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of existence; nor is it in the power of man to arrest the stroke of death: But it is fometimes in his power to preferve a few faint memorials of those he loved; and he finds a pleasure in attempting to perpetuate the remembrance of thofe amiable qualities which have contributed, in an effential manner, to augment his own happiness and that of others. These are the motives which induce the writer of this memoir to take up the pen on the prefent occafion.

To fpeak of Doctor Cullen in his profeffional quality as a phyfician, would require talents that do not belong to the writer of these pages: His writings are well known, and will be more justly appreciated by others. It is Cullen as a man; as a member of fociety; as a man of letters, and a promoter of fcientific knowledge; we mean here to contemplate.

The moft ftriking features in the character of Doctor Cullen were, as a man of letters, great energy of mind, and vigour of enterprife, a quick perception, a retentive memory, and talent for arrangement: as a man

as a member of fociety, beneficence and warmth of heart, candour and fociability of difpofition, vivacity of temper, politeness and urbanity of manners. Thefe peculiarities of character were perceptible in every tranfaction of his life; had an influence on his conduct on all occafions; and gave a tinge to his ftudies, his reafoning, his purfuits, and his practice, through every period of his life.

To moft men who have made attainments that could in any respect be compared with thofe of Doctor Cullen, ftudy is a ferious, often a fevere, and feemingly a burdenfome employment: To him, it never feemed to be more than an amusement; an amusement too of fuch a fort as never occupied his mind fo much as to prevent him from indulging, with perfect freedom, thofe focial difpofitions which made him at all times take particular delight in the company of

his friends; fo that to thofe pupils and friends who had access alike to perceive his fingular exertions in his literary capacity, to converfe with him in his own house, and to know his mode of living, it has often afforded matter of wonder, how he contrived to obtain that knowledge they found he poffeffed. For more than thirty years that the writer of this article has been honoured with his acquaintance, he has had accefs to know, that Doctor Cullen was in general employed from five to fix hours every day in vifiting his patients, and in prefcribing for thofe at a distance who confulted him in writing; and that during the feffion of the college, which in Edinburgh lafts from five to fix months, he delivered two public lectures of an hour each, fometimes four lectures a day, during five days of the week; and towards the end of the feffion, that his ftudents might lofe no part of his course, he ufually, for a month or fix weeks together, delivered lectures fix days every week; yet during all that time, if you chanced to fall in with him in public or in private, you never perceived him either embarraffed, or feemingly in a hurry; but at all times he was easy, and cheerful, and fociably inclined and in a private party at whift, for fixpence a game, he could be as keenly engaged for an hour before fupper, as if he had had no other employment to mind, and would be as much interested in it, as if he had had a thousand pounds depending on the game.

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Nor was it only after he was far advanced in life that his opportunities for ftudy were few, and the means of acquiring knowledge interrupted by the presfing avocations of bufinefs. Though defcended from refpectable parents in Lanarkshire*, their circumftances were fuch as did not enable them to lay out much money on the education of their fon William; who, after having served a fhort apprenticeship to a furgeon apothecary in Glasgow, went feveral voyages to

* His father was fome time Bailie, that is, chief magiflrate of Hamilton

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the West Indies, as a furgeon, in a trading veffel from London but of this employment he tired, and settled himself, at an early period of life, as a country furgeon, in the parish of Shotts, where he ftaid a fhort time, practising among the farmers and country people, and then went to Hamilton with a view to practise as a phyfician, having never been fond of operating as a furgeon.

The writer of this article had no opportunity of knowing Doctor Cullen, till he had nearly attained his fiftieth year; but from the ardour of mind, the vigour of enterprize, the vivacity of difpofition, and the fociability of temper the Doctor then poffeffed, it has often occurred to him, that during the younger part of life, Cullen could not fail to prove a very interesting character to fuch as were capable of judging of it, and of being a moft engaging companion to those who knew how to enjoy life. Thefe qualifications made him be foon taken notice of by the gentlemen of the country where he refided, to whofe tables he was at all times readily admitted as a welcome guest.

