424 MEMOIRS 5P 



Priory, with Mrs. Darwin and her female 

 friend ; the idea which he communicated 

 to them, that he was not likely to live to 

 fee the effect of thofe improvements he 

 had planned ; Mrs. Darwin affectionately 

 combating that idea by observing, that he 

 looked remarkably well that evening; his 

 reply that he had generally found himfelf 

 in his beft health a few days preceding his 

 attacks; the fpirits and ftrength with 

 "Which he arofe the next morning at fix to 

 write letters; the large draught of cold 

 butter-milk, which, according to his ufual 

 cuftom, he had fwallowed. All thefe cir- 

 cumftances early met the public eye ; and, 

 in the imperfecT: fketches of his life which 

 'accompanied them, a ftrange habit was 

 imputed to Dr. Darwin, which prefents 

 Tttch an exterior of idiot-feeming indelicacy 

 that the author of this tracl is tempted 

 "to exprefs her intire difbelief of it's truth; 

 Viz. that his' tongue was generally hanging 



out 



