290 GLANDERS. 



even the bafis of confiftency for a founda- 



tion. 



To take this bufmefs a little methodically, 

 it may not be inapplicable (without any offence 

 to M. La Fosse or the Royal Academy 

 of Sciences, who fo generoiijly patronifed his 

 great difcoveries) to introduce a fhort flory, 

 many years in circulation, of the celebrated 

 witty dean of St. Patrick, who, holding in 

 great contempt the learned acquifition of 

 F. R. S. addreffed a letter to the president, 

 '' requefting him to take the fenfe of the body 

 <* upon \hQ peculiar properties oi hemp, that it 

 *« ihould, upon application, immediately cure a 

 '' fradured leg 1" This letter (from fo great 

 a man) being communicated to the " fel- 

 <* LOWS," in full afiembly, was produdtive of 

 fequeftered ftudies, nodurnal lucubrations, 

 and various experiments to almoft every indi- 

 viduah numerous meetings were held; but 

 confutation and emulation producing no dif- 

 covery, at the end of three weeks a fecond 

 letter arrived from the dean, '' foliciting par- 

 « don for an omiffion in his laft, w^^ich was 

 *^ to' inform the fociety that the leg -uoas of 

 ^* WOOD." I introduce this circum.flance not 



as 



