■ 1812.] Account of the late Mr. William Martin^ F. L. S. 561 
attachment to Derbyshire induced him 
to decline witliouc hesitation. Mr. 
Martin’s engagement in t!ie Buxton 
company also afforded him an opportu¬ 
nity of’ examining the coal strata and 
petrif'cictions, found in the neighbour¬ 
hood of Wigan, this being one of the 
towns in which they occasionally per¬ 
formed. Of this advantage he would 
also have been deprived, by enlisting un¬ 
der the banners of Wilkiiison. 
He did not remain long at Burton- 
upon-Trent. Being strongly solicited to 
take up his abode at Buxton, and to at¬ 
tend the schools in that neighbourhood 
as a drawing-master, he could not, resist 
the temptation, but immediately repair¬ 
ed to the situation most favourable to his 
mineralogical researches. An opportu¬ 
nity offered shortly after his removal, of 
purchasing a fourth-share of the Buxton 
theatre, which he availed himself of, 
and occasionally performed during the 
season ; but he did not visit any other 
town afterwards as an actor. 
During his residence at Buxton, Mr. 
M. was honoured by the notice of many 
gentlemen, distinguished by their rank 
and science, who resorted to this cele¬ 
brated watering-place. Here lie became 
acquainted witli A. B. Lambert, Esq., 
to whose kindness he was indebted for 
his election as a fellow of the Linnaan 
Society. Though extremely harrassed, 
at this period, by his attendance on the 
schools, which were situated at consi¬ 
derable distances, and lay in different 
directions (for his income would not 
bear the expense of keeping or hiring a 
Iiorse), he did not allow himself any re¬ 
creation or respite. All his leisure hours 
were devoted to scientific pursuits ; and, 
so eagerly was he engaged in making 
drawings, and engraving the plates for 
his work on the Petrifactions of Derby¬ 
shire, that he frequently broke in upon 
the nedcbsary hours of sleep, to the great 
injury of his liealti). 
About the year 1805, he was doomed 
again to change his station, Tfie school 
at Ohapel-in-the-Frith was entirely given 
up, and he was appointed to fill the va- 
cancy in the. department of drawing- 
master, at the Free Grammar school in 
Macclesfield. By these two circum¬ 
stances he was induced to remove to 
Macclesfield, which was now become 
the most central, and consequently the 
most convenient, situation for his attend¬ 
ance oi\ tiie different schools, where he 
was engaged as a teacher. 
After this removal, he retained his 
share in the theatre at Buxton, performed 
a few nights in the midsummer vacation, 
and took a benefit, which was always as 
productive as the place would entitle 
him to expect. During the two last 
years of his life, however, he was una* 
hie to perform on the stage. His voice 
became so weak and hoarse as to render 
his articulation scarcely audible. As he 
never possessed a good voice, he did not 
deem it adviseable to devote much time 
to music; but he excelled in singing hu¬ 
morous and ludicrous songs, and his ear 
was so good, that he learned them with 
the greatest facility. 
To this affection of the voice other 
symptoms supervened, which Mr. M., 
with but too much reason, considered' 
as indicative of a consumption, and ex¬ 
pressed a wish to give up his occupatioa 
as a drawing-master, that he might have 
more leisure to attend to his other pur¬ 
suits. However, he had not resolution 
to do this, and continued to teach, as 
long as his health would possibly permit 
him. 
The distressed situation, in vvhich he 
know his family must be left when he re¬ 
signed his breath, stimulated him to 
greater exertions than lie could bear. 
In order to avoid giving any alarm or 
present distress to his family, respecting 
his health, he concealed hiswcomplaiuts 
as much as possible from tliem. Ha 
continued to employ his leisure hours in 
writing, drawing, or engraving; and 
wished to be thought by his wife to be 
so employed, when he was totally unable 
to do any thing. He requested, that 
every letter which Dr. Hull, whom he 
occasionally consulted from the com¬ 
mencement of his indisposition, wrote 
to him on the subject of his complaints, 
might be directed to be left at the post- 
office, by which means Mrs. Wrn. Mar¬ 
tin was prevented from knowing that litr 
husband had ever consulted Dr. Hull 
till after his decease, when she discover¬ 
ed and perused some of the letters. In 
one of his letters to the doctor, after 
enumerating the different symptoms of 
of his malady, he adds, I give you a 
world of trouble. If I recover my 
health, be assured I shall not be un¬ 
mindful of whac you have done for me. 
I at times, however, think there is little 
hope of my getting better, I have been 
so long ill, and there has been sucli a 
gradual increase in the symptoms of my 
disorder, chat I doubt :t is too firmly 
