Bright, Timothy

, a physician and divine of eminence of the sixteenth century, took his degree of doctor in medicine at Cambridge, and, as we learn from Wood, he was made rector of Methley, in Yorkshire, in 1591. He appears by his writings to have had a good share of practice, and to have been well versed in the doctrines of the early Greek writers. The work by which he is principally known is his “Treatise of Melancholy,” containing the causes thereof, and reasons of the strange effects it worketh in our minds, with the physical cure, and spiritual consolation for such as have thereto adjoined an afflicted conscience,“London, 1586, 12mo. He excuses his writing this treatise, contrary to his usual custom, ia the English language, from its being a practical work, and to be read-by persons out of the pale of physic. It was also done, he observes, by the Greek and Roman writers. He entertained, however, very lofty ideas of the dignity of the medical character.” No one,“he says,.” sho’uid touch so holy a thing that hath not passed the whole discipline of liberal sciences, and washed himself pure and clean in the waters of wisdome and understanding.“The cure of melancholy, in his opinion, depends on bleeding, by purges and vomits. He had before, viz. in 1583, published” De Dyscrasia Corporis Humani,“London, 8vo. He was also author of” Hygieine, sen de Sanitate tuenda, Medicinae Pars prirna,“1588, -8vo.” Therajjeutica, hoc est de Sanitate restituenda, Medicinre pars altera,“1589,' 8vo, which were reprinted in 1