1801. ] 
received in private at the Palace of Sans 
Souci with the greateft condefcenfion. He 
alfo, at this time, received invitations to 
inoculate feveral diltinguifhed perfonages 
on the Continent, but he preferred return-- 
ing immediately to England, and refumed 
the practice of his profeffion at Hertford. 
In 2779 he loft his wife, with whom 
he had lived with great happinefs and do- 
meftic comfort for 33 years: fhe left him 
feven children: he afterwards married 
Elizabeth Dimfdale, daughter of William 
Dimfdale, of Bifhsp’s Stortford, who is 
fill living. In 1780 he was chofen a Re- 
prefentative in Parliament for the borough 
of Hertford ; foon-after which ele€ticn he 
declined the prattice of his profeffion ; 
but he at no time withheld his advice and 
affiftance from the poor and helplefs. 
In 1781 he received the commands of 
the Emprefs of Ruffia to attend again at 
St. Peterfburg, to inoculate the two fons 
of the Grand Duke, the Princes Alexan- 
der and Conftantine: he accordingly fet 
out immediately, aceompanied by the Ba- 
ronefs. On his journey, as he pajffed 
through Bruffels, the late Emperor of 
Germany, Jofeph, who was then there, 
expreffed a defire to fee him, and he ac- 
cordingly waited on his Imperial Majefty, 
who received him in private, with the 
greateft aflurances of his regard, and gave 
him a convincing proof of his confidence, 
by writing a letter in his prefence, which 
he entrufted to his care, to be delivered 
to the Emprefs of Ruffia on his arrival. 
He was received at St. Peterfburgh by the 
Emprefs and the Grand Duke with every 
teftimony of kindnefs and efteem: he hap- 
pily fucceeded in both thefe inoculations, 
and was again moft liberally rewarded by 
the extreme bounty of her Imperial Ma- 
jefty. The Baronefs was alfo prefented 
with a fuperb fnuff-box in gold, fet with 
diamonds. ; 
. In 1784 he was re-elected Reprefenta- 
Original Poetry. 
513 
tive for the borough of Hertford :—in the 
year 1790 he retired from that refpeStable 
fituation, and his fon Baron Nathaniel 
Dimfdale was elected to fucceed him. 
After this time he made Bath the place 
of his winater-refidence for fome years, but 
of late he had retired to Hertford altoge~ 
ther, where he lived in the midf& of his 
family and friends; and expired at the 
advanced age of 89 years, \on the 30th of | 
December, 1800, after an illnels of about 
three weeks. | 
About 17 years ago, after having fer a 
few years:been fenfible of the lofs of the 
fight of one of his eyes, the ftrength of 
both of which had been remarkable in his. 
youth ; he had the additional misfortune 
to feel the other eye confiderably impaireds 
and he very rapidly loft the fight of that 
‘altogether: he had the operation for ex 
tracting the cataract performed by Baron. 
Wenzell with great fuccefs, and enjoyed his 
fight to the day of his death. 
From what has been already ftated, ie 
will be fearcely neceflary to add, that he 
was a perfon of great activity, both of 
body and mind. He was happy in poffef- 
fing a-placid, mild, and even difpofitiong 
and ever felt interefted in promoting the 
peace and welfare of fociety, and in culti- 
vating a friendly good underftanding with 
all mankind: but, above all, it may be 
faid of him, that, through a long life, he 
bore and merited the charaéter of an bonefé 
man; and as fuch was refpected and regret~ 
ted by a very numerous acquaintance of all 
ranks in fociety. He was a Member of 
the Royal Society, and a Vice-prefident of 
the Bath Agricultural Society. 
His remains were depofi.ed on the 6th 
day of January, 1891, in the burial-ground 
of friends (the Quakers ), at Bifhop 
Stortford, in the county of Hertford, in 
which fociety he had been educated, and 
where his anceftors were buried. 
4 - ORIGINAL POETRY. 
TEE i 
“ —s«To JOHN AIKIN, M, D. 
WEST to that firft of comforts to the foul, 
The plaudit of a confcience felf-approv’d, 
Aix1n! Ideem the gratulation fweet 
Of fympathyfing friendfhip, and a Mufe 
Terfe, uncorrupt, ingenuous, bold and free 5 
A Mufe from whom nor titled grandeur bribes, 
Nor pamper’é wealth, a facrificial ftrain. 
Hence with fenfations bland of confcious pride 
I feel. the manna of thy tuneful tongue 
Drop medicinal influence on my breaft, 
Ruffled, not torn, by Perfecution’s blaft. 
Thus, after chilling froft, morn’s genial ray 
Invigoratesy cheers, expands, the fhrivell’d 
flower: 
Thus the broad mountain flings his cooling 
fhade 
O’er the faint pilgrim in a thirfty land. 
Oh! may thy friend, as in the noon of life, 
Refponfive to the calls of truth and Man, 
Achf 
