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and infpires us with different emotions, according to its various afpects; but here it is my intention, to limit my views, to fuch corporeal fingularities, whether natural or accidental, as confift in mere defects or redundancies of form.

In my younger years, to divert the langour of a fedentary life, I applied myself to mufic. In those days, a ftranger who profeffed that art, arrived in the town where I lived: To him I prefently had recourse as a master; but he being nearly feven feet high, in all his public appearances therefore, not only the multitude, but even thofe from whom better manners might have been expected, gaped, ftared, and pointed him out as a prodigious phenomenon in nature. This they continued to do, till the poor man, who was naturally modeft, and fhrunk from public obfervation, determined to leave the place, and return to his own country, where, though ftill extraordinary, he might appear lefs wonderful. Thus he facrificed confiderable emoluments, to his enormity of height: and the town, by its culpable curiofity and indecent behaviour, loft a better mafter than ever it could fince boast.

Not many years ago, a gentleman who had confiderable hesitation in fpeaking, faw a beautiful lady of his acquaintance on the street, and eagerly ran to addrefs her; but not being able to accoft her with fufficient promptitude, fhe rudely thus anticipated what he had to fay: "I know, Sir, you want to ask me how I do; I will fave you the trouble; and so your humble servant, Sir." Speaking thus, the left him with accelerated pace, whilft he, cafting his eyes to the ground, ftood fixed in a momentary ftupor; then, breathing a deep figh, flowly left the place. The lady had removed with a loud laugh, which, in the enjoyment of conscious wit, fhe continued: but wretched is the triumph even of real wit, when it exults over diffident humanity; more wretched ftill, when an affectation of wit, as in the cafe before us, is elated with self-approbation, at

the expence of politenefs and delicacy. I have fomewhere read a bitter complaint of a blind man who was grossly treated in this way, which be pleased to receive in his own words:

Hence oft the hand of ignorance and fcorn,

To barb'rous mirth abandon'd, points me out
With idiot grin: the fupercilious eye,

Oft, from the noife and glare of profperous life,
On my obfcurity diverts its gaze,

Exulting; and with wanton pride elate,
Felicitates its own fuperior lot.

Inhuman triumph! hence the piercing taunt
Of titled infolence inflicted deep.

Being once defired by fome friends to attend them to a public breakfeaft, I was equally ftruck with admiration and furprife, to fee the gentleman who prefided, called the Polish Count: his perfon was about 32 inches high, exactly proportioned in all his parts; his motions were agreeable and eafy; his converfation affable and intelligent; fo that the gentlemen of malignant curiofity, could find nothing to gratify their spleen, either in his figure or difcourfe; yet it was not long at a lofs, for a proper object; they talked of fuch a little creature being married, and having children, not without fome farcaftic praifes of his lady's truth and honour. Some of these ironical fpectators, in order more perfectly to perceive and enjoy the contrast, had introduced a foldier of a gigantic ftature, who approached the Count, and began to play with the curls of his hair: this appeared to the Count fo ruftic and unmanly, that he turned round in resentment, exclaiming that his foul was greater than this man's, in proportion as his body was lefs. Thus, in gratifying an ill-natured wit, they loft a purer and more exalted pleafure of contemplating nature, in the various operations of her hand. Thus were the charms of a pleafing and enlightened conversation, much obfcured, if not entirely

Jan. 12, hid from their view: Thus, in short, the agreeable modulations of a guitar, fweetly and artfully touched, were drowned in the noise of confufed laughing, and mingled converfation, of which I myfelf had the honour to be in fome degree the theme.

You must know, Sir, I am one of those unfortunate persons whom the common people of England derifively call MY LORD: added to this natural deformity, were the imperfections of old age, by which my figure was still more contracted, my gait tremulous, and all my motions awkward; this could not but prove a fruitful fource of ridicule. Yonder, faid one to another, fits a hero of a different kind. True, answered his companion; but methinks the distinction would be more confpicuous, if the old gentleman were graced with muftaches. He wants nothing but a turban, said a third, to look like a Turkish Bafhaw. It would be highly proper, added a fourth, to hang him round with bells, that their fhrill and melodious notes might announce the entrance of a guest so venerable.

