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unreasonable imposition on two willing and generous minds materially injured the health of both, yet for some time
Dr. Aikin was kept in a tolerably comfortable state by great care and regular gentle exercise on horseback.
But about the year 1778, his attacks of asthma becoming more frequent and violent, he obtained for a short time the assistance of his late pupil
Mr. Houghton; and in 1779
Mr. Wakefield was chosen a regular third tutor.
The asthmatic paroxysms, however, increasing, he grew gradually less able to discharge, without great difficulty, the duties of his proper province, and on the 14th of December 1780, he closed a life of honour and usefulness, in a manner becoming his Christian profession.
His death was felt as a severe blow by the lovers of truth and learning, but was more especially an irreparable loss to those who were under his' immediate care.
His funeral sermon, preached by his friend and colleague, Dr. Enfield, was published, and bears on its title page the following strikingly characteristic and appropriate motto from Cicero:— ‘Erant in eo multae literae, nec eae vulgares,. sed interiores quaendam et reconditeae; summa verborum et gravitas et elegantia; atque haec omnia vitae decorabat dignitas et integritas.
Quanta severitas in vultu!
quantum pondus in verbis!
quam nihil non consideratum exibat ex ore!’1
The following just and well-merited character of Dr. Aikin forms one of the series of striking and spirited portraits which Mr. Wakefield has sketched of the eminent men who were successively
