MEMOIR OF JOHN HUNTER. 45 



the misfortune to break bis Tendo- Achilles. This 

 led bim to pay particular attention to broken ten- 

 dons, and engaged bim in experiments upon dogs, 

 with the view of elucidating tbe subject. He did riot 

 in bis own case, follow the then prevailing practice, 

 which required confinement to bed ; but, by means 

 of raising the heel, biXtdfftgifig, &<*. he was enabled 

 to walk about tbe third day after the accident. 



In February of this y%:\r, ?vlr Hunter was chosen 

 a Fellow of the Royal Society, an earnest of those 

 many honour* which were subsequently iveaped up- 

 ou bim. His desire to avail himself of every means 

 of improvement led him, at this time, to propose to 

 l)r George Fordyce, and Mr Cumming, the eminent 

 mechanic, to adjourn from the meetings of the Royal 

 Soriety to some neighbouring coffee-house, and dis- 

 cuss such subject* as were connected with science. 

 This plan was no sooner commenced and known, 

 than the numbers increased. They were soon joined 

 by Sir Joseph Banks, Dr Solander, Dr Maskelyne, 

 Sir George Shuckburgh, Sir Harry Englefield, Sir 

 Charles Blagden, Dr Beattie, Mr Rarnsden, James 

 Watt of Birmingham, and many others. At these 

 meetings, discoveries and improvements in different 

 branches of philosophy were the subjects of consi- 

 deration : and the works of tbe members were read 

 over and criticised, before being given to the pub- 

 lic. 



N'exi year. Mr Hunter became a member of the 

 Ro?&) Coiii'ge *h" Sitrgftoos ; and, almost immediate- 



