XII PREFACE. 



confidence had been placed in the ibphi- 

 tries of thofe volumes, which feem to have 

 put on the whole armor of truth by the 

 force of their eloquence and the wit of 

 their fatire. 



A paragraph which appeared in feveral 

 of the late newfpapers, and which con- 

 tained a ridiculouily falfe print, political for 

 poetical, mentioned that thefe expeded 

 Memoirs were undertaken at the requeft of 

 the late Dr. Darwin's family. A miftaken 

 rumour; though they certainly had their 

 rife in the exprefled defire of Dr. Robert 

 Darwin of Shrewfbury, that I would fup- 

 ply him with fuch anecdotes of his father's 

 earlier life, as my intimacy with him, dur- 

 ing that period, had enabled me to obtain, 

 and which might affift in forming a bio- 

 graphic fketch, to be prefixed to his writ- 

 ings at fome future time. In purpofed 

 obedience thefe records were begun, but 

 they became too extended to form only 

 materials for another perfon's compofition ; 



and- 



