CARTWRIGHT. 25 



In process of time he became distinguished for his literary abili- 



es, and was elected a Fellow of Magdalen College. He likewise 



rinced a considerable taste for poetry, and published in 1770 a 



jgendary tale, entitled ' Armine and Elvira,' which went through 



seven editions in little more than a year, and was greatly admired 



for its pathos and elegant simplicity. Some years subsequent to 



this, Cartwright wrote ' The Prince of Peace,' published in 1779, 



and was also for several years a principal contributor to the 



'Monthly Review.' 



In the year 1772 he married the daughter of Richard Whittaker, 

 [., of Doncaster, and after his marriage resided first at Marnham, 

 I afterwards at Brampton in Derbyshire, to the perpetual curacy 

 which he was presented by the Dean of Lincoln, Dr. Gust. It 

 ras while attending to his clerical duties at this latter place, that 

 irtwright discovered the application of yeast as a remedy for 

 rphus fever. In 1779 he was presented to the living of Goadby 

 [arwood in Leicestershire, and continued to reside there until the 

 immer of 1796, when he removed with his family* to London, as 

 }ing a situation more favourable for the cultivation of the scien- 

 Ic pursuits in which he had by that time become engrossed. 

 Dr. Cartwright had attained the mature age of forty, before his 

 ttention was drawn towards the subject of weaving, by the following 

 jidental occurrence : In the summer of 1784, he happened to be 

 a visit at Matlock, in Derbyshire, and in the company of some 

 mtlemen from Manchester. The conversation turned upon Ark- 

 ight's spinning machinery ; and fears were expressed by one of 

 le company, that, in consequence of the recent improvements, so 

 mch cotton would soon be spun, that hands would not be found to 

 jave it. To this the doctor replied, that the only remedy for such 

 evil would be to apply the power of machinery to weaving as 

 rell as spinning. The discussion which ensued upon the practica- 

 lity of doing this, made such an impression on Cartwright's mind, 

 'iat on returning home he determined to try and see what he 

 )uld do. 



His first attempts, as might be supposed, were very clumsy, but 

 at length succeeded in constructing a machine (for which he 

 )k out a patent in 1785), which, although rude and cumbersome 

 its action, was yet capable of weaving a piece of cloth. Up to 

 lis time he had never turned his mind to anything mechanical, 

 her in theory or practice, and his invention was consequently 

 ^ceptible of great improvement. To accomplish this, he now 

 imined with care the contrivances already in use among the 

 javers, and availing himself of their general principles, produced 

 the year 1787 a far more complete and valuable machine, since 

 lown as the power-loom. 



* Dr. Cartwright was married twice. His first wife died in 1785, and in 

 1790 he married the youngest daughter of the Kev. Dr. Kearney. 



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