Protestant Exiles from France/Book First - Chapter 13 - Section XV
XV. James Six, Esq., F.R.S.
Mr. Six was baptized in the venerated Undercroft of Canterbury Cathedral as Jacques Six on 26th February, having been born in Canterbury on 30th January 1731 (n.s.). I have already detailed his pedigree, with its chronology. Therefore in this memoir I adopt the statements and the glowing phraseology of the Obituary Notice in Nichols’ “Literary Anecdotes,” vol. ix., pp. 348, &c. He was the representative of one of the French refugee families who settled at Canterbury in the reign of Queen Elizabeth on account of the persecutions of the Protestants in France, and established the silk trade there. Mr. Six was brought up to that business, but on its decline retired early in life on a handsome competency to pursue his love of science, and with care to educate his son and daughter. He was recognised as a learned and practical astronomer. He also made some useful experiments in electricity, and possessed very good and expensive electrical machines, which he perfectly understood. He volunteered his services as an electrician to the medical profession, who gratefully availed themselves of his offer in all suitable cases. He was also well known as a florist, and could, with peculiar beauty, taste, and precision, paint the flowers he had reared, as well as use the pencil elegantly on other subjects. Thus with many fascinating pursuits he filled up his time without having much to bestow on general society, though his disposition was cheerful, communicative, and philanthropic in the highest degree. He with indefatigable attention watched over a Sunday-school principally instituted by himself. He was a member of the congregation of the Church of the Holy Cross, Westgate, Canterbury, to which he, with another gentleman, presented an organ which accompanied the voices of the little choristers who were fostered by his care, encouraged in piety and industry by his precepts, and indulged by his benevolence in whatever contributed to their well-doing in their humble station. Mr. Six devoted himself to the welfare of the young around him all the more as a pious work to engage his thoughts at the period when the severe stroke of losing his only and very accomplished son oppressed his heart with the deepest sorrow. His son, of whom we give a separate memoir, died at Rome in December 1786. Mr. Six still persevered in his study of the works of God. Some accurate discoveries in the sublime study of Astronomy he communicated from time to time to scientific correspondents all over Europe. He presented to the Royal Society an improved thermometer of his own invention, described in their “Transactions” (Phil. Trans.), vol. lxxii. ; also an account of some experiments to investigate the variation of local heat, vol. lxxiv. These communications procured him the honour of admission into that learned body in the year 1792. He died 25th August 1793, aged sixty-two, leaving a widow and an only daughter, truly worthy of such a father’s affection, and married to Mr. Hay, brewer at Maidstone.