ng the
evening with this most agreeable woman. We talked and conversed upon
various literary subjects till it was dark; when Mrs. Darwin seeming to
be surprised that the Doctor had not come home, I offered to take my
leave; but she told me that I had been expected for some days, and that
a bed had been prepared for me: I heard some orders given to the
housemaid, who had destined a different room for my reception from that
which her mistress had upon second thoughts appointed. I perceived that
the maid examined me attentively, but I could not guess the reason. When
supper was nearly finished, a loud rapping at the door announced the
Doctor. There was a bustle in the hall, which made Mrs. Darwin get up
and go to the door. Upon her exclaiming that they were bringing in a
dead man, I went to the hall. I saw some persons, directed by one whom I
guessed to be Doctor Darwin, carrying a man who appeared to be
motionless. 'He is not dead,' said Doctor Darwin. 'He is only dead
drunk. I found him,' continued the Doctor, 'nearly suffocated in a
ditch: I had him lifted into my carriage, and brought hither, that we
might take care of him to-night.' Candles came; and what was the
surprise of the Doctor and of Mrs. Darwin, to find that the person whom
he had saved was Mrs. Darwin's brother! who, for the first time in his
life, as I was assured, had been intoxicated in this manner, and who
would undoubtedly have perished had it not been for Doctor Darwin's
humanity. During this scene I had time to survey my new friend, Doctor
Darwin. He was a large man, fat, and rather clumsy; but intelligence and
benevolence were painted in his countenance: he had a considerable
impediment in his speech, a defect which is in general painful to
others; but the Doctor repaid his auditors so well for making them wait
for his wit or his knowledge, that he seldom found them impatient. When
his brother was disposed of, he came to supper, and I thought that he
looked at Mrs. Darwin as if he was somewhat surprised when he heard that
I had passed the whole evening in her company. After she withdrew, he
entered into conversation with me upon the carriage that I had made, and
upon the remarks that fell from some members of the Society to whom I
had shewn it. I satisfied his curiosity; and having told him that my
carriage was in the town, and that he could see it whenever he pleased,
we talked upon mechanical subjects, and afterwards on various branches
of knowledg