[ x 7 ] 
on him. — ■ I often heard his complaints ; but, as I 
deemed them imaginary, or fenfations raifed by the 
apprehenfion, I oftentimes only drove to undeceive 
his fancy. However, I began to fee, by fome 
accidents, that there was more reality than I had be- 
lieved, and that his firft accident had left a difpofition 
of the body fufceptible to fuch imprefiions. 
One day having got home a box of Ceruffa, he took 
out fome lumps to examine the quality, and handled 
them without the lead fufpicion of harm; but in a 
few hours after this he was taken with anxiety, pal- 
pitation of the heart, and a fenfe of trembling and 
weaknefs of the whole body. He was obliged to 
go to bed : he took fome fpirit of Hartfhorn, fweated 
moft plentifully, and next day was recovered. Many 
things of this fort happened to him : but I diall only 
give you an account of the mod extraordinary attack 
which happened to him June 26th, 1758. 
Mr. Butler dill wanting to make experiments, but 
not daring to meddle with the operations himfelf, 
directed his wife to make fome compofitions of blue 
vitriol, alum, quick-lime, burnt alabader, and 
things of this kind. — They were boiled in fix feveral 
pots, then let dand fome time, and the thin or watry 
part poured off. She brought thefe pots to her huf- 
band to look at : He was fond to try the colours him- 
felf, and, without any apprehenfion, he took fome 
of thofe precipitations out of each pot, with the middle 
finger of his right hand, and rubbed them on grey 
paper to try the colours. He then put them away, 
and thought nothing more of the matter, drank tea, 
and was very well till about three hours thereafter. 
Then he began to be uneafy, and found pain in his 
Vol. LIV. D arms. 