While he refided near Shotts, it chanced that Archibald Duke of Argyle, who at that time bore the chief political fway in Scotland, made a vifit to a gentleman of rank in that neighbourhood. The Duke was fond of literary pursuits, and was then particularly engaged in fome chemical researches, which required to be elucidated by experiment. Eager in thefe pursuits, his Grace, while on this vifit, found himfelf much at a lofs for the want of fome fmall chemical apparatus, which his landlord could not furnish: but happily recollecting young Cullen in the neighbourhood, he mentioned him to the Duke as a perfon who could probably furnish it. He was accordingly invited to dine; was introduced to his Grace,-who was fo much pleafed with his knowledge, his politenefs and addrefs, that he formed an acquaintance which laid the foun, dation of all Doctor Cullen's future advancement,

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The name of Cullen by this time became familiar at every table in that neighbourhood; and thus he came to be known, by character, to the Duke of Hamilton, who then refided, for a fhort time, in that part of the country and that nobleman having been fuddenly taken ill, the affiftance of young Cullen was called in, which proved a fortunate circumftance in ferving to promote his advancement to a ftation in life, more fuited to his talents than that in which he had hitherto moved.

The character of the Douglaffes, of which name the family of Hamilton now forms a principal branch, has always been fomewhat of the fame ftamp with that of the rifing Cullen. Genius, benevolence, frankness, and conviviality of difpofition, have been, with them in general, very prominent features: and if to that be added a spirit of frolic and of diffipation, thefe will be accounted as only natural confequences of those youthful indulgences that fpring from an excess of wealth at an early period of life, and the licence allowed to people of high rank, The Duke was there. fore highly delighted with the fprightly character and ingenious converfation of his new acquaintance. Receiving inftruction from him in a much more pleafing, and an infinitely easier way than he had ever before obtained, the converfation of Cullen proved highly interefting to his Grace-no wonder then that he foon found means to get his favourite Doctor, who was already the esteemed acquaintance of the man through whofe hands all preferments in Scotland were obliged to pafs, appointed to a place in the univerfity of Glafgow, where his fingular talents for difcharging the du ties of the ftation he now occupied, foon became very confpicuous t.

+ It was not, however, folely to the favour of thefe two great men that Cullen owed his literàry fame. He was recommended to the notice of men of science, in a way ftill more honourable to himself. The dif safe of the Duke of Hamilton having refifted the effect of the first

During his refidence in the country, however, feveral important incidents occurred, that ought not to be paffed over in filence. It was during this time that was formed a connection in business in a very humble line, between two men, who, by the decrees of fate, had been ordained to become afterwards eminently confpicuous in much more exalted stations. William, afterwards Doctor Hunter, the famous lecturer on anatomy in London, was a native of the fame part of the country, and not being in affluent circumstances more than Cullen, these two young men, ftimulated by the impulse of genius to profecute their medical ftudies with ardour, but thwarted by the narrowness of their fortune, entered into a copartnery business as furgeons and apotheciaries in the country. The chief end of their contract being to furnish each of the parties with the means of profecuting their medical studies, which they could not feparately fo well enjoy, it was ftipulated, that one of them alternately should be allowed to study in what colleges he inclined, during the winter, while the other should carry on the bufinefs in the country for their common advantage. In confequeuce of this agreement, Cullen was firft allowed to study in the Univerfity of Edinburgh, for one winter; but when it came to Hunter's turn next winter, he, preferring London to Edinburgh, went thither. There his fingular neatness in diffecting, and uncommon dexterity in making anatomical preparations, his affiduity in study, his mildness of manner, and pliability of temper, foon recommended him to the notice of Doctor Douglass, who then read lectures upon anatomy and midwifery there, who engaged Hunter as an affistant,

applications, Doctor Clarke was fent for from Edinburgh, and he was fo much pleased with every thing that Cullen had done, that he beeame his eulogift upon every occafion. Cullen never forgot this; and when Clarke died, gave a public oration in his praife, in the University of Edinburgh; which, it is believed, was the first of the kind in this country.

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