LI. Biographical account of the late Dr. Pulteney

Abstract

born. in the year ITo. o at Lou~hborou. ~ gh~ in Leicefterflfire. t-Ils parents h~d thirteen children, of whom he alone arrwed at the age of maturity. From early youth he was of a delicate habit, and fuppofed to be inclined to a eonfumption ; and it was by means of rigid temverance, which he obferved during his wlqole life, that'he mai'ntained himfelf in a tolerable t~ate of health, He has recorded (in Mr. Nichols's Hif~ory of Leieet~erflaire) his obligations to his uuele, Mr. George Tomlinfon, of Hathern, who poffelqed rome property in that village, and adorned an obfcure ftation with virtue and feienee. a~ Thole (tavs Dr. Puheney) who remember and intimately knew the fubje& of this memoir, will not, it is believed, judge it otherwife than impartial, though, eonfeffedly, a tribute from his neareft relative, one who reveres his memory with the t~uelt affee'-tion, who, through the early fla~e of life~ received from him, as from a father~ the genuine ffi&ates of wifdom, virtue, and religion ; all of which were truly exemplified in his own eondu& throur~hout the whole of his life " From this relation he imb|bed his taf~e for botsmeal fludles; and it was probably through his inftigation that he was detained to the medical profefl]on.The youth's firfi fituation in a prof'emonal capacity was that of apprentice to an apothecary in Loughborough~ an humble fehool, which, however, his indnt-~ry and-talent for obfervation were able to render inftrt,&ive. He paffed through the ufual courfe of a country education, and then complied with an invitation to fettle at Leicelter. That town~ 'like molt provincial capitals, was divided into two political and religious parties ; and it was that of the dill'enters (to which his parents belonged) whence Mr. Fuheney received his fup~port. His fphere was t~ilt further narrowed, by the limitauon of pra&ifing only as an apothecary; for it was thought due to the eonfequenee of the party, to poffefs a furgeon of their own as a feparate profeffional, ehara&er~ which office was filled by Mr. Cogan~ a man of merit and agreeable manners.Few remarks can be neeeffary on the hardfhip of placing perfons of abilities and liberal fentiments in fituations fo unfavourable to the acquirement of that reputation and thole "---VoL. XII. No. 4 8.T emoluments May x8o~.

In the Groves of the Academy: The Aikin Family, Sociability, and the Liberal Dissenting Academy

“…among Free Enquirers both on religious and political topicks" and who encouraged "large and liberal discussion" within "limits," hating "turbulence and sedition." 39 Aikin further relates that even "during the height of party animosity, so little was . .…”