Thus, dear Sir, I appeal to common fenfe and com mon humanity, whether their reflections might not have been more pleasingly and usefully employed in fuggefting that the fame hand which formed me, likewife formed them; and that by rendering the infirmities of their fpecies the fubject of farcafm and ridicule, they infult the wife economy of providence, which is falutary in all its procedures, and beneficent in all its ends.

But, I fear, this paper may demand a larger space in your work, than it is entitled to by its intrinfic merit; permit me therefore abruptly to subscribe myfelf, your most obedient humble fervant,

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Curfory Hints and Anecdotes of the late Doctor William Cullen of Edinburgh, continued from page 10...1 BUT if Doctor Cullen in his public capacity deserved to be admired, in his private capacity, by his students, he deserved to be adored. His conduct to them was so attentive, and the intereft he took in the private concerns of all thofe ftudents who applied to him for advice, was fo cordial and fo warm, that it was impoffible for any one who had a heart fufceptible of generous emotions, not to be enraptured with a conduct fo uncommon and fo kind. Among ingenuous youth, gratitude easily degenerates into rapture,-into refpect nearly allied to adoration. Those who advert to this natural conftruction of the human mind, will be at no loss to account for that exceffive popularity that Cullen enjoyed a popularity that those who attempt to weigh every occurrence by the cool ftandard of reafon alone, will be inclined to think exceffive. It is fortunate however, that the bulk of mankind will ever be influenced in their judgment, not lefs by feelings and affections than by the cold and phlegmatic dictates of reafon. The adoration which generous conduct excites, is the reward which nature hath appropriated exclufively to difinterested beneficence. This was the fecret charm that Cullen ever carried about with him, which fascinated fuch numbers of those who had intimate accefs to him. This was the power which his envious opponents never could have an opportunity of feeling. It is pleafing, now that he is laid in the filent duft, and when malevolence itself dares not lodge an imputation of adulation, to attempt to do juftice to merit of a nature fo great and fo tranfcending. Let those who have experienced his goodness bear witness to the truth of this narrative.

The general conduct of Cullen to his ftudents was thus. With all fuch as he obferved to be attentive and

Jan. 12, diligent, he formed an early acquaintance, by inviting them by twos, by threes, or by fours at a time, to fup with him, converfing with them on thefe occafions with the most engaging eafe, and freely entering with them on the subject of their ftudies, their amusements, their difficulties, their hopes, and future profpects. In this way, he ufually invited the whole of his numerous clafs, till he made himself acquainted with their abilities, their private character, and their objects of pursuit. Thofe among them whom he found moft affiduous, beft difpofed, or the most friendless, he invited the most frequently, till an intimacy was gradually formed, which proved highly beneficial to them. Their doubts, with regard to their objects of study, he liftened to with attention, and folved with the most obliging.condefcenfion. His library, which confifted of an excellent affortment of the best books, especially on medical fubjects, was at all times open for their accommodation; and his advice, in every cafe of difficulty to them, they always had it in their powermost readily to obtain. They feemed to be his family; and few perfons of diftinguifhed merit have left the University of Edinburgh in his time, with whom he did not keep up a correfpondence till they were fairly established in business. By thefe means, he came to have a most accurate knowledge of the state of every country, with respect to practitioners in the medical line; the only use he made of which knowledge, was to direct students in their choice of places, where they might have an opportunity of engaging in bufinefs with a reafonable profpect of fuccefs. Many, very many able men has he thus put into a good line of business where they never could have thought of it themselves; and they are now reaping the fruits of this beneficent forefight on his part.

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Nor was it in this way only that he befriended the students at the University of Edinburgh. Poffeffing a benevolence of mind that made him ever think firft of

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