THE GREAT MUSEUMS OF BRITAIN. 77 



respect John Hunter has probably rarely had his equal ; 

 and it is largely for this reason that his treatment of all 

 the subjects which he took up bore upon it the stamp of 

 originality. ' That man thinks for, himself/ is the remark 

 which Lavater is said to have made when shown Hunter's 

 portrait, and assuredly any expert, after reading one of 

 his scientific memoirs, would have arrived at the same 

 conclusion. 



In the year 1767, John Hunter was elected a Fellow of 

 the Royal Society, and in the next year he became a 

 member of the Corporation (now the Royal College) of 

 Surgeons. He was also now appointed to the envied 

 post of surgeon to St George's Hospital, an appointment 

 which not only improved his professional status, but also 

 enabled him to obtain private pupils, in accordance with 

 the custom by which the medical students of that time 

 were bound apprentice to some medical man for a term 

 of years. Among those who commenced their medical 

 studies in this way under Hunter's care, was the celebrated 

 Dr Jenner, the discoverer of vaccination; and the relations 

 between these two eminent men, which were to begin 

 with those of master and pupil, ultimately grew into those 

 of a warm friendship, which only ceased with the death of 

 the elder. 



In 1771, John Hunter married the eldest daughter of 

 Mr Home, who was surgeon to Burgoyne's regiment of 

 Light Horse, and whose son, subsequently too well known 

 under the name of Sir Everard Home, became ultimately 

 Hunter's assistant, and, in some sort, scientific successor. 

 Hunter's engagement had been, for want of sufficient 

 means, a long one; and it is stated that the expenses 



