They must languish long in obscurity before they can avail themselves of their natural talents; and after that they have but a short space of time, during which they are fortunate if they can provide the means of comfort in the decline of life.

That comes late, and lasts but a short time; after which they are left dependent.

Their limbs fail--their teeth are loosened--their voice is lost and they are left, after giving happiness to others, in a most disconsolate state.

The public were liberal and generous to those deserving their protection.
It was a sad thing to be dependent on the favour, or, he might say, in plain terms, on the caprice, of the public; and this more particularly for a class of persons of whom extreme prudence is not the character.
There might be instances of opportunities being neglected.

But let each gentleman tax himself, and consider the opportunities THEY had neglected, and the sums of money THEY had wasted; let every gentleman look into his own bosom, and say whether these were circumstances which would soften his own feelings, were he to be plunged into distress.