onds full of fish, and a pleasing
valley, somewhat like Shenstone's--deep, umbrageous, and with a
talkative stream running down it. Our house is near the top of the
valley, well screened by hills from the east and north, and open to
the south, where at four miles distance we see Derby tower.

"Four or more strong springs rise near the house, and have formed
the valley which, like that of Petrarch, may be called Val Chiusa,
as it begins, or is shut at the situation of the house. I hope you
like the description, and hope farther that yourself and any part
of your family will sometimes do us the pleasure of a visit.

"Pray tell the authoress" (Miss Maria Edgeworth) "that the
water-nymphs of our valley will be happy to assist her next novel.

"My bookseller, Mr. Johnson, will not begin to print the 'Temple of
Nature' till the price of paper is fixed by Parliament. I suppose
the present duty is paid...."

At these words Dr. Darwin's pen stopped. What followed was written on
the opposite side of the paper by another hand.

FOOTNOTES:

[137] 'Sketch, &c., of Erasmus Darwin,' pp. 3, 4.

[138] Miss Seward's 'Memoirs of Dr. Darwin,' p. 3.

[139] Ibid.

[140] Dr. Dowson's 'Sketch of Dr. Erasmus Darwin,' p. 50.

[141] Dr. Dowson's 'Sketch of Dr. Darwin,' p. 53.

[142] Miss Seward's 'Memoirs,' &c., p. 6.

[143] 'Memoirs,' &c., p. 14.

[144] 'Memoirs,' &c., p. 21.

[145] 'Memoirs,' &c., p. 62.

[146] 'Memoirs,' &c., p. 68.

[147] Miss Seward's 'Memoirs,' p. 69.

[148] 'Memoirs,' &c., p. 84.

[149] Ibid., p. 105.

[150] 'Memoirs,' &c., p. 120.

[151] 'Memoirs,' &c., p. 149.

[152] 'Memoirs,' &c., p. 249.

[153] 'Memoirs,' &c., p. 250.

[154] 'Memoirs,' &c., p. 426.

CHAPTER XIII.

PHILOSOPHY OF DR. ERASMUS DARWIN.

Considering the wide reputation enjoyed by Dr. Darwin at the beginning
of this century, it is surprising how completely he has been lost sight
of. The 'Botanic Garden' was translated into Portuguese in 1803; the
'Loves of the Plants' into French and Italian in 1800 and 1805; while,
as I have already said, the 'Zoonomia' had appeared some years earlier
in Germany. Paley's 'Natural Theology' is written throughout at the
'Zoonomia,' though he is careful, _more suo_, never to mention this work
by name. Paley's success was probably one of the chief causes of the
neglect into which the Buffonian and Darwinian systems f