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The detail of the merits of fuch a man cannot be uninterefting, either to the profeffion he adomed, or the country which he ferved; and the remembrance of his virtues must be pleafing to those who were honoured with his esteem. As every hour, and every fituation of his life, afforded fresh opportunities for the exercife of fuch virtues, they were best known to thofe who faw him moft; but, however, ftrong and perfect their imprefiion, they can be but inadequately defcribed by one who long enjoyed the happiness of his friendship, and advantage of his example, and muft ever lament the privation of his fociety.

He engaged in the fea fervice before he was ten years old. The quickness of his parts, the decifion of his temper, the excellence of his understanding, the activity of his mind, the eagerness of his ambition, his indefatigable in. duftry, his unremitting diligence, his correct and extenfive memory, his ready and accurate judgment, the promptitude, clearness, and arrangement with which his ideas were formed, and the happy perfpicuity with which they were expreffed, were advantages peculiar to himself. His early education under Captain William Hervey and Admiral Byng (two of the beft officers of their time,) with his conftant employment in actual fervice, from his first going to fea till the clofe of the laft war, hid furnished ample matter for experience, from which his pene. trating genius and juft obfervation had deduced that extenfive and Rematic knowledge of minute circumstances and important prin. ciples, which is neceflary to form an

expert feaman and a fhining c cer.

With the most confummate profeffional fkill, he poffefled the moft perfect courage that ever fortified a heart, or brightened a character; he loved enterprize, he was cool in danger, collected in diftrefs, decided in difficulties, ready and judicious in his expe dients, and perfevering in his determinations; his orders, in the molt critical fituations, and for the molt various objects, were deli. vered with a firmnefs and preci. fion which pake a confidence in their propriety, and facility in their execution; that enfured a prompt and fuccessful obedience in thofe to whom they were addressed.

Such was his character as an of ficer, which made him defervedly confpicuous in a profeffion, as ho. nourable to the individul, as im portant to the publick. Nor was he without thofe qualifications and abilities which could give full weight to the fituation in which his rank and connections Fad placed him in civil life. His early entrance into his profeffion had indeed deprived him of the advantages of a claffical education. This defect was, however, more than balanced by the lefs ornamental, but more folid, intruction of the fchool he ftudied in. As a member of parliament, he

an eloquent, though not a correct fpeaker; thofe who differed from him in politicks con. felled the extent of his knowledge, the variety of his information, and the force of his reafoning, at the fame time that they admired the ingenuity with which he applied them to the fupport of his opi

nions.

He

He was not more eminent for thofe talents by which a country is ferved, than diftinguifhed by thofe qualities which render a man eful, refpected, efteemed, and and beloved in. fcciety. In the general intercourfe of the world, he was an accomplished gentleman and an agreeable companion; his manners were noble as his birth, and engaging as his difpofition; he was humane, benevolent, compaffionate, and generous: his humanity was confpicuous in his profelion; when exercifed towards the feamen, the fenfibility and attention of a commander they adored, was the most flattering relief that could be afforded to the fufferings or diftreffes of thofe who ferved with him; when exerted towards her enemies, it did honour to his country, by exempli. fying, in the moft ftriking men. ner, that generofity which is the peculiar characteriflic, and most diftinguished virtue, of a brave, free, and enlightened people. In other fituations, his liberality was extensive without oftentation, and generally bestowed where it would be moit felt and leaft feen, upon modeft merit and filent diftrefs. Ilis friendships were warm and permanent Feyord the grave, extending their in Auence to thofe who shared the affections, er enjoyed the patronage of their cb. jects. His refentment was open, and his forgiveness fincere, It

was the effect, perhaps the weaknefs, of an exalted mind, that with him an injury which he had forgiven was as frong a claim to his protection as a favour received could be to his gratitude.

