VR. ERASMUS DARWIN'S LIFE. 173 



CHAPTEE XII. 



SKETCH OF DE. EBASMUS DAEWIN'S LIFE. 



Peoceeding now to the second of the three founders of 

 the theory of evolution, I find, from a memoir by Dr. 

 Dowson, that Dr. Erasmus Darwin was born at Elston, 

 near Newark, in Nottinghamshire, on the 12th of 

 December, 1731, being the seventh child and fourth 

 son of Eobert Darwin, " a private gentleman, who had 

 a taste for literature and science, which he endeavoured 

 to impart to his sons. Erasmus received his early educa- 

 tion at Chesterfield School, and later on was entered at 

 St. John's College, Cambridge, where he obtained a 

 scholarship of about 16Z. a year, and distinguished himi- 

 self by his poetical exercises, which he composed with 

 uncommon facility. He took the degree of M.B. there 

 in 1755, and afterwards prepared himself for the practice 

 of medicine by attendance on the lectijres of Dr. Hunter 

 in London, and a course of studies in Edinburgh. 



" He first settled as a physician at Nottingham ; but 

 meeting with no success there, he removed in the 

 autumn of 1756, his twenty-fifth year, to Lichfield, 

 where he was more fortunate; for a few weeks after 

 his arrival, to use the words of Miss Seward, 'he 

 brilliantly opened his career of fame.' A young gentle- 

 man of family and fortune lay sick of a dangerous 



