64 
rable oak that has been bowed before many a blast, 
and stripped by degrees of its leafy honours, but 
that has now nothing to lose, and braves the fury 
of the storm inflexible. The mother is not so tran- 
quil. They are both in Edinburgh. 
Many young men have had fevers, but have all 
recovered except Mr. Reid; he died of a very pe- 
culiar disorder, which came on at the crisis of the 
fever ; it is called tympanites, and is a collection of 
air on the outside of the intestines in the cavity of 
the abdomen; none of the Professors ever saw it 
before; the hole in the intestine through which it 
passed was so small as to be found with difficulty 
on dissection. 
J. E. Smita. 
Mr. Smith to his Son. 
Dear James, Norwich, Jan. 14, 1783. 
I cannot help congratulating you on your ob- 
taining the botanic medal, and at the same time 
lamenting the loss of your friend Reid, and we 
daily return God thanks you are well: noé¢ to fear 
infectious disorders Mr. Martineau says is the best 
preservative. We are every where and every mo- 
ment surrounded by dangers; and you and we are 
taught to trust in a good Providence for our pro- 
tection, always meaning that whatever we would 
obtain, whatever avoid, our own endeavours and 
prudence must be exerted for the purpose; those 
very powers we have capable of contributing thereto 
