11 



Society. In 1848 the state of his health compelled him to seek a 

 more genial climate than that of Birmingham, and he removed to 

 St. Leonards-on-Sea, where he enjoyed a large and lucrative practice 

 till 1871, when he retired from professional labours. During his 

 residence at St. Leonards, he published a volume entitled " Clinical 

 Observations on Diseases of the Heart and Thoracic Aorta," and 

 which comprised the results of his experience in a practice of more 

 than thirty } ears. After retiring from practice, and while resid- 

 ing in London, he published a volume of lectures on "Modern 

 Society in its Religious and Social Aspects," and a little work en- 

 titled " Clinical Reminiscences." Throughout his whole career 

 Dr. Blakiston manifested great independence of character, a high 

 sense of the duties and responsibilities of both professions of which he 

 was a member, and great activity and energy in advancing their best 

 interests. As a physician he showed much skill in the application of 

 his acquirements as a physicist to the diagnosis of disease and evidence 

 of carefully trained power of observation. Never seeking to win 

 popular favour or applause for himself, he was remarkable for the 

 interest that he manifested and the pains he took to promote the 

 advancement of those young men of ability and promise with whom 

 he was brought into contact. He possessed considerable general 

 culture and artistic tastes, and his writings are scholarly, clear, and 

 refined in style and imbued with an elevated tone. With great 

 kindness of heart and general geniality of manner, in conversation he 

 displayed a keen sense of humour; and, with much wit, often a degree 

 of abruptness a.nd sharpness of retort, sometimes a little too much for 

 sensitive people. During the last years of his residence in London, 

 the state of his health precluded his going much into society or taking 

 any active share in public matters, but he felt and manifested to the 

 last a vivid interest in all the religious, social, and scientific topics of 

 the day. He died suddenly on the 17th December, 1878, at the age 

 of 77. 



William Fjroude was born in 1810, and was the son of the Venerable 

 R. H. Froude, Archdeacon of Totnes. He was educated at West- 

 minster and Oriel College, Oxford, where he obtained a First Class in 

 the Mathematical Class List of 1832. Froude adopted the profession 

 of a civil engineer, and became a pupil of Mr. H. R. Palmer, and in 

 1838 an assistant of Mr. Brunei, under whom he was engaged on the 

 works of the Bristol and Exeter Railway, and on other work. For 

 family reasons he retired from active professional work in 1846, and 

 from that year until 1870 he occupied himself in various scientific 

 investigations at his own expense. 



Among these may be especially noted the following : — The law which 

 governs the " Discharge of Elastic Fluids under Pressure through 



