BAKER

BAKER, Henry, an ingenious and diligent naturalist, was born in Fleet-street London, either near the end of the 17th, or very early in the beginning of the 18th, century. His father's profession is not known; but his mother was, in her time, a midwife of great practice. He was brought up under an eminent bookseller, who preceded the elder Dodsey, to the business of a bookseller; in which, however, he appears

Baker. pears not to have engaged at all after his apprenticeship; or, if he did, it was soon relinquished by him: for though it was in his power to have drawn away all his master's best customers, he would not set up against him. Mr Baker being of a philosophical turn of mind, and having diligently attended to the methods which might be practicable and useful in the cure of stammering, and especially in teaching deaf and dumb persons to speak, he made this the employment of his life. In the prosecution of so valuable and difficult an undertaking, he was very successful; and several of his pupils, who are still living, bear testimony to the ability and good effect of his instructions. He married Sophia, youngest daughter of the famous Daniel Defoe, who brought him two sons, both of whom he survived. On the 29th of January 1740, Mr Baker was elected a fellow of the Society of Antiquaries; and, on the 12th of March following, the same honour was conferred upon him by the Royal Society. In 1744, Sir Godfrey's Copley's gold medal was bestowed upon him, for having, by his microscopical experiments on the crystallizations and configuration of saline particles, produced the most extraordinary discovery during that year. Having led a very useful and honourable life, he died at his apartments in the Strand on the 25th of November 1774, being then above 70 years of age. His wife had been dead some time before; and he only left one grandson, William Baker, who was born February 17, 1763, and to whom, on his living to the age of 21, he bequeathed the bulk of his fortune, which he had acquired by his profession of teaching deaf and dumb persons to speak. His furniture, printed books (but not MSS.), curiosities, and collections of every sort, he directed should be sold, which was accordingly done. His fine collection of native and foreign fossils, petrifications, shells, corals, vegetables, ores, &c. with some antiquities and other curiosities, were sold by auction March 13. 1775, and the nine following days. He was buried, as he desired, in an unexpensive manner, in the churchyard of St Mary-le-strand; within which church, on the south wall, he ordered a small tablet to be erected to his memory. "An inscription for it (he said) would probably be found among his papers; if not, he hoped some learned friend would write one agreeable to truth." This friendly office, however, remains as yet to be performed. Mr Baker was a constant and useful attendant at the meetings of the Royal and Antiquarian Societies, and in both was frequently chosen one of the council. He was peculiarly attentive to all the new improvements which were made in natural science, and very solicitous for the prosecution of them. Several of his communications are printed in the Philosophical Transactions; and besides the papers written by himself, he was the means, by his extensive correspondence, of conveying to the society the intelligence and observations of other inquisitive and philosophical men, both at home and abroad. The Society for the encouragement of arts, manufactures, and commerce, is under singular obligations to our worthy naturalist. As he was one of the earliest members of it, so he contributed in no small degree to its rise and establishment. At its first institution he officiated for some time gratis as secretary. He was many years chairman of the committee of accounts; and he took

Baker. an active part in the general deliberations of the society. He drew up a short account of the original of this society, and of the concern he himself had in forming it; which was read before the society of antiquaries, and would be a pleasing present to the public. Mr Baker was a poetical writer in the early part of his life. His Invocation of Health got abroad without his knowledge; but was reprinted by himself in his Original Poems, serious and humorous, Part I. 8vo. 1725. Part II. came out in 1726. Among these poems are some tales as witty and as loose as Prior's. He was the author likewise of The Universe, a poem intended to restrain the pride of man; which has been several times reprinted. His account of the water polype, which was originally published in the Philosophical Transactions, was afterwards enlarged into a separate treatise, and hath gone through several editions. But his principal publications are, The Microscope made Easy, and Employment for the Microscope. The first of these, which was originally published in 1742 or 1743, hath gone through six editions. The second edition of the other, which, to say the least of it, is equally pleasing and instructive, appeared in 1764. These treatises, and especially the latter, contain the most curious and important of the observations and experiments which Mr Baker either laid before the Royal Society or published separately. It has been said of Mr Baker, that he was a philosopher in little things. If it was intended by this language to lessen his reputation, there is no propriety in the stricture. He was an intelligent, upright, and benevolent man, much respected by those who knew him best. His friends were the friends of science and virtue: and it will always be remembered by his contemporaries, that no one was more ready than himself to assist those with whom he was conversant in their various researches and endeavours for the advancement of knowledge and the benefit of society.