Editing Henry Baker (naturalist) (section)

==Life==
[[File:Baker, Henry – Attempt towards a natural history of the polype, 1744 – BEIC 8761995.jpg|thumb|French translation of ''Attempt towards a natural history of the polype'', 1744]]

He was born in [[Chancery Lane]], [[London]], 8 May 1698, the son of William Baker, a clerk in chancery. When he was 15, he was [[apprentice]]d to John Parker, a bookseller. At the close of his indentures in 1720, Baker went on a visit to John Forster, a relative, who had a [[deaf-mute]] daughter, then eight years old. As a successful therapist of deaf people, he went on to make money, by a system that he kept secret.<ref name="DNB">{{DNB |inline=1 |first=Thomas Finlayson |last=Henderson |wstitle=Baker, Henry (1698-1774)  <!--NB dash not ndash on wikisource-->|display=Baker, Henry (1698–1774) |volume=3 |pages=9–10}}</ref> His work as therapist caught the attention of [[Daniel Defoe]], whose youngest daughter Sophia he married on 30 April 1729.

In 1740, he was elected fellow of the [[Society of Antiquaries of London|Society of Antiquaries]] and of the [[Royal Society]]. In 1744, he received the [[Copley Medal|Copley gold medal]] for [[microscope|microscopical]] observations on the [[crystallization]] of saline particles.

He was one of the founders of the [[Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce]] in 1754 (later the Society of Arts), and for some time acted as its secretary. He died in London, and was buried at [[St Mary le Strand]].