Memoirs of Erasmus Darwin, M. D. 39 



Scotch university. Thus every thing combined to render 

 him an adept in his profession, and it might have been ex- 

 pected that nothing could have retarded his establishment 

 in any part of England : but unfortunately for professions 

 of every kind, it requires time before superiority is acknow- 

 ledged, and he struggled in vain to obtain any practice ia 

 Nottingham, which obliged him to attempt to settle at 

 Lichfield in the year 1756, where he believed he had less 

 formidable obstacles to encounter. Dr. Wilkes possessed 

 at that time the entire confidence and all the practice of that 

 quarter, and little expectation could be formed of Dr. Dar- 

 win's superior talents having opportunity of getting into 

 play, when a fortunate trial of his skill and knowledge oc- 

 curred, which could not fail of settling him in the estimation 

 of the whole country. A young gentleman of family and 

 considerable fortune, Mr. Inge, was seized with a putrid 

 fever. Dr. Wilkes very unguardedly, or from the candour 

 inherent in cultivated minds, which scorns falsehood or eva- 

 sion, pronounced the case as lost. In the distraction of de- 

 spair the mother requested a consultation, but the old phv- 

 sician declined the meeting ; and the mother, a woman of 

 superior sense, had rather trust a young physician, who 

 might have a knowledge according to the advancement of 

 science, than an old man who positively pronounced the ex- 

 tinction, in his mind, of every ray of ho|ie. Whether Dr. 

 Darwin had a superior practice to Dr. Wilkes or not, the 

 public judged of the event, and from that occurrence he 

 might be said to be partly settled at Lichfield. 



As unmarried physicians have still much to cope with, 

 nothing seemed now wanting but the changing his condition 

 of life. The young physician had very general invitations 

 to families, nor would any father have refused his daughter, 

 but he would only yield his heart to one worthy indeed of 

 such a man. A young lady of very slender fortune, of in- 

 finite modesty and worth, of delicate sentiment, and replete 

 with grace and accomplishments, caught the admiring eye 

 of one who could discern retired excellency ; and, to the 

 surprise of many, he yielded up to Miss Howard his heart 

 C 4 and 



