The Consultation Letters of Dr William Cullen (1710-1790) at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
[ID:1103] From: Dr Hugh Downman / To: Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) / Regarding: Miss Anne Downman (Ann) (Patient) / 4 January 1775 / (Incoming)
Letter from the physician, poet and dramatist Hugh Downman in Exeter, promising to send the case of his sister and also including draft of address to Cullen which he seeks permission to include in Book 3 of his work Infancy: Or, The Management of Children: a Didactic Poem, published in stages between 1774 and 1790. The lines were included in the published version first appearing in 1776. and lacunae in the manuscript due to damage are supplied from this printed edition. Downman had studied medicine under Cullen.
- Facsimile
- Normalized Text
- Diplomatic Text
- Metadata
- Case
- People
- Places
Facsimile
There are 4 images for this document.
[Page 1]
[Page 2]
[Page 3]
[Page 4]
Metadata
| Field | Data |
|---|---|
| DOC ID | 1103 |
| RCPE Catalogue Number | CUL/1/2/205 |
| Main Language | English |
| Document Direction | Incoming |
| Date | 4 January 1775 |
| Annotation | None |
| Type | Authorial original |
| Enclosure(s) | No enclosure(s) |
| Autopsy | No |
| Recipe | No |
| Regimen | No |
| Letter of Introduction | No |
| Case Note | No |
| Summary | Letter from the physician, poet and dramatist Hugh Downman in Exeter, promising to send the case of his sister and also including draft of address to Cullen which he seeks permission to include in Book 3 of his work Infancy: Or, The Management of Children: a Didactic Poem, published in stages between 1774 and 1790. The lines were included in the published version first appearing in 1776. and lacunae in the manuscript due to damage are supplied from this printed edition. Downman had studied medicine under Cullen. |
| Manuscript Incomplete? | No |
| Evidence of Commercial Posting | Yes |
Case
Cases that this document belongs to:
| Case ID | Description | Num Docs |
|---|---|---|
| [Case ID:482] |
Case of Miss Anne Downman, sister of Dr Hugh Downman, who has suffered from hysterical symptoms and urinary tract ailments since the death of a brother in 1771. |
4 |
People linked to this document
| Person ID | Role in document | Person |
|---|---|---|
| [PERS ID:455] | Author | Dr Hugh Downman |
| [PERS ID:1] | Addressee | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:456] | Patient | Miss Anne Downman (Ann) |
| [PERS ID:1] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:455] | Patient's Relative / Spouse / Friend | Dr Hugh Downman |
Places linked to this document
| Role in document | Specific Place | Settlements / Areas | Region | Country | Global Region | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Place of Writing | Exeter | South-West | England | Europe | certain | |
| Destination of Letter | Edinburgh | Edinburgh and East | Scotland | Europe | certain | |
| Mentioned / Other | Edinburgh | Edinburgh and East | Scotland | Europe | certain | |
| Place of Handstamp | Exeter | South-West | England | Europe | certain |
Normalized Text
My Sister having always heard
me mention your name with the greatest
respect and esteem, and having [received?]
great benefit [from?] your advice, while I was
in Edinburgh, 1 in that great relaxation of
her ancles, (which you perhaps remember)
and which was quite removed by the Douche
and Cold Bathing, has desired me to
trouble you with an account of her Case,
tho little I fear is to be expected [even?]
from you. Yet as it ↑is↑ somewhat curious,
shall take the liberty of sending it you [at]
length, & desire an answer at your [leisure.?]
I have another motive for writing
to you which concerns myself. I have
finished the 2d & 3d Books of the Poem on
the treatment of Children. The 2d will
soon be published, & the 3d not long after. 2
In the beginning of the 3d, if you have no
objection, I should be glad to insert [the]
following lines, as a testimony of [the?]
veneration which is due to you, [from?]
every one who has had the happiness [of]
being your Pupil. Had not the first
[Page 2]
been well received here, I should not have
inserted your name, this you will see I
hint at. The Address succeeds the Intro¬
ductory Lines, and is as follows.
And say wilt Thou (to whom e'er now had ↑flow'd↑
The gratefull verse, if apprehensive Doubt
Had not shrunk fearfull from the Public eye,
And dreaded lest thy praises should appear
Linkt to our slighted numbers.) Say, wilt Thou
Cullen! Illustrious name! Great ornament
[Of] this our Isle! Of piercing eye to trace
The haunts of Error through the winding maze
Of every devious System! Chief support
Of thy Edina's fame! While round thee ↓throngs↓
Ingenuous youth from each far-distant shore,
And Bigot Envy droops beneath the ray
Of thy superior lustre! In whose heart
Dwells Candour, Inmate of the truly great,
And modest Diffidence. Whom Judgment sage
By long Experience taught directs to fix
[The] bounds of Theory, [ne'er] own'd a Guide
[But?] where Observance faithfully severe
[Hath fail'd to pry; yet by her labours ↓skill'd,↓?]
