Volume 1

Portraits and lives of remarkable and eccentric characters.

Date:
[1819?]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Portraits and lives of remarkable and eccentric characters. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    part of the sermon ; but it never appeared that he brought away one sentence, his mind having been busied, even during divine service, in his favorite operation, either dividing some time, or some space, into the smallest known parts, or re¬ solving some question that had been given him as a test of his abilities. The life of this extraordinary person, from his adverse circumstances, was uniform and obscure. Time, with respect to him, changed nothing but his age; nor did the seasons vary his employ¬ ment, except that in winter he used a flail, and in summer a ling-hook. In the year 1754, he came to London, where he was introduced to the Royal Society, who, in order to prove his abilities, asked him several questions in arith¬ metic, and he gave them such satisfaction, that they dismissed him, with a handsome gratuity. In this visit to the metropolis, the only object of his curiosity, except figures, was his desire to see the king and royal family; but they being just removed to Kensington, Jedediah was dis¬ appointed. During his residence in London, he was taken to Drury-lane theatre, to see King Richard III. and it was expected, that the