XXXIV MEMOIR. 



and a younger sister of my own had been 

 attacked with the same disease when in a 

 state of parturition. It was successful as 

 far as the disease of my head was con- 

 cerned; for I never suffered a second 

 attack of it; but my health became infirm 

 in other respects, and I was seized at dif- 

 ferent times with several dangerous dis- 

 eases, having no apparent relation to my 

 great ailment. 



I had long meditated making some in- 

 quiry into the nature of Dew, which I 

 thought would not occupy me more than 

 a few nights, at the house of one of my 

 friends in the country. I commenced it 

 in the autumn of 1812, but soon found 

 that I had greatly miscalculated the time 

 which it would employ me. I determined 

 however to proceed from the natural 

 steadiness of my disposition, which would 

 never allow me to abandon any pursuit that 

 I had seriously undertaken.- I soon found 



