xiv INTRODUCTION. 



testimony to his private virtues, which rendered him no less 

 dear to his family and associates, than his talents made him 

 respectable in the world. 



Mr. Hewson was born at Hexham, in Northumberland, on the 

 14th Nov. O.S., 1739. He received the rudiments of his 

 education at the grammar-school in that town under the Rev. 

 Mr. Brown. His father was a surgeon and apothecary in the 

 place, and much respected in that neighbourhood. With him 

 Mr. Hewson acquired his first medical knowledge. Being ambi- 

 tious to increase that knowledge, he placed himself first under 

 an eminent surgeon in Newcastle, Mr. Lambert, and afterwards 

 resided some time at London, Edinburgh, and Paris. His 

 subsequent acquirements are sufficient to prove that he visited 

 those places with a true love of science and desire of attaining 

 eminence in his profession. 



I became acquainted with him in the year 1768. He was 

 at that time in partnership with Dr. Hunter. Some similarity 

 in our dispositions created a mutual esteem, and the equality 

 of our situations made our union desirable in point of prudence. 

 I had five months the start of him in age, no pretensions to 

 beauty, nor any splendid fortune ; yet I believe he was satisfied 

 with the choice he made. We were married July 10, 1770. 

 I brought him two sons. The elder was just three years old 

 when Mr. Hewson died, which was on the 1st of May, 1774, 

 and I was delivered of a daughter on the 9th of August follow- 

 ing. His last moments of recollection were embittered by the 

 idea of leaving me with three children scantily provided for. 

 The trial of my fortitude was different ; the loss of affluence I 

 did not feel for myself, and I thought I could bring up my 

 children not to want it. However, by the death of an aunt, 

 who left me her fortune, I became reinstated in easy circum- 

 stances, and am enabled to give a liberal education to my 

 children, who I hope will prove worthy of the stock from which 

 they grew, and do honour to the name of Hewson. 



Mr. Hewson' s mother is still living at Hexham, and has one 

 daughter, the youngest and only remaining child of eleven. 



His father died in 1767; and having had so large a family, it 

 will be readily supposed he could not give much to his son, so 

 that Mr. Hewson's advancement in life was owing to his own 

 industrv. 