This bright picture is not with out its fhades; he had faults; the

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impetuofity of his nature, and the eagerness with which he pursued his objects, carried him, fometimes, lengths not juftifi.ble; and the high opinion he justly entertained of his own parts made him too easily the dupe and prey of interefted and defigning perfons, whom his cooler judgment would have detefted and defpifed, had they not had cunning enough to difcover and flatter his vanity, and fufficient art to avail themselves of abilities which they did not poffefs. But let it be remembered, that his failings were thofe of a warm temper and unguarded difpofition; his virtues thofe of an heart formed for every thing amiable in private, every thing great in public life.

Extracts from Dr. Foart Simmons's Eccount of the Life and Writings of the late Dr. William

Hunter.

WI

WILLIAM HUNTER was bern on the 23d of May, 1718, at Kilbride, in the corety of Lanerk. He was the feventh of ten children of John and Agnes Hunter, who refided on a finall eftate in that parifh, called Long Calderwood, which had long been in the poffeffion of his family. His great-grandfather, by his father's fide, was a younger fon of Hunter of Hunterfton, chief of the family of that name.

At the age of fourteen his father fent him to the college of Glafgow. In this feminary he pated five years, and by his pru dent behaviour and diligence ac. quired the esteem of the profef

fors,

fors, and the reputation of being a geod fcholar.

His father had defigned him for the church; but the idea of fubfcribing to articles of faith, was fo repugnant to the liberal mode of thinking he had already adopted, that he felt an infuperable averfion to his theological purfuits. In this ftate of mind be happened to become acquainted with Dr. Cullen, the prefent ceJebrated profeffor at Edinburgh, who was then just established in practice at Hamilton, under the patronage of the Duke of Hamil. ion. Dr. Cullen's converfation foon determined him to lay afide all thoughts of the church, and to devote himself to the profeffion of phyfic.

His father's confent having been previously obtained, Mr. Hunter, in 1737, went to refide with Dr. Cullen. In the family of this excellent friend and preceptor he paffed nearly three years, and thefe, as he has been often heard to acknow. ledge, were the happiest years of his life. It was then agreed, that he fhould go and profecute his me. dical studies at Edinburgh and London, and afterwards return to fettle at Hamilton, in partnership with 'Dr. Cullen.

Speaking to me of the manners and difpofition of his friend at this period, Dr. Cullen obferved, that his converfation was remarkably lively and agreeable, and his whole conduct at the fame time more ftrictly and fteadily correct than that of any other young perfon he had ever known. The fame chearfulness and the fame regard for prudence accompanied him through life.

He fet out for Edinburgh in No.

vember, 1740, and continued there till the following fpring, attending the lectures of the medical profef fors, and amongst others thofe of the late Dr. Alexander Monro, who inany years afterwards, in allufion to this circumstance, styled himself his old mafter.

Mr. Hunter arrived in London in the fummer of 1741, and toɔk up his refidence at Mr. afterwards Dr. Smellie's, who was at that time an apothecary in Pall Mall. He brought with him a letter of recommendation to his country. man Dr. James Douglas, from Mr. Foulis, printer at Glafgow, who had been useful to the doctor in collecting for him different edi. tions of Horace. Dr. Douglas was then intent on a great anatomical work on the bones, which he did not live to complete, and was looking out for a young man of abilities and induftry whom he might employ as a diffector. This induced him to pay particular at. tention to Mr. Hunter, and find. ing him acute and fenfible, he defired him to make him another vifit. A fecond converfation con. firmed the doctor in the good opinion he had formed of Mr. Hun. ter, and without any farther hefitation he invited him into his fa mily to affift in his diffections, and to fuperintend the education of his fun.

Mr. Hunter having accepted Dr. Douglas's invitation, was by his friendly affistance enabled to enter himself as a furgeon's pupil at St. George's Hofpital, under Mr. James Wilkie, and as a dif fecting pupil under Dr. Frank Nichols, who at that time taught anatomy with confiderable reputation. He likewife attended a

courfe

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In 1743, he communicated to the Royal Society an effay on the Structure and Difeafes of articulating Cartilages. This ingenious paper, on a fubject which till then had not been fufficiently inveftigated, affords a flriking teftimony of the rapid progrefs he had made in his anatomical inquiries.

