excluded from St. Luke's?" A. About the same time that the regulation took place for the exclusion of persons above the age of seventy, a rule was also made for the exclusion of children under the age of twelve. It was found that of old persons a much smaller proportion recovered than of the other patients: many of them soon fell into a state of infirm bodily health; they died in a larger proportion from palsies, and other diseases incident to old age; and therefore it was thought better to confine the admission to the middle ages of life.”・・ Q. "Was the improbability of cure the cause of the regulation ?” Ą. “I think not; because we have had persons of a more advanced age (one of eighty-three) discharged from the Hospital as cured. The age of the patients, merely, was certainly not the reason of the regulation." Q." Does Dr. Simmons recollect whether any of the persons above the age of seventy, discharged as cured, were blind?" A. "I can speak with certainty that they were not; because the number of blind patients that I have had an opportunity of seeing, has been very small; not more, as far as I recollect, than six in the Hospital, and two in private practice." Q." How many of those blind patients recovered?" 66 A. "I recollect no instance of perfect recovery." Q. "Do you expect that the king will recover?" A. "I can hardly say that I expect it." Q. "Upon what grounds do you deem his Majesty's recovery improbable?" A. "I believe I have already stated the reasons, one of which is his age." Q. Is the age of his Majesty the only ground upon which Dr. Simmons considers his Majesty's recovery as improbable?" "Not merely his age -the general turn of his disorder." Q."What are the grounds upon which Dr. Simmons considers that his Majesty's recovery is not hopeless?" A. There are many grounds upon which I consider the case as not hopeless-the regularity of his Majesty's former habits of life-the present good state of his general health-his recovery from former attacks of his disorder-the accuracy of his perception in many points, particularly with respect to his food. His Majesty's memory, likewise, seems so perfect, that it cannot fail to give some hope as to the ultimate termination of the disorder." Q. "Is there any indication of fatuity in his majesty's disorder?" A. "There is no such indication; and that I think another strong reason for not considering his Majesty's case as hopeless." Q. "When was Dr. Simmons first called in to attend his Majesty during his present* illness ?" A. "On the 9th of October last." Q." Since that period has his Majesty made any progress towards recovery?" A. "I cannot say that there has been any obvious progress towards recovery.' Q. "Does Dr. Simmons consider his Majesty in a more or less favourable state for recovery, from such a disorder, than most persons of seventy years of age?" A. Not less favourable than other persons of that age." Q. "Does Dr. Simmons consider the case as more or less favourable for recovery now, than when he first saw his Majesty on the 9th of October!" A. "Rather less favourable, from the length of time that has elapsed without any obvious progress towards recovery," Dr. John Willis thinks his Majesty's health such as renders him incapable of any kind of public business. Q. "What is the present state of his Májesty's bodily health?" A. "Nearly the same as it has been since I have seen his Majesty. I have thought it, upon the whole, rather better since I was first called in." Q." When was Dr. Willis first called in during his Majesty's present illness?" A. "The first time I saw his Majesty was on the 9th of October."- -Considers his Majesty's recovery as very improbable, but not hopeless. By saying not hopeless, I mean to say, I do not consider recovery as impossible." Q. "Has Dr. Willis known many persons to recover, when afflicted by the particular species of derangement under which the King labours?" A. “Yes; I have known many recover from the particular species of derangement under which the King labours." Q. "After they had arrived at the through the whole of his illness in 1804. * Dr. Simmons attended his Majesty EDIT. Dr. John Willis (with his father the late Rev. Dr. Francis Willis) attended his Majesty in the first attack of his diserder in 1789. EDIT. age age of the King?" A. "No, I cannot say that.' Q." Has Dr. Willis ever attended any patients who were blind?" A. "No, I have not." Dr. Matthew Baillie thinks that, except for a little exacerbation within the last two or three days, his Majesty's bodily health has been little disordered-considers his recovery extremely improbable. Sir Henry Halford thinks his Majesty's bodily health by no means good-his mental health extremely disordered; and his recovery very improbable. Dr. R. D. Willis thinks his Majesty's bodily health better than under all the circumstances of the case might be reasonably expected—the present state of his mental health as bad, or perhaps worse, than at any period of the complaint-considers recovery as extremely improbable-all but impossible-has never attended any patients in a state of mental derangement who were blind. Notices and Anecdotes of LITERATI, COLLECTORS, &c. from a MS. by the late MENDES DE COSTA, and collected between 1747 and 1788. 1. Mr. Baker the Bookseller, in York Street, Covent Garden, informed me that Dr. Mead's Library produced about 55007. 2. Mr. Buddle's Horti Sicci are in the British Museum, also all Petiver's collections, and Mr. Charlton's, alias Courteen, to whom Lister dedicates his "Historia Conchyliorum." 