he resided ; and on the termination of his apprenticeship he proceeded to London, with a mind well regulated, and under the direction of principles firmly established by study and reflection, to complete his his professional education. He was actuated by an ardent thirst after knowledge, and a steady determination to become master of every subject to which he applied. It was a matter of conscience with him to acquire a thorough acquaintance with the profession he was to exercise, as far as that might be attainable; and he writes thus to his parents, after his arrival in London:- I would spare no pains to qualify myself for that state of life, to which the providence of God has called me, and then trust him with the success of my endeavours.' Considering anatomy to be the foundation of all medical and chirurgical science, he determined to acquire a competent knowledge of the structure of the human body. The first winter was devoted to anatomical lectures and dissections; his application to this study was unintermitted; and having used the aid of books to direct him in this pursuit, as long as he judged it necessary, he continued to dissect without them, and composed from his own dissections a description of the nerves and blood-vessels, which, as far as he had proceeded in the work, was found to be sufficiently accurate. His assiduity during this period was exemplary, since he seldom employed less than twelve hours daily, in the lecture and dissecting rooms, during the whole winter. By this unwearied application he acquired that share of anatomical knowledge, which qualified him for deriving superior advantages from his subsequent attendance on an hospital. Mr.

Hey became a pupil of St. George's hospital, in 1757, and began to officiate, as dresser, in June. He perceived more clearly every day the value of his acquirements in anatomy, as an increasing experience proved to him, that no one can be a competent judge of the nature of diseases, much less be qualified to perform operations, who is ignorant of the structure and relative situation of the parts affected. During the summer of 1758 he attended the medical lectures of Dr. Donald Monro, who was elected physician of St. George's hospital, after the death of Dr. Clephane. While Mr. Hey was pursuing his studies with indefatigable industry, he was never induced by his avidity of information, nor by the less rational allurements presented by the metropolis, to deviate from his sense of the duty he owed to the Supreme Being, nor to violate the moral obligations of Christianity. The gentle persuasions, or the scoffs and ridicule of his fellow-students, were equally resisted by his unbending mind. He was kind, friendly, and obliging, in every thing that had utility for its object; but, against the seductions of vice he was firm and inflexible. The youthful companions of his studies would treat his seriousness with mockery, and sneer at the correctness of his conduct; yet they were constrained to allow the soundness of his understanding, and his superior attainments in professional knowledge. They frequently applied to him in matters of difficulty, and ever found him as cheerfully ready, as he was able, to assist them in their inquiries, and to further and encourage them in their several pursuits. If he exhibited an unusual example of steady industry, he was not less a pattern of sobriety of deportment, strict regularity of morals, and zeal in the cultivation of every good and virtuous habit. Although

Mr. Hey was mainly actuated by a strong sense of the duty he owed to God and his fellow-creatures, to employ his time faithfully, yet he was not uninfluenced by the fear of giving occasion of reproach on his religious profession, if he could be justly charged with idleness or ignorance. Hence, he determined that none of his fellowstudents should surpass him in those departments of knowledge, which it was his more immediate concern, at this time, to cultivate. His sentiments on this subject, nearly forty years afterwards, are well illustrated in the following letter to his son, who was shortly to commence his studies at Cambridge.

'June 20, 1795.

DEAR JOHN,

'I have no objection to the plan you have proposed for the employment of your time, till you go to Magdalen College. You think, that as your abilities are not great, much study at Cambridge may do you harm, and can bring you no great credit.

I know not how far your abilities might enable you to proceed, but diligence in your academical studies is undoubtedly a duty. No desire of academical honours should lead a young man to injure his health by study; and no fear of want of success should deter him from a proper attention to the duties of his station.

engaged in my medical studies at London, where I could not meet with one serious young man in my own profession. But, as I took such pains, that my fellow-students were obliged to consult me in their difficulties, I preserved a considerable check u pon their conduct. A serious young man who followed me, did not escape so well. His fellow-students at St. George's hospital tossed him in a blanket. In your pursuit of knowledge, let it be your principal concern to gain clear ideas of what you learn. The design of mathematical and philosophical studies, is to enable a man to reason well. This does not arise from the mere power of solving a hard problem, but, from a habit of reasoning carefully, and arranging our ideas and arguments with scrupulous

care.'

