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two pieces, carefully revised, were many years afterwards reprinted in a single volume, which has passed into the fourth edition; and it has been much regretted by competent judges, that the announcement of a translation of the entire works of this philosophical historian by Mr. Murphy, induced Mr. Aikin to lay aside a similar design which he had formed, and in which he had made considerable progress.

A fresh proof of his industry and spirit of literary enterprise, directed in this instance to the advancement and diffusion of professional knowledge, was soon after afforded by the appearance of his Specimen of the medical biography of Great Britain, with an address to the public. This was a great and important undertaking, comprising a history of the progress of medical science in this island, with biographies of the most distinguished practitioners of the healing art, and copious analyses of their writings, with critical observations. The labor and difficulty of the work were much enhanced to Mr. Aikin, by his provincial residence, remote from all assistance of libraries, public or private, and by the ties of a profession which forbade him to travel in search of documents the perusal of which could not otherwise be procured. His specimen however attracted attention, and he received from several quarters useful sugges

him, whether as a man or an author. This friend was the Rev. William Enfield, LL.D. at this time a dissenting minister at Warrington, and one of the tutors at the academy; a man esteemed by the public for several useful and acceptable works, and beloved by all who ever knew him. In the Rev. George Walker also, who had succeeded to the office of mathematical tutor at the academy, Mr. Aikin rejoiced to discover a man of strong native genius, interesting in conversation by an uncommon flow of fervid eloquence, proceeding from one of the purest and warmest of human hearts.

Literary occupation had now become to Mr. Aikin one of the habits, and almost the wants, of daily life; and no plan of original composition at this time suggesting itself, he undertook the translation of Tacitus's Life of Agricola, which was printed at Warrington in a remarkably correct and elegant manner, together with the original Latin. For a task like this, his exact knowledge of the Latin language, and his concise and energetic style, were equally well adapted; an the success of this first essay induced him som time afterwards to add a translation of the int Manners of the German by an ext

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tions and offers of assistance. The late excellent Dr. Fothergill, having, in his summer residences at his seat in Cheshire, become acquainted with Mr. Aikin, who always retained the highest admiration of his skill as a physician and the sincerest esteem for his personal worth,—offered him books and useful hints, and expressed warm interest in the progress of the work. Mr. Pegge forwarded to him, with some rare black letter tracts, remarks highly characteristic of his own antiquarian tastes; and he entered into some correspondence on the subjeet with Dr. Ducarel. The late Mr.Falconer of Chester communicated some learned remarks. Loans of scarce volumes were procured from the libraries of some colleges at Cambridge, and valuable assistance of various kinds was contributed by Dr. Haygarth. Thus encouraged, he devoted much time and pains to this pursuit: but the difficulties attending the investigation of the earlier and darker periods of medical history were found in the end insuperable; and when, five years afterwards, he published in a single octavo volume, Biographical Memoirs of Medicine in Great Britain, from the revival of literature to the time of Hervey, he was obliged to explain the causes of this limitation of his plan. Situated as he was, he found that printed books were the only documents to which he was able to gain access; this

deficiency, however, affected only those portions of his subject which might be regarded as offering least either of amusement or instruction, and he still flattered himself that he should find sufficient encouragement to carry down his design through periods of increasing light and knowledge. But his plan was met on the part of the faculty, by an apathy for which he was not prepared; the topic, notwithstanding an elegant and a popular mode of treating it, as far as the biographical part was concerned, was repulsive to general readers; and after repeatedly resuming, and again laying aside this favourite task during nearly twenty succeeding years, he was compelled finally to abandon it, as one which promised no adequate remuneration either in fame or emolument. The completed volume, however, has been much prized by a select few, and the idea of continuing the work has several times been entertained by persons not sufficiently informed, perhaps, of the accumulated obstacles which overcame the resolution of the original projector.

The following account of his various pursuits, occurs in a letter to the Rev. Mr. Barbauld written in the summer of 1775:-" Many a vain wish have I formed since your last visit, that the pleasures we derived from your company might have been more durable. This desire has more parti

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