Page:Lives of British Physicians.djvu/252

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232 BRITISH PHYSICIANS. elsewhere ; and in the same year was created phy- sician to George the Third, on the resignation of his father-in-law. We are not to suppose that AVarren marched straight to his goal without any extraneous aids, but the aids which he obtained were attracted by the excellence of his character. Shaw had introduced him to many valuable friends. Sir Edward Wilmot, the worthy son-in-law of Mead, was one of the physicians to the court, and being inclined to retire from the fatigues of busi- ness, he had previously recommended Warren as physician to the Princess Amelia, the daughter of George the Second. This elevated patient re- quired more than ordinary attention : she was subject to sudden seizures which gave rise to alarm. During two summers the princess visited Tunbridge Wells under his care. In 1787 he was appointed physician to the Prince of Wales. Warren was one of the earliest physicians to the Middlesex Hospital: after remaining a short time in that situation, he was elected to fill the same office at St. George's Hospital, and held it during several years. His eminence is not to be ascribed to mere pa- tronage, nor to singularity of doctrine, nor to the arts of a showy address, nor to any capricious re- volution of fortune's wheel : it was the just and natural attainment of great talents. These talents, indeed, cannot be subjected to the scrutiny of lite- rary criticism, because he was too early engrossed by pressing occupations to find leisure sufficient to commit many of his observations to paper, — but the accuracy of his prognosis and his fine sagacity- survive in the recollection of a few. His ready