80 
Te&turer, indeed he was well qualified, uni- 
ting to a knowledge of his father’s theory and 
@xperiments, a good elocuticn, winning 
addrefs, and a fo rcibly interefting manner 
Mr. Cuthbert Clarke had been for many 
years publifher of “¢ The Aftronomical’Tide- 
Calendar for Sunderland, Shields, Newcaftle, 
Leith, &c.’ this, after an accurate furvey of 
the-places for which the tables were adapted, 
was continued annually by our young philo- 
fopher, with the moi accurate correctnefs, 
till the winter9of 1796, when other ‘ob- 
jects engrofiing his attention he was induced 
to difeontinue the publication. 
In 1791, he entered into another profeffio- 
nal engagement at Sunderland, which conti- 
nued about two years; and ieee the culti- 
vation of fome private friendfhips, and a grow- 
ing eftimation of his talents and virtues fixed 
the deftiny of lis’ future life. At this time 
he diftinzuifhed himfelf by his a€tivity and 
afatance inthe eftablifhment ofa Huiane Sc- 
ciety at that place ; for which, and for his 
fuccefsful treatment of fome cafes of “* ful- 
pended animation,” he received the thanks 
ef the Committee and was eleied an hono- 
vary member of the inftitutioa. His en- 
gagement clofed in the fpring of 1793, about 
which time we find him employedin drawing 
plans neceflary to the fpecification ofa patent 
fora ‘* Machine Rope Manufactory.” fince 
eftablifhed, on anextenfive fcale, in the neigh- 
bourhood of Sunderland. The fate of de- 
pendence to which Mr. ©. had been hitherto 
confined, was deemed unworthy of his talents 
by foract private friends, who liberally offered 
to fupport him another winter in Edinburgh 
for the completion of his medical and chirur- 
gical fudies. “This plan was carried into 
efe@ in the Oftober following, andthe warm 
recommendations of Dr. Keith introduced 
him to the notice and intimacy of feveral of 
the moft eminent protefiors. At Edinburgh 
he became diffeéting pupil to Mr. John Bell, 
and exerted himfelf with fuch intelligence 
and unwearied application in his anatomical 
purfuits, -as to gain the approbat: on, and 
efteem, and phn carfe FPORGENCS of that 
able and ingenious } profeiior. Midwifery too, 
and other fubjects connec Bed with his pro- 
feffional line, ootained a pr opor tionate share of 
hh his diligence: and obfervatioa—fo that it may be 
fairly faid, t chat nothi ag was negle&ted which 
feemed neceffary to forma charaéter, fitted 
to practice with teecels in 2 place of fuch 
confideration, as that, in neil his interett 
and his inclination feemed now diipoied to 
fix him. 
On his return to Sunderland in March 
4794, he commencéd pra actice; and “very 
foo had. the fatisfa€tion to fee himielr re- 
secsolty fupported. “A D: {penfary being on 
the eve of eftabliihment at this time, tne fo- 
ficitation of many of his friends, an honeit 
confctufnefs of his own abilities, together 
with the earneft recommendation of Mr. John 
Bell, induced him to offer himfelf as a candi- 
Memoir of Mr. R. Clarke of Sunderland. 
[Jane 
date for the office of furgeon, to which 2. 
numerous and independant iupport fully juf- 
tified his pretenfions. But an cppofition, as 
unmerlted as it was unexpected—over which, 
however, at this time, it may be eft, perhaps, 
to draw a veil—had influence enough to defeat 
his, ele@tion. 
occalion, wounded his fenfibility deeply, and 
we believe he never, entirely, loft the fenfe 
of it. 
His prot fefiomal avocations did not totally 
detach his mind from other fcientific puzfuits, 
but rather: pointed out a direétion in which 
his combined knowledge of furgery and me= 
chanics might be productive of praétical uti- 
lity. An alteration in the conftructien of 
the key-tooth-inftrument, and an improve- 
ment in the field-tourniquet of M. Savigny 
Were. among the fruits of his leifure-hours. 
‘he principles upon which they were con- 
firuéted, with explanatory drawings, were 
communicated, amongit other eminent fur~ 
geons, tothe ingenious Mr. Anthony Carlifle, 
by whom the former was inferted in ¢¢ The 
Medical Faéts and Obfervations ;” and the 
plan of both was received by pratciieeal mets 
with great approbation. ‘The ufual mode of 
working pumps, by means ofa brake, had, for 
fome time, attracted his attention; ‘a aaee 
which appeared to him little produétive in pre= 
portion to the mufcular labouremployed. His 
inventive genius foon pointed out an improve- 
ment in the ufe of a curved lever, and mak- 
ing the a&tion the fame with that of rowing, 
conducing, at once, to the fuperior eafe as 
well as mufcular power of the perfon fo em- 
ployed. This was fuccefsfully carried inte 
efte@, on ‘board a new fhip, the Archimedes 
of Sunderland, and an ample account of his 
plan, wich requifite engravings, has been. 
publithed fince his death, in the ‘* Repertory 
of Arts.” During the conftruction of that. 
ftupendous work, the Catt-Iron Bridge near: 
Sunderland, inthe years 1795- -6, Mr. ©. was, 
upon different occaBons, epaialecd by the 
architects, and his opinions generally attend- 
edto. To indulge a favourite amufement, 
to prefent a token of refpect te an intimate 
friend, and at the fame time to preferve fome 
veitige of the means by which fo vaft an arch 
Was turned, he was impelled to make a draw- 
ing of that elegant ftru€ture previous te the 
centre’s being taken down. In this defign, 
beauty and accuracy were fo intimate! 
blended, that with all the general effeé of 
an excellent pi€ture, every block of iron of 
which the ecutward range was, compofed, 
every piece of timber of which the feaffold- 
ing was. framed, and every tier of ftones in 
either buttrefs might be misutely diftin- 
guithed. The admiration, of all who faw 
this drawing, and the warm approbation of 
the *- gentleman immediately concerned. 
in this noble and ufeful ftruéture, induced 
* Rowland Burdon, Efg. M. P. for the, 
Ceunty of Durham. eed 
" hen, 

The condu& or fome, on that - 