3. Fetty place Bellers, esq. F. R. S. the remains of his Collection are in the hands of Ingram, esq. at Northleach, in Gloucestershire, (N. B. MSS. 1747.) 4. The collection of the famous Charles Dubois, esq. remains in the family, viz. in the hands of Peter Uraldo, esq. of Mitcham, in Surrey, (N. B. MSS. about 1760, when I saw it.) 5. Aubrey's Surrey, Vol. II, p. 107, mentions a Mr, Hind, Vicar of Banstead, in Surrey, who had a collection of Natural and Artificial Curiosities, which his sister sold to Mr. Livingstone, an Apothecary, at Epsom, for twenty shillings. I enquired about it in 1741, and Mr. Livingstone was dead. 6. Sir Francis St. John, bart. who died in 1756, left his collection by will to his son-in-law Sir John Ber DUTCH. 12. Francis Peninius, Apothecary, at Amsterdam. 13. Emanuel Swerts, citizen of Amsterdam, diligens in exoticis conquirendis. 14. Wallichius Syvertz, Apothecary, at Amsterdam. 15. John Rutger, the son, citizen of Amsterdam, in suo museo variis Conchyliorum generibus ac aliis peregrinis rebus bene instructo. 16. Peter and Jacobus Garetus,' brothers, Apothecaries, at Amsterdam. 17. William Parduyn, at Middleburgh. 18. Tobias Roelsius, M. D. at Middleburg, his museum mentioned. 19. Bernard Paludanus, M. D. of Enckhuysen, in instructissimo suo museo. 20. Christian Porretas, Apothecary, at Leyden. 21. Theodore Clutius, Præfect of the Botanic Garden of the University of Leyden. 22. Peter Paaw, head professor of Physick and of Anatomy at Leyden. 23. Henry Hoieri, M. D. of Bergen, Norway. 24. Jacob Plateau, instructissimo suo museo of all kinds of curiosities. 25. Simon de Tovar, M. D. a Spaniard, a famous physician. 26. Ephe 26. Ephemerides Naturæ Curiosorum, vol. IV. appendix, p. 41, says, that Dr. David Krieg was sent by, and at the expence of, the Royal Society of London, to travel through the British Colonies in America, and make observations. 27. Dr. Isaac Lawson, Physician General to the Army, published, and indeed wrote the greatest part of Cramer's Ars Decimastica, and was the first patron and introductor of the celebrated Linne to the learned world, for by his means Linne, as it were, emerged from obscurity, being little countenanced. Dr. Lawson was extremely well skilled in fossils, had an extensive correspondence, especially in Germany, and had made large and elegant collections of fossils. 1767 I bought a large parcel of his collection, and numbers of specimens his brother gave away and were lost, (MSS. I Number 1775.) In 28.Counsellor William Franckombe, an accurate and learned fossilogist, chiefly in petrefacta, and had a numerous and well-chosen collection of fossils, was born at Bristol, on the 6th August 1734, and died of an over-fatness, asthma, &c. on the 3d of September 1767. His collections of books, fossils, &c. were sold immediately after his death by Samuel Paterson; Mr. Ingham Foster bought his diary or catalogue and observations on his fossils, a MS. 29. Mr. Richard Guy, Surgeon, (famous, for his cure of cancers) died on Sunday 27th September, 1767, of a sudden stroke of the gout in his breast. He was well in the inorning, and dead in the evening. He was buried 4th October, 1767. His collections were sold about 1773 by Paterson. 30. Mr. Mark Catesby, author of the excellent and celebrated work, "The Natural History of Carolina," &c. died in December 1749. I compute he was about 70, tall, meagre, hard favoured, and sullen look, and was extremely grave or sedate, and of a silent disposition; but when he contracted a frendship was communicative, and affable. He left a widow, and a son and daughter. He often told me he believed he was descended from the Catesby of Richard III. 31. John Tradescant; for an account of him, his tomb, &c. &c. see Philosophical Transactions, vol. LXIII. pp. 1. 79, art. 12, by Dr, Aadrew Ducarel. 32, Henry Baker, esq. F. R. S. F. S. A. &c, born in Tooke's or Quality Court, Chancery Lane, died on Friday Nov. 25, 1774, of a decay of nature, aged 76. He had been confined to his room in an infantile state about two years. He was buried on Tuesday 29th November, 1774, in the New Church yard, in the Straud, near the iron rails next to the Strand, without any tomb stone or memorial over his grave. He married a daughter of the famous Daniel Defoe, and had two sons, who both died before him, and left the son of the youngest his heir, then about 11, under guardianship of his executors Roycroft, esq. and Mr. English. He was son of a clerk in the Six Clerks' Office, and bound apprentice to a bookseller in Pall Mall. All his loose papers were burnt without mercy by his executors, even to his correspondence, which, though loose, were laid ready for binding in guard books, and only the bound or guard books were preserved. 33. James Parsons, M. D. F. R. S. F. S. A. &c, author of " The Analogy 34. Mr. Peter Collinson died in 1 1812.] Literati, Collectors, &c.-State of Parish Registers. 201 August 1768, aged 75. Dr. Fothergill wrote a tract of his life, and gave a print of him. London Magazine for January 1776, has a very good portrait, and like him; says (and I have made additions) he was great grandson of Peter Collinson, who lived on his paternal estate called Hugal Hall, near Windermere Lake, ten miles from Kendal in Westmoreland, born in 1693. Dr. Derham, Dr. Woodward, Mr. Dale, Sir Hans Sloane, Mr. Catesby, Mr. Dubois, &c. &c. were his acquaintance. Elected F. R. S. December 12, 1728. A mercer by trade, at the Red Lion, in Gracechurch Street. F. S. A. from its first institution. Died at Lord Petre's, at Thorndon, of a total suppression of urine. 