What is Erasmus Darwin?
{{Infobox Person | name = Erasmus Darwin | image = Portrait_of_Erasmus_Darwin_by_Joseph_Wright_of_Derby_(1792).jpg | image_size = 171px | caption = Painting of Erasmus Darwin | birth_date = {{birth date|1731|12|12|df=y}} | birth_place = Elston Hall, [[Elston]], [[Nottinghamshire]], [[England]] | death_date = {{Death date and age|1802|4|18|1731|12|12|df=y}} | death_place = [[Breadsall]], [[Derby]], England }} [[File:Darwin_cutout.png|thumb|171px|Statue of Erasmus Darwin]] '''Erasmus Darwin''' (12 December 1731 – 18 April 1802) was a [[English people|English]] [[scientist]], [[poet]], [[inventor]] and [[physician|medical doctor]]. He was a member of the [[Lunar Society]] (a group of important scientists and businessmen who were friends).<ref>Uglow, Jennifer 2003. ''Lunar men: the friends who made the future''. Faber and Faber, London.</ref> Erasmus Darwin looked at how [[organism|living things]] [[evolution|evolved]] (change over a long time). His grandson, [[Charles Darwin]], later wrote a book that explained [[natural selection|evolution by natural selection]]. Erasmus Darwin House, his home in [[Lichfield]], is now a museum dedicated to Erasmus Darwin and his life's work. A school in nearby [[Chasetown]] recently converted to Academy status and is now known as Erasmus Darwin Academy. == Life == === Early life === Darwin was born in [[Elston]], near [[Newark-on-Trent]], [[Nottinghamshire]]. His father was a [[lawyer]]. When Erasmus was a child, he was very interested in [[nature]]. He liked [[clock]]s and [[electricity]]. He understood nature well. He said that people should eat meat during [[fasting|Lent]], a Christian time of [[fasting]] before [[Easter]] when people eat only simple food.{{fact|date=June 2013}} == Becoming a physician == He went to the [[University of Cambridge]], and then studied to be a doctor in [[Edinburgh]]. He became a doctor in 1756, and worked in [[Lichfield]] in [[Staffordshire]]. He worked hard and learned a lot about medicine. Soon, lots of people respected hi