As he had it in contemplation to teach anatomy, his attention was directed principally to this object; and it deferves to be, mentioned as an additional mark of his prudence, that he did not precipitately engage in this attempt, but paffed feveral years in accquir. ing fuch a degree of knowledge, and fuch a collection of preparations as might infure him fuccefs.

Dr. Nichols, to whom he communicated his fcheme, and who declined giving lectures about that time in favour of the late Dr. Law. rence, did not give him much encouragement to profecute it. But at length an opportunity prefented itself for the difplay of his abilities as a teacher.

A fociety of navy furgeons had

an apartment in Covent Garden, where they engaged the late Mr. Samuel Sharpe to deliver a course of lectures on the operations of furgery. Mr. Sharpe continued to repeat this courfe, till finding that it interfered too much with his other engagements, he declined the talk in favour of Mr. Hunter, who gave the fociety fo much fatisfaction, that they requefted him to extend his plan to anatomy, and at firit he had the use of their room for his lectures. This happened in the winter of 1746.

He is faid to have experienced much folicitude when he begin to fpeak in public, but the applaufe he met with foon infpired him with courage; and by degrees he became fo fond of teaching, that for many years before his death he was never happier than when employed in delivering a lecture.

The profits of his two first courfes were confiderable; but by contributing to the wants of different friends, he found himself at the return of the next feafon obliged to defer his lectures for a fortnight, merely because he had not money enough to defray the neceffary expence of advertise

ments.

In 1747, he was admitted a member of the corporation of furgeons, and in the fpring of the following year, foon after the close of his lectures, he fet out in company with his pupil, Mr. James Dou. glafs, on a tour through Holland to

Paris.

His lectures, fuffered no interruption by this journey, as he returned to England foon enough to prepare for his winter courfe, which began about the ufual time.

At

At first he practifed both fur. gery and midwifery, but to the former of thefe he had always an averfion. His patron, Dr. James Douglas, had acquired comider. able reputation in midwifery, and this probably induced Mr. Hunter direct his views chiefly to the fame line of practice. His being elected one of the furgeon men midwives first to the Middlefex, and foon afterwards to the British lying-in Hofpital, affitted in bringing him forward in this branch of his profeffion, in which he was recom.nended by feveral of the most eminent furgeons of that ime, who refpected his anatomical talents, and wished to encourage him.

But thefe were not the only circumstances that contributed to his fuccefs. He owed moch to his abilities, and much to his perfon and manner, which eminently qua. Ified him for the practice of midwifery.

In 1750, he feems to have entirely relinquithed his views in fur. gery, as in that year he obtained the degree of doctor of physic from, the university of Glafgow, and be. gan to practife as a phyfician. Abent this time he quitted the faamily of Mrs. Douglas, and went to refide in Jermyn-Rreet.

In the fummer of 1751 he revisited his native country, for hich he always retained a cordial

affection."

"After this journey to Scotland, to which he devoted only a few weeks, he was never abfent from Londen, unless his profeffional engagements, as fometimes happened, required his attendance at a diftance from the capital.

In 1755, on the refignation of

Dr. Layard, one of the phyficians of the Britifh Lying-in Hofpital, we find the governors of that in. flitution voting their "thanks to Dr. Hunter for the fervices he had done the hofpital, and for his con. tinuing in it as one of the phy. ficians; fo that he feems to have been established in this office with. out the ufual form of an election. The year following he was ad mitted a licentiate of the royal college of phyficians, and foon afterwards was elected a member of the medical fociety. His hiftory of an Aneurifm of the Aorta ap. pears in the firft volume of their Obfervations and Inquiries publifhed in 1757.

His other papers in the fecond volume are, 1. An account of a defealed Tibia, which fhews that a

callus will fupply the place of a bone, and preferve the length and firmness of a limb, when the great. eft part of the original bone is become useless, or thrown out by exfoliation; and, 2. Remarks on the Symphy fis of the Offa Pubis, which he delcribes as a compofition of two cartilages and a ligament, fomewhat like the connecting fub. ftance between the bodies of the vertebræ.

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