[Page 3]
As with a glance, nicely to separate,
What vulgar minds by seeming likeness caught,
Absurdly blend; and deem thy conduct rash,
Till they behold with wonder, Health [array]
Those cheeks in [rosy] mantle, which they [view'd]
The prey of Death! For Memory to thy eye
Her fairest, freshest tablet swift presents,
And Method gives that readiness of thought,
By them ascrib'd to Fancy, but which springs
From painfull Application. Say, wilt Thou
Accept our lays inscrib'd to thee? Thou wilt.
For in they breast the softer Graces dwell,
Nor hath Philosophy with stern controul
Lessen'd the milder virtues of the man.
Thine is the breath sincere of Friendship, thine
Compassion's unaffected ardour, thine
The Husband's & the Father's tender love,
And warm Benevolence incircling all.
There can be no objection I
think, but from your delicacy, which I hope
will not be offended. Every other Person
who knows you will acknowledge what I
have said to be strict truth. And my own
disinterestedness will excuse me from the least
suspicion of flattery.
your much obliged & gratefully Humble Servant
[Page 4]
To
Dr Cullen
at Edinburgh.
H Downman
Vol. II. p. 74.
Notes:
1: Hugh Downman was a matriculated student of medicine at Edinburgh in the sessions of 1767 and 1768.
2: 'Book One' of Hugh Downman's Infancy: or the Management of Children, a Poem, had first appeared at London in 1773. 'Book Two' was published in 1774 and 'Book Three' in 1776 (all three being reprinted together at Edinburgh in 1776). The complete poem in 'Six Books' did nor appear until 1790.
Diplomatic Text
My Sister having always heard
me mention your name with ye greatest
respect and esteem, and having [received?]
great benefit [from?] yr advice, while I was
in Edinburgh, 1 in yt great relaxation of
her ancles, (which you perhaps remember)
and wch was quite removed by ye Douche
and Cold Bathing, has desired me to
trouble you with an account of her Case,
tho little I fear is to be expected [even?]
from you. Yet as it ↑is↑ somewt curious,
shall take ye liberty of sending it you [at]
length, & desire an answer at your [leisure.?]
I have another motive for writing
to you which concerns myself. I have
finished ye 2d & 3d Books of ye Poem on
ye treatment of Children. The 2d will
soon be published, & ye 3d not long after. 2
In ye beginning of ye 3d, if you have no
objection, I should be glad to insert [the]
following lines, as a testimony of [the?]
veneration which is due to you, [from?]
every one who has had ye happiness [of]
being your Pupil. Had not ye first
[Page 2]
been well received here, I should not have
inserted your name, this you will see I
hint at. The Address succeeds ye Intro¬
ductory Lines, and is as follows.
And say wilt Thou (to whom e'er now had ↑flow'd↑
The gratefull verse, if apprehensive Doubt
Had not shrunk fearfull from ye Public eye,
And dreaded lest thy praises should appear
Linkt to our slighted numbers.) Say, wilt Thou
Cullen! Illustrious name! Great ornament
[Of] this our Isle! Of piercing eye to trace
The haunts of Error through ye winding maze
Of every devious System! Chief support
Of thy Edina's fame! While round thee ↓throngs↓
Ingenuous youth from each far-distant shore,
And Bigot Envy droops beneath ye ray
Of thy superior lustre! In whose heart
Dwells Candour, Inmate of ye truly great,
And modest Diffidence. Whom Judgment sage
By long Experience taught directs to fix
[The] bounds of Theory, [ne'er] own'd a Guide
[But?] where Observance faithfully severe
[Hath fail'd to pry; yet by her labours ↓skill'd,↓?]
[Page 3]
As with a glance, nicely to separate,
What vulgar minds by seeming likeness caught,
Absurdly blend; and deem thy conduct rash,
Till they behold with wonder, Health [array]
Those cheeks in [rosy] mantle, which they [view'd]
The prey of Death! For Memory to thy eye
Her fairest, freshest tablet swift presents,
And Method gives that readiness of thought,
By them ascrib'd to Fancy, but which springs
From painfull Application. Say, wilt Thou
Accept our lays inscrib'd to thee? Thou wilt.
For in they breast the softer Graces dwell,
Nor hath Philosophy with stern controul
Lessen'd the milder virtues of the man.
Thine is the breath sincere of Friendship, thine
Compassion's unaffected ardour, thine
The Husband's & the Father's tender love,
And warm Benevolence incircling all.
There can be no objection I
think, but from yr delicacy, which I hope
will not be offended. Every other Person
who knows you will acknowledge wt I
have said to be strict truth. And my own
disinterestedness will excuse me from ye least
suspicion of flattery.
yr much obliged & gratefully Humble Servt
[Page 4]
To
Dr Cullen
at Edinburgh.
H Downman
Vol. II. p. 74.
Notes:
1: Hugh Downman was a matriculated student of medicine at Edinburgh in the sessions of 1767 and 1768.
2: 'Book One' of Hugh Downman's Infancy: or the Management of Children, a Poem, had first appeared at London in 1773. 'Book Two' was published in 1774 and 'Book Three' in 1776 (all three being reprinted together at Edinburgh in 1776). The complete poem in 'Six Books' did nor appear until 1790.
XML
XML file not yet available.
Feedback
Send us specfic feeback about this document [DOC ID:1103]
Please note that the Cullen Project team have now disbanded but your comments will be logged in our system and we will look at them one day...
