64 MEMOIRS OF 



ceffity of not permitting his pupil to con- 

 verfe in Englifh ; nor ever to hear it uttere3 

 after he could at all comprehend the 

 French language. Charles Darwin re- 

 turned to England, after a two year's refi- 

 dence on the continent, completely cured 

 of ftammering ; with which he was not 

 afterwards troubled ; but his utterance was, 

 from that time, fomewhat thick and 

 hurried. 



Since thefe memoirs commenced, an 

 odd anecdote of Dr. Darwin's early refi- 

 dence at Lichfield was narrated to a friend 

 of the author by a gentleman, who was of 

 the party in which it happened. Mr. 

 Sneyd, then of Bifhton, and a few more 

 gentlemen of Staffordshire, prevailed upon 

 the Doctor to join them in an expedition 

 by water, from Burton to Nottingham, 

 and on to Newark. They had cold provi- 

 fion on board, and plenty of wine. It was 

 midfummer ; the ~day ardent and fukry. 

 The noontide meal had been made, and 



the 



