396 Biographical Account of 



clafleSj which was to him a perpetual fource of pleafing con- 

 templation, and will, doubtltfs, become to many fhidcnts of 

 nature a means of inftruftion, in the pofleflion of the Lin- 

 nsean Society, to which it was bequeathed. 



Dr. Pulteney, in his latter years, frequently exprefled a 

 wifli to retire frrom bufinefs, and take up his refidence in the 

 metropolis, for the fake of the fcicntific advantages with which 

 it is fo amply furniflied ; but his habits of life were become 

 too ftrong to permit him to refolve upon fo great a change. 

 He continued, though with diminifhed ardour, to follow his 

 profeffional avocations, till he was attacked with a pleuritic 

 complaint, which, after great fufferings, put a period to his 

 exigence on 06tober 13, 1801, at the age of 71. 



By his lad will he gave a fignal proof of the deep impref- 

 fion which his early friendfhips had made upon his mind, 

 and which no fubfequent connexions of common acquaint- 

 ance could obliterate or equal. After a handfome provifion 

 for thofe who on every account were entitled to the firft place 

 in his remembrance, the remaining obje£ls of his liberality 

 were fome of the friends of his early days, and even the fons 

 of thofe friends. He hkewife paid a due attention to the 

 claims of charity by bequefis to the Salifbury, Leicefter, and 

 Edinburgh infirmaries, and to the poor of the parifh of Bland- 

 ford; and he difplayed his regard to fcience by fimilar boun- 

 ties to the Royal Societies of London and Edinburgh, and 

 to the Linnaean Society. 



Such are the brief memoirs which I have been able to col- 

 left concerning Dr. Pulteney; whofe life affords, indeed, but 

 little biographical variety, but prefents an encouraging pic- 

 ture of modeft merit gradually making its way to fuccefs, and 

 fcience, even of the moft retired kind, becoming the palTport 

 to public efieem and reputation. 



I am happy in being enabled to enrich this article with 

 fome interefting anecdotes relative to the early life and fludies 

 of its fubjeft, obligingly communicated by Dr. Arnold, of 

 Leicefter, in vi'hofe words they will be the mofl fatisfaftorily 

 perufed. 



To Dr. Aikin. Belle Grove, Leicefter, 

 DEAR SIR, ^ April 19, iSoz. 



IT is with pleafure I fit down to make you acquainted 

 with fome particulars relative to the friend and tutor of my 

 youth the late Dr. Pulteney, with whom I had the happi- 

 nefs and the benefit of enjoying the moft familiar intercourfe 

 for the fpacc of more than two years and a half, from the 

 beginning of March 1760, to the middle of Oftober 1763; 



that 