He

'Mr. Hey prescribed to himself, while yet a young student, certain rules for the orderly distribution of his several employments, and the improvement of his time. He rose early in the morning, and continued this practice, when_in health, to the end of his life. so arranged his occupations, that a particular portion of the day was appropriated to each; and, as far as the nature of the various objects of his studies would admit, he adhered to the rules he had imposed on himself with the most scrupulous exactness. By this orderly succession of business, at home and abroad, the hours of every day were consecrated to an industrious pursuit of useful and important knowledge. These laudable habits, acquired early, and strengthened by regular exercise, not only preserved him, through the succeeding periods of his life, from the criminal misemployment of time, but gave him a facility of filling up what may be termed the parentheses of time, with satisfaction to himself and utility to

have the serious frame of his mind disturbed by the interruption of unprofitable conversation, or the intrusion of worldly concerns. He has been often heard to say, 'that his sabbaths were the happiest of his days during his residence in London, and that the complete suspending of all his secular pursuits, prepared him to resume his studies with renewed ardour and alacrity. On leaving London, he reflected with emotions of gratitude on the goodness of God, which had been manifested to him during his stay in that city. He had been preserved from falling by the various temptations to which his situation had necessarily exposed him. His health had suffered no interruption by his constant and intense application to study; nor had his religious principles been impaired by the conversation or example of his fellow students; and although he had been frequently obliged to pass through streets inhabited by the most depraved characters in the metropolis, at all hours of the night, yet he never experienced any molestation. Hence he was induced to express himself, in the words of the royal Psalmist; He hath shewed me marvellous great kindness in a strong city."

'It was during the period of his studies in London, that Mr. Hey undertook the very difficult task of strictly governing his thoughts; and perhaps few persons ever exercised such a perfect control over them, as he was enabled to do, from those early days of his youth to the end of his life. He determined that he would meditate upon

a given subject, while he was walking to a certain distance, and that then he would turn his attention to some other topic; and he was thus accustomed to pass through the streets of London, investigating the various subjects to which his thoughts had been directed by the lectures, or other professional occupations. The effects of this habit remained with him through life; and he found it of admirable use, not only in preserving him from the intrusion of a swarm of impertinent ideas, but in enabling him to form a correct judgment on many points pertaining to divine and human knowledge. The same kind of accuracy was observed in his conversation. He would often discuss a subject with a friend, as they rode in his carriage. In the midst of the conversation, Mr. Hey would alight to see a patient; and although this circumstance occurred frequently, he never failed to resume the discussion at the very sentence where it had been broken off, and would thus continue an uninterrupted series of discourse to the end of the argument.' An old and intimate friend of Mr. Hey expresses himself thus, on this feature of his character: "He formed no opinions on any subject, adopted no system of thinking, or acting, without much previous and close attention to it. He never spoke at random, or uttered a sentiment that he had not well considered. This circumstance made him less agreeable as a companion, as it shed a cold and cautious reserve about him, which was felt by the extemporaneous talkers who conversed with him, and left an uneasy suspicion that he had said something which was foolish or displeasing.'

On Mr. Hey's return to Leeds in 1759, Mr. Dawson, his former master, offered to receive him as a partner, a proposal which in deference to the opinion of his parents he declined. During the first

years in which Mr. Hey exercised his profession, his progress in gaining business was slow, and his range of practice narrowly circumscribed; and it appears that nearly ten years elapsed before the regular emoluments of his practice were equal to the expenses of his family. He and his friends were little disposed, at that time, to anticipate the reputation he afterwards acquired, and the long career of successful exertion which was allotted him. Those who engage in the medical profession must be prepared to contend with difficulties, to encounter a variety of impediments, and to undergo the severe discipline of mortification and disappointment, on their first entering into business. The talents and skill of a surgeon cannot be known immediately on his announcing himself a candidate for confidence and employment. He must wait on the slow operation of time, and on the intervention of circumstances favourable to the disclosing of his professional abilities. It must be, however, a very peculiar concurrence of adverse events, which can finally obstruct the success of persevering diligence, and competent professional acquire

ments.'

In July 1761, Mr. Hey married Miss Alice Banks, the second of four daughters of Mr. Robert Banks of Craven, in Yorkshire, whose good sense, piety, and domestic attention very materially conduced to his comfort, and the present and future happiness of their numerous family.

