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THE

Emperial Magazine ;

OR, COMPENDIUM OF

RELIGIOUS, MORAL, & PHILOSOPHICAL KNOWLEDGE.

JULY.

"THE TORCH OF LITERATURE ILLUMINATES THE PATHS OF WISDOM."

MEMOIR OF RICHARD ROBERT JONES.

(With a Portrait.)

AMONG the eccentric characters of the present day, there are few more extraordinary than the subject of this memoir. His appearance is not more singular, than his talents are remarkable; and the success with which he has cultivated his abilities in a peculiar department, will long preserve his name from oblivion, and distinguish him from the common fate that awaits the general mass of mankind.

Dr. Blair, speaking of genius, says, that the term "is used to signify that talent or aptitude, which we receive from nature, for excelling in any one thing whatever. Accordingly, we speak of a genius for mathematics, as well as a genius for poetry; or a genius for war, for politics, or for any mechanical employment. This talent, or aptitude, for excelling in any one particular, is received from nature; and though it may be greatly improved by art and study, it cannot by them alone be acquired. As genius is a higher faculty than taste, it is more limited in the sphere of its operations. While we find many persons who have an excellent taste in several of the polite arts, such as music, poetry, painting, and eloquence, all together; it is much more rare to meet with one who is an excellent performer in all these arts. Indeed, an universal genius, or one who is equally and indifferently turned to wards several different professions and arts, is not likely to excel in any. The rays must converge to a point, in order to glow intensely."

Although the principles thus advanced by Dr. Blair have been disputed, they receive a strong confirmation from the character before us; and so striking is the delineation, that if Richard had sat for the picture, it could not have been taken with more exactness. This fact will be fully established by the subseqent peculiarities which his 91.-VOL. VIII.

[1826.

life affords, for the principal part of which we are indebted to a small volume published in 1822 by some benevolent individuals in Liverpool, with the laudable design that the profits, if any, should be appropriated to his pecuniary assistance. success of their exertions we can only gather from the fact, that his condition still remains unimproved, and consequently that their wishes to serve him have not been realized.

The

The father of this extraordinary individual was Robert Jones, who resided at Aberdaron, a little sea-port on the wildest part of the Welsh coast, He was by trade a carpenter; but, availing himself of his situation, he sometimes employed himself in fishing, and at other times made a voyage in a small boat from Aberdaron to Liverpool. By his wife, Margaret Richards, he had three sons and a daughter; of which sons, Richard, the object of our present inquiry, was the second. He was born in the year 1780. Deriving his Christian name from the maiden name of his mother, and his surname from the Christian name of his father, he was called Richard Roberts, by which name be was known till of late years, when, dropping the s from Roberts, he assumed also the surname of his father, and now calls himself Richard Robert Jones.

Although his constitutional defects, and particularly the weakness of his eye-sight, disqualified him in some degree from bodily labour, the circumstances of his parents did not permit him to be idle, and accordingly his father attempted to bring him up to his own business. In the expectation he had formed of assistance from this quarter, he was, however, disappointed. From some cause not easy to be accounted for, Richard imbibed a taste for the acquisition of languages, the faculty of which he possessed in an extraordinary degree. Whether this faculty was the sponta

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neous gift of nature, or the effect of accident or choice, is a question, the correct answer to which would clear up greater difficulties than it at first sight seems to involve; but certain it is, that although he has exhibited abilities in this department, which, under more favourable circumstances, might have enabled him to rival a Buxtorf or a Lipsius, he displays a most remarkable want of capacity on every other subject, and an almost entire privation of that discretion, which could alone enable him to turn his extraordinary acquirements to any useful purpose, or even to provide for his own support. On one occasion, a gentleman competent to form an accurate judgment of his cranium, to whom he was introduced, after examining his head, observed frankly, that he thought him the most remarkable instance of the truth of Gall and Spurzeim's system that he ever saw; that the front part of his head strongly developed the organ for learning languages in a most extraordinary degree, while the back part of the head was that of an ideot.

From a variety, however, of local causes, it was not until Richard had attained nine years of age that he was enabled to read the Bible in his native language, in which he was instructed by his mother and his younger brother. He then attempted to acquire the English, but found it very difficult; for which he has since assigned as a reason, that the orthography is not well established, and that the pronunciation changes every ten years. In fact, his proficiency in it is not so great as in some other languages, to which he has paid a more decided attention.

At the age of fifteen, Richard began to study Latin, by the assistance of a boy in the parish school of Aberdaron, named John Evans. Although he never had the opportunity of attending the school with other children, he frequently contrived to get into it when the other boys had left it, and from the use of the books he found there, is said, by a person who knew him at the time, to have learnt more in one month than any other boy could learn in six. About the same time he acquired a method of writing, which, although evidently self-taught, is peculiarly legible, as may be seen in his autograph, and which he applies

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with equal facility to any language with which he is acquainted.

When he was about nineteen years of age, he purchased from Evan Richards, a Welsh poet, a Greek grammar; by the assiduous study of which, he obtained as much knowledge as enabled him to read a little of that language. This he has since improved to a considerable extent, and has read some of the Greek writers, particularly the poets, in their native tongue, together with their commentators. In this exercise his chief pleasure is derived, not from the facts related, or the information contained in the work, but from the form and construction of the language; insomuch, that although he has made an addition to his grammatical knowledge, he seems to be nearly as ignorant of the contents as he was before he began the perusal of the work which he has been reading.

In the following year, Richard happened to meet with an epitome of Buxtorf's Hebrew Grammar, which gave him the first idea of studying that language. Of the ardour with which he engaged in this pursuit, some idea may be formed by the following singular anecdote, which is related in his own hand-writing: “If it had not been the reverse of fortune, I would study a little of Hebrew music. A short time before I commenced to study Hebrew, I dreamed; and saw in my dream Johan. Buxtorfius singing Hebrew psalms to the harp; viz. as he sang psalms, he played the harp with his hands, and sang with his voice. He stood upon a mound opposite to my father's house."

On being asked by a friend, how he could have known the language in which Buxtorf sang, if he had not then commenced the study of Hebrew? he replied, that he knew very little of Hebrew when the dream occurred to him; that he sung the twelfth chapter of the Psalms, the whole of which Richard repeated by memory; that the person who appeared to him, whoever he was, had a Hebrew book with points lying near him, and that the harp was a very large one, of the ancient Welsh construction.

The acquisitions thus made were not only obtained under almost every kind of disadvantage, but in the most

been given to him, or which he had purchased with the small presents occasionally made him in money, and quitting the house of his father, took the road to Carnarvon, without being possessed of a single penny to provide for himself on the journey. Under these circumstances he was obliged to dispose of part of his books; and as his burden grew lighter as his journey lengthened, he arrived in safety at the place of his destination.

direct opposition to circumstances which must have deterred any one from the pursuit, who had not been actuated by a resolution that nothing could shake. As the time devoted to this purpose should have been employed in sawing timber, working in the fields, fishing, and other labours; his inaptitude for these occupations, and his attachment to the study of languages, brought down upon him the anger of his father, who, not content with remonstrances, frequently had recourse to blows, whenever he found him pursuing his studies instead of being at work. In these severities, his father was joined by his elder brother; from both of whom he experienced such a rigorous treat-greatest adversity, he proceeded from ment, as nothing but the distressed situation and necessities of the family, and their total ignorance of the subjects to which he was devoted, could possibly excuse.

About the year 1804, his father made a voyage in a small vessel from Aberdaron to Liverpool, when he brought Richard as his assistant. On his arrival there, one of his first objects was to find a bookseller's shop, where his singular appearance attracted the notice of some persons, who inquired into his situation, and finding he had some knowledge of languages, gave him a little pecuniary assistance, and afterwards furnished him with a few books, amongst which were the AvaλEKTα noσova, the Horologium Hebræum of Schurhardius, Virgilii Opera, and the poem of The Grave, by Blair; a minute of which presents he has carefully preserved. Richard did not, however, long enjoy the fruits of his good fortune. On his return home, the vessel was driven ashore at Llanhairn, on the coast of Carnarvon, and filled with water, in consequence of which almost all his books were either lost or spoiled.

On his arrival at home, a still greater misfortune attended him. As his thirst for learning increased, the severity with which he was treated by his father increased also; and when threats and imprecations had no effect, recourse was had to harsher measures; till at length some strokes across his shoulders with an iron poker served him as notice to quit the house. He, therefore, collected the remains of his little library, consisting of some old books which had

After disposing, at Carnarvon, of a further portion of his books, reserving some fragments of a Latin and Greek, and a Welsh and Latin dictionary, which, as he himself stated, he was unwilling to part with under the

Carnarvon to Bangor, where he had the good fortune to attract the notice of Dr. William Cleaver, then bishop of that see; who perceiving that his acquirements in languages were very uncommon for a person in his situation, provided him with decent clothing, and encouraged him in his pursuits, by presenting to him some valuable books, amongst which were an edition of Robert Stephens's Greek Testament, and Schrevelius's Greek Lexicon. The Bishop also humanely took him into his service, and employed him in working in his gardens and fields. Whether Richard thought that the labour in which he was employed interfered too much with his studies, or whether some other cause of dissatisfaction arose between him and the Bishop, does not appear; but after having remained with him about two months, he availed himself of an invitation from the Rev. John Williams, to come and reside with him at his house at Treffos, in the Isle of Anglesey. On a visit made by the Bishop to Treffos, he found Richard there, and gave him notice not to return to Bangor, as be had no occasion for his further services.

The appearance of the Bishop at Treffos seems also to have had an unfavourable effect on the fortunes of Richard at that place, which he suddenly quitted, after having resided with Mr. Williams about half a year, which time was principally devoted to the study of Greek.

Although Richard has assigned as a reason for quitting the hospitable abode of Mr. Williams, the ill usage

he had not the least idea of any thing that surrounded him; and when be took his departure, he appeared to have forgotten the entrance. Absorbed in his studies, he had continually a book in his hand, to which he fre quently referred, as if to communicate or receive information, and ap

received from the servants, yet the actual cause seems to be enveloped in no little degree of mystery. If, however, the following account of a dream which Richard had at that place, and which he has related in his own hand-writing, as connected with this subject, can throw any light upon it, it is at the reader's service: "Iparently under a conviction, that dreamed," says he, "at Treffos: and I saw in my dream the head of Herod brought into the parlour, and the hair thereof bearing three colours mixed, viz. black, red, and the colour of brimstone burning; and I heard that the death of Herod was sadly lamented; wherefore his head was received with great veneration and honour. And I heard that Herod was beheaded in the battle against the Faλarai Aloßpoyes, when fighting against them at the head of one of the Roman armies: consequently my welfare was changed at Treffos!

During his residence at Anglesey, Richard had the good fortune to meet with some French refugees, who supplied him with a grammar of that language; by the aid of which, and by their assistance, he acquired such a knowledge of it, as not only to read it, but to speak it with a good accent. He has since acquired an equal knowledge of Italian; and in both of these languages converses with great ease and fluency; and it is remarkable, that he never changes the language in which the conversation is begun, as long as any other person is inclined to continue it.

every person he met with was as much interested in such studies as himself.-On one occasion, a gentleman observes, "I took him to the Athenæum library, thinking that such a collection of books would have excited his curiosity, but he walked through without turning his head to the right or left, and finally went away without taking any notice of them." His sight was imperfect, his voice sharp and dissonant; and, upon the whole, his appearance and manners grotesque in the highest degree; yet, under all these disadvantages, there was a gleam in his countenance which marked intelligence, and an unaffected simplicity in his behaviour which conciliated regard.

Soon after his arrival at Liverpool, an attempt was made by some of his friends to obtain for him a suitable employment; but before that could be expected, it was necessary that he should be rendered more decent in his person, and provided with better clothes. Being then asked to what employment he had been brought up, he answered, to that of a sawyer. A recommendation was, therefore, given him to a person who employed many On leaving Treffos, Richard made hands in sawing; and Richard was his way once more to Liverpool; put down in the saw-pit. He accordwhere, as he says, he was "enter-ingly commenced his labours, and tained with great kindness" by the persons who had assisted him on his former visit. His person and dress at this time were extremely singular: to an immense stock of black hair he united a bushy beard of the same colour. His clothing consisted of several coarse and ragged vestments, the spaces between which were filled with books, surrounding him in successive layers, so that he was literally a walking library. These books all occupied their proper stations, being placed higher or lower, according as their sizes suited the conformation of his body; so that he was acquainted with the situation of each, and could bring it out, when wanted, without diffiealty. When introduced into a room,

proceeded for some time with a fair prospect of success. It was not long, however, before his efforts relaxed, and grew fainter and fainter; till at length he fell on his face, and lay extended at the bottom of the pit, calling out loudly for help. On raising him up, and inquiring into the cause of his disaster, it appeared, that he had laboured to the full extent of his arm's length, when, not being aware that it was necessary he should also move forwards his feet, and being quite breathless and exhausted, he was found in the situation described. As soon as he had recovered himself, he returned to the person who sent him, and complained loudly of the treatment he had received, and of

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