VOL. XXXIV.] PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. J SQ 



necessary qualifications of an experimental philosopher. The first alone may 

 enable a man to make a great many experiments, but not to judge of them : 



bodies, similar to that afterwards constructed by Rowley, a mathematical instrument maker (but 

 who is said to have borrowed this invention from Mr. George Graham*). This machine as improved 

 upon by Rowley, received the name of orrery. It will afterwards be seen that Dr. H. exercised his 

 mechanical talents in ways that were conducive to the health and benefit of the human race. 



His first publication was the work above men tinned, viz. his Vegetable Statics, 8vo. 1727. It was 

 not until 6 years afterwards that the 2d vol. appeared, under the title of Statical Essays. It will not 

 be wondered by those who consider the vast variety of original experiments relative to animal and 

 vegetable physiology contained in this work, and the important deductions resulting from them, that 

 it should have raised its author to a place in the foremost rank of philosophical inquirers. The sub- 

 ject which he here proposed to himself was one that was every way worthy of his enlightened mind j 

 it was nothing less than to investigate the functions of living organized matter ; and never was more 

 ingenuity displayed in planning and contriving experiments, nor greater ardour and perseverance in 

 executing them. This work has been translated into various European languages : into French 

 by two very celebrated writers, viz. the 1st vol. by the Count de BufFon, and the 2d by Boissier de 

 Sauvages. 



In 1739 Dr. H. published a miscellaneous vol. under the title of Philosophical Experiments; and 

 in 1758 a treatise on Ventilators, of which he had some years before communicated an account to 

 the R. S. Fresh air being conveyed by means of these ventilators into ships, hospitals, prisons and 

 mines, the health and lives of numbers of persons in such situ;jtions were tliereby preserved. Be- 

 fore they were fixed in the Savoy-prison from 50 to 100 persons confined there had been known to 

 die of the jail fever, within the space of a year ; whereas during 3 years afterwards not more than 4 

 persons had died, and of these 4, one was destroyed by the small -pox: yet the number of prisoners 

 in one of those years amounted to 240. In like manner the proportion of deaths annually in New- 

 gate was surprisingly diminished after the introduction of his ventilators there. He afterwards 

 extended their application to the preservation of grain. And further he made his mechanical talents 

 subservient to economical purposes by inventing a simple apparatus, which he called a back-heaver, 

 for winnowing corn. Of this he published a description in the Gentleman's Magazine, for 1745 

 and 1747. 



All this time Dr. H. continued to send occasional communications to the R. S. These are inserted 

 in the Phil. Trans, from the 35th to the 49th volume inclusive. Some of them relate to medical 

 subjects. 



The theological writings of Dr. H. are but few : they consist of a sermon or two, preached on 

 particular occasions. Yet in his clerical character he was actively watchful over the religion and 

 morals of his parishioners ; and perceiving the growing habit of dram-drinking among the lower 

 orders of the people, and the complicated evils thence arising, he used his utmost endeavours to 

 dissuade them from it, in a pamphlet entitled an " Admonition to the Drinkers of Brandy, &c." 

 which was printed more than once. He might have had higher church preferment than the livings 

 of Teddington and Farringdon; but, so fond was he of retirement, and so much devoted to philoso- 

 phical pursuits, that he declined every offer of this kind that was made to him. The career of his 

 long and useful life was closed in 1761, when he had attained his 84th year. 



Had Dr. H.'s labours been limited to his Statical Essays, he would still have been regarded as a 

 first-rate experimentalist. But by his other works he has added to the praise of ingenuity, the praise 



* See his Life, Vol. vi. p. 537 of these Ahridgments. 



