WILLIAM THE THIED.

5

•rt'

Vi 1

credible; and, unfortunately, the dullest and mostignorant judge of the twelve was on the bench. Cowperdefended himself and those who were said to be his ac-complices with admirable ability and self possession. Hisbrother, much more distressed than himself, sate nearhim through the long agony of that day. The caseagainst the prisoners rested chiefly on the vulgar errorthat a human body, found, as this poor girl’s body hadbeen found, floating in water, must have been throwninto the water while still alive. To prove this doctrinethe counsel for the Crown called medical practitioners,of whom nothing is now known except that some of themhad been active against the Whigs at Hertford elections.To confirm the evidence of these gentlemen two or threesailors were put into the witness box. On the other sideappeared an array of men of science whose names arestill remembered. Among them was William Cowper,not a kinsman of the defendant, but the most celebratedanatomist that England had then produced. He was,indeed, the founder of a dynasty illustrious in the his-tory of science: for he was the teacher of WilliamCheselden, and William Cheselden was the teacher ofJohn Hunter. On the same side appeared Samuel Garth,who, among the physicians of the capital, had no rivalexcept Radeliffe, and Hans Sloane, the founder of themagnificent museum which is one of the glories of ourcountry. The attempt of the prosecutors to make thesuperstitions of the forecastle evidence for the purpose of

CHAP.

XXV.

1699 .