THE ROYAL INSTITUTION. 225 



be ; that strenuous and persevering attention would ac- 

 complish almost anything ; and at this season, in the con- 

 fidence of youth and consciousness of his own powers, he 

 considered nothing that had been compassed by others 

 beyond his reach to achieve ; nor was there anything which 

 he thought worthy to be attempted which he was not re- 

 solved to master. 



1 

 In 1792 he entered the medical profession, learning 



anatomy from Hunter in London. 



In 1793 he became a pupil at St. Bartholomew's 

 Hospital, and on May 30 he had a paper read to the 

 Royal Society on the ' Structure of the Crystalline Lens,' 

 which he thought to be muscular. Hunter claimed 

 the discovery as his, and was only prevented by death 

 from giving the Croonian lecture at the Eoyal Society 

 in proof of his right. Sir E. Home, in the Croonian 

 lecture the following year, stated that neither Young 

 nor Hunter was right. 



In 1794 (aet. 21) he was elected a Fellow of the Royal 

 Society. 



About this time the Duke of Richmond, at Bath, thus 



wrote to Dr. Brocklesby : 



Bath, May 5, 1794. 



I need not write much about myself, as your nephew, 

 who dined with us yesterday, will give you a good ac- 

 count of my health. I have, however, still returns of head- 

 ache, and my legs continue very weak. But I must tell you 

 how much pleased we all are with Mr. Young. I really 

 never saw a young man more pleasing and engaging. 

 He seems to have already acquired much knowledge in 

 most branches and to be studious of obtaining more ; it 

 comes out without affectation on all subjects he talks 

 upon. He is very cheerful and easy without assuming 



Q 