35. Mr. Charles Dubois died between 1735 and 1740, very aged. His heirs were Mr. Waldo, who married his neice, and her sister. Was a great and celebrated botanist, and had an excellent botanic garden to his house on the upper green, where the fair is kept, at Mitcham, in Surry. He had collections of shells, fossils, &c. of which I saw some at Mr. Waldo's, junior, about 1760. 36. Mr. George Edwards died about 1778. 37. Cromwell Mortimer, M. D. died January 1752 of a dropsy. Many years secretary to the R. S. and was succeeded on the 5th February following, by ballot, by the Rev. Thomas Birch, D. D. (against Gawin Knight, M. B.) and held it till 1765. 38. Mr. Salter, founder of Saltero's Coffee House at Chelsea, and of the collections there. Notice of him is taken by Sir Richard Steele, in his Tatlers; viz. No. 34, in vol. I. His Daughter, Mrs. Hall, continued in it till about 1758 or 1759, when others took it, who made a catalogue, and still keep the curiosities carefully. 1781. 39. John Hill died about 1776, well known for his many voluminous and mostly incorrect writings; there is a fine and good folio print of him. (To be continued.) Mr. URBAN, March 3. THE HERE cannot be a doubt that in a country where the descent of real and personal property is governed by established rules of legal consanguinity, the faithful preservation of records of baptisms, marriages, and burials, ought to be held as an object of the highest importance in the contemplation of the Legislature; and the neglect with which such records have been treated, and the mischiefs consequent on that negligence, are so notorious and evident, that there are few persons who have seriously turu ed their thoughts to the subject, who will doubt the necessity of a speedy and vigorous remedy. And Imust confess I am astonished to find a Clergyman of the Church of England (p. 149) speaking of the obligation of an oath, to verify the fidelity of his discharge of his duty in the office of registrar, as a degradation of the Clerical character, and levelling him with lower orders of persons on whom oaths are necessary to be imposed; for this would imply that oaths are fit only to bind the vicious and ignorant, and are an insult to the virtuous, the intelligent, and enlighttened. But I heartily agree with him that it would be an affront not only to the Church Establishment, but to common sense, to make the bare declaration of a Dissenting minister an equal legal test of veracity with the oath of a minister of the Church of England; for it is in direct hostility to the true principles of toleration to establish such a distinction, and however salutary might be the general provisions of a bill for better regulat ing parish registers, I must confess, I should wish to see it perish if it must inevitably be loaded with an enact ment so invidious. As one proof, however, that somes, thing is really wanting for the better preservation of parochial registers, I send for insertion in your Magazine a part of the pedigree of the family of South*, of Kelsterne, in Lincolnshire, many of the proofs upon which are taken from the register of Kelsterne (a village about seven miles from Louth), which register, about five or six years ago, I found in the possession of the Rector of Weldon, in Northamptonshire, who told me it came into his hands with the registers of the parish of Weldon. T. B. * This shall appear in our next. EDIT. METE 23. Feb. 21. Windy with various clouds in different stations. 22. Rough gales from the South, with rain and hail-showers, and some flashes of lightning, with thunder. Clouds in two strata; evening Cirrostratus and Halo Lunaris. 24. Snow, which fell in the night, melted to-day, and caused a flood in the marshes of the river Lea; clear by night. 25. This day we might truly say-nigerrimus Auster Nascitur, et pluvio contristat frigore cælum The marshes still flooded. 26. Hazy morning; fair day, with varion's clouds; and March 1. Petroid and mountainous Cumulostratus, &c. wind rose at night. 2. A few In my last I mentioned the propriety of an artificial division of those luminous accensions called Falling Stars into three kinds; the little stellar meteors, the brilliant meteors, and the caudate meteors: these names are certainly very defective in point of description, but they may serve for meteorologists, in their journals, to point out the peculiar kind of meteor which they wish to record, till a more scientific nomenclature shall be invented. The stellar melcors have much the appearance of the real stars; they abound in clear frosty nights in winter, and in dry weather with easterly winds; they leave no train of light behind them. The brilliant meteors are generally larger and brighter, and happen in warm summer evenings, particularly when Cirrocumuli, and thunder clouds abound. The caudate meteors are phenomena which appear to result from some peculiarity in the atmosphere through which they pass; the long white phosphoric trains of light which they leave behind them, seem to arise from the burning of some gass (hydrogen perhaps) lighted by the meteor in its passage through the air. They generally take place in the intervals of stormy weather, and before the oecurrence of high wind, of which Virgil has considered them as a prognostic in the following very descriptive verses: "Sæpe etiam stellas, vento impendente, videbis Clapton, March 23, 1812 Georg. lib. 1. |