1802.] 
on occafion of the earthquake, which 
feveral years ago was felt at Derby, and 
in the furrounding country. In the year 
1782, the Botanical Society of Litchfield 
publiftied a tfanflation of Linneus’s Sy/- 
tena Vegetabilium, the execution of which 
was principally confided to Dr. Darwin, 
one of its two principal members. The 
Doétor’s other works have already been 
mentioned in the courfe of this biographi- 
al fketch. He has left a poem entitled 
«¢ The Shrine of Nature;”> which is now 
in the prefs, and will fhortly be publifhed. 
Next to Medicine, Mechanics and 
almoft every branch of Natural Hiftory 
engaged his attention. He not only pur- 
fued thefe fludies with great ardor and 
diligence himielf, but alfo embraced every 
opportunity of cultivating and encouraging 
them amongit his numerous connections 
and acquaintance. Very foon after he 
fettled in Derby, he inftituted. and eftab- 
lifhed a philofophical fociety and library, 
both of which were in a flourifhing condi- 
tion at the time of his deceale. The 
fociety, of which he was prefident, confifts 
of members who refide in different parts 
of Nottinghamfhire, Derbyfhire, and Lei- 
cefterfhire. He alfo took pleafure jn en- 
couraging works in natural hiftory. 
But though the learning, tafte, and 
genius of Dr. Darwin were eminently dil- 
played in thele purfuits, yet there was one 
great end, to the attainment of which all 
his talents and views were earneftly and 
uniformly dire€&ted. He did not hefitate 
openly and repeatedly to declare in public 
company, that the acquifition of wealth 
was the leading object of all his literary 
undertakings! He once faid to a friend: 
‘<] have gained goal. by my Botanic 
Garden, and gool. by the firft volume of 
Zoonomia ; and if I can every other year 
produce a work which wiil -yield this 
jum, I fhall do very well.’ He added : 
“Money, and not fame, is the object 
which I have in view in all my publica- 
tions.”” 
But Dr. Darwin was by no means in- 
fenfible to the value ofreputation. During 
the lait years of his life, the love of fame 
was a pafiion which had great power over 
his mind; and the incenfe of praife was fo 
very pleafant to him, that flattery was 
found to be the moft fuccefsful means of 
gaining his notice and favour. 
' The converfation of Dr. Darwin 
abounded with very unequal failies of wit: 
when he found himfelf engaged with a 
powerful antagonift in argument, he had 
jornetimes recourfe to ridicule, a weapon 
which he did not always handle with dex- 
Account of the late Dr. Fobnftone, of Worcefter. 
463 
terity, for he was affected with an impe- 
diment in his fpeech which rendered his 
enunciation fcarcely intelligible. 
"There are reafons for fulpefting that 
Dr. Darwin was not a believer in Divine 
Revelation; but belief is a matter of 
neceffity, not choice. The religion of a 
man is a private affair between himlelf 
and his Maker: we have nothing to do 
with it. A few days before his death, a 
gentleman to whom we are indebted for 
the materials of a confiderable portion of 
thefe memoirs, endeavoured to difcover 
whether he entertained a belief and expec- 
tation of a future ftate of exiftence; the 
Doétor was obferved to fpeak with a con- 
fiderable degree of fedatenefs on the fub- 
ject, and remarked, that it was natural to 
extend our wifhes and views beyond the 
prefent fcéne, and that it was right io 
purfue fuch meafures as are likely to 
fecure our happinefs in another world; 
“but,” he added, *‘let us not hear any 
thing about hell.” 
In the foregoing fketch, the intention has 
been merely to ftate a few plain facts: the 
excellencies of Dr. Darwin have been no- 
ticed, and his errors expofed, with equal 
opennefs: biographers, like jurymen, 
fhould deliver a verdict according to the 
evidence, uninfluenced by ‘‘fear, favor, 
or affection.” 
—a EE 
ACCOUNT oF THE LaTE Dr. JOHN- 
STONE, or WORCESTER. 
N Wednefday, the 28th of April, 
died at Worcefter, in the 73d year 
of his age, James Johnftone, M.D. who 
practifed as a phyfician more than 50 
years in that city and county, with emi- 
nent {kill and reputation. Dr. Johnftone 
was the fourth fon of John Johnftone, efq. 
of Galabank, one of the moit ancient 
branches of the family of Johnftone of 
Johnftone: he was born at Annan in 
1730, and received the rudiments of his 
claflical education under the Rev. Dr. 
Henry, celebrated for his Hiftory of Great 
Britain. In the School of Edinburgh, 
under Whytt, Plummer, Monro, and 
Rutherford, he learnt the Science of Me- 
dicine; and in Paris, uncer Ferrein and 
Rouelle, he perfected himielf in Anatomy 
and Chemifiry.. In 1750, before he had 
completed 21 years, he tock the degree 
of Do&tor of Medicine, publithing a The- 
fis ** De Aéris factiii Imperio in Corpore 
humano,’ which gained him much credit, 
and fome valuable friends. The follow- 
ing year he feated himfelf at Kiddermin. 
fter, a thriving town in Worcelterhhire ; 
but at that time, and fome years after. 
wards, 