At the time when Mr. Hey commenced practice at Leeds, there was no public institution for the relief of sickness or accident in that populous town. After a few years, it was agreed that a parochial Infirmary should be established. The contributions for this object being larger than was expected, it was resolved that a general Infirmary should be established. A house

was accordingly taken in July 1767, as a temporary infirmary, until a suitable building could be erected. The new Infirmary was opened in March 1771. The building has twice been enlarged, and now contains one hundred and sixteen beds. This splendid establishment, if not suggested by Mr. Hey, was principally owing to his exertions. He became one of its first surgeons, contributed liberally to its funds, delivered on different occasions courses of medical lectures on its behalf, and may thus be regarded as one of its greatest benefactors.

Dr. Priestley was at this period resident in Leeds, and a friendly intercourse commenced between him and Mr. Hey, on those chemical and philosophical pursuits, in which the Doctor was engaged. Dr. Priestley was also zealous in propagating his peculiar religious opinions, for which purpose he printed and distributed little tracts without his name. The perusal of these led Mr. Hey to write a small tract in defence of the Divinity of Christ,' and another entitled, A Short defence of the Doctrine of the Atonement,' which were admirably calculated to counteract the mischievous effects of Dr. P.'s publications.

In the year 1773, Mr. Hey received an injury in his knee, by striking it against a stone after bathing. The effects of this accident were aggravated soon afterwards by his horse falling with him. This second hurt obliged him to submit to a quiescent state during some weeks; and, after resuming his accustomed exercise, he never regained his original power of walking, but was more or less sensible of debility, and a diminished capacity of enduring fatigue in the injured limb. These injuries laid the foundation of a lameness, which continued during the remaining years of his life.

WHEN we read the history of certain wicked men in the Bible, and the account of their gross and sinful actions, we are apt to think that they were the worst and the vilest of men, and that it is impossible that we could ever have been guilty of this or that, or that we could ever be so wicked as such and such characters. We often forget that these things were written for our admonition and instruction; that human nature is the same in all ages and in all countries; and that the human heart, till changed by Divine grace, is pretty much the same in all: "as face answereth to face, so the heart of man to man." This is true, as it respects a certain character who is now about to be introduced to the notice and attention of the reader; and it will be well, if any, who shall read this account, and shall perceive any resemblance in the conduct of this person to their own, would allow conscience to speak, and would listen to its voice while

it whispers, "Thou art the man!"

About 600 years before Christ, that is about 2440 years ago, there lived a wicked man of the name of Jehoiakim; he was King of Judah a little time before the Jews were carried captive to Babylon. He lived about the same time that Jeremiah wrote the book which is called by his name. Jeremiah had been commissioned by God, to proclaim all the dreadful judgments that were coming upon the Jews, on account of their idolatry, and their acts of rebellion against the God of Israel. A Roll of a Book was provided by Jeremiah, containing an abridgment of all that he had preached to the Jews, that they might be put in mind of what they had heard, and

might understand it better. It was first read to the people on the fastday-then to the princes privately, and, lastly, it was read by Jehudi to the king himself; the king could not bear to hear such plain, and homely, and unwelcome truthshe did not wish to know his state and danger, nor the danger of the nation. All the enmity and rage of his carnal heart were at once called forth, when he heard those awful threatenings, and he shewed his enmity in a very striking, and awful, and remarkable manner :— "As soon as Jehudi had read three or four leaves, the king cut it with the penknife, and cast it into the fire that was on the hearth, until all the roll was consumed that was in the fire that was on the hearth." -Jer. xxxvi. 23.

Now it is very probable, that most people will think that this was so wicked, and so dreadful, that they could never be guilty of such atrocious conduct. It may, therefore, be useful to enquire, first, who are those who may be said to be like this wicked king, when he cut the sacred roll with a penknife; and then, to shew the guilt and folly of so doing.

I. We are to enquire, who are those who may be said to be like this wicked king, when he cut the sacred roll with a penknife.

(1.) We may observe, that all Deists and Infidels, who reject the Bible altogether as the word of God, may be said to resemble this wicked king; they are like him in this respect-they hate the Bible for the very same reason for which he hated it-because they perceive that its threatenings are pointed at them and their sinsthey are against the Bible, because they see that the Bible is against