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78
Hereditary Genius
rious and hoarding. Consequently, as his brother says, “he was over-much
addicted to thinking, or else he performed it with more labour and
intenseness than other men ordinarily do. ... He was, in a word, the most
intense and passionate thinker that ever lived, and was in his right mind.”
This ruined his health. “His flesh was strangely flaccid and soft; his going
weak and shuffling, often crossing his legs as if he were tipsy; his sleep
seldom or never easy, but interrupted with unquiet and painful dreams—the
reposes he had were short and by snatches; his active spirit had rarely any
settlement or rest.”
It is evident that he played foolish tricks with his brain, and the result was
that he had a stroke, and utterly broke up, decaying more and more in mind
and body until death relieved him, aet. 38.
There is no doubt that Dr. John North deserved more reputation than he
has obtained, partly owing to his early death, and partly to his exceeding
sensitiveness in respect to posthumous criticism. He left peremptory orders
that all his MSS. should be burnt. He appears to have been especially
skilled in Greek and Hebrew scholarship.
The Lord Keeper and the Master of Trinity resembled each other in their
painfully shy dispositions and studious tastes. The curious money-saving
propensities were common to all three brothers. The indolent habits of the
Master of Trinity were shared by Sir Dudley after his return from England,
who would take no exercise whatever, but sat all day either at home, or
else steering a little sailing-vessel on the Thames. The Lord Keeper was
always fanciful about his health.
The Hon. Mary North, afterwards Lady Spring, was the sister of these
brothers, and no less gifted than they. Roger North says—
“Besides the advantage of her person, she had a superior wit, prodigious
memory, and was most agreeable in conver-
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