DR. DARWIN. 6l 



tague, he made the trial in his own family, 

 upon his youngeft fon, Robert, now Dr. 

 Darwin of Shrewfbury, and upon an infant 

 daughter, who died within her firft year* 

 Each had, in -confequence, the difeafe fo 

 feverely, as to repel, in their father's mind, 

 all future defire of repeating the experi- 

 ment. 



In the year 1768, Dr. Darwin met with 

 an accident of irretrievable injury in the 

 human frame. His propeniity to mechanics 

 had unfortunately led him to conftrucl: a 

 very fmgular carriage. It was a platform, 

 with a feat fixed upon a very high pair of 

 wheels, and fupported in the front, upon 

 the back of the horfe, by means of a kind 

 of probofcis, which, forming an arch, reached 

 over the hind quarters of the horfe; and 

 pafled through a ring, placed on an upright 

 piece of iron, which worked in a focket, 

 fixed in the faddle. The horfe could thus 

 move from one fide of the road to the other, 

 quartering, as it is called, at the will of the 

 driver, whofe conftant attention was necef- 



fairly 



