l88 EVOLUTION, OLD AND NEW. 



gathering up her meek and alarmed husband, whom 

 she had loosed when she first spoke, under the shadow 

 of her broad arm and shoulder, she strutted out of the 

 room. 



"After the departure of this curious couple, his 

 guests told their host he had been very unmerciful. 

 • I chose,' replied he, ' to avenge the cause of the little 

 man, whose nothingness was so ostentatiously displayed 

 by his lady-wife. Her vanity has had a smart emetic. 

 If it abates the symptoms, she will have reason to thank 

 her physician who administered without hope of a 

 fee.'"* 



" In the spring of 1778 the children of Colonel and 

 Mrs, Pole of Badburn, in Derbyshire, had been injured 

 by a dangerous quantity of the cicuta, injudiciously 

 administered to them in the hooping-cough by a 

 physician of the neighbourhood. Mrs. Pole brought 

 them to the house of Dr. Darwin in Lichfield, remain- 

 ing with them there a few weeks, till by his art the 

 poison was expelled from their constitutions and their 

 health restored. 



" Mrs. Pole was then in the full bloom of her youth 

 and beauty. Agreeable features ; the glow of health ; 

 a fine form, tall and graceful ; playful sprightliness oi 

 manner; a benevolent heart, and maternal affection, 

 in all its unwearied cares and touching tenderness, con- 

 tributed to inspire Dr. Darwin's admiration, and to 

 secure his esteem," t 



" In the autumn of this year " (1778) " Mrs. Pole of 

 Badburn was taken ill ; her disorder a violent fever. 

 * ' Memoirs.' &o., p. 84. f Ibid., p. 105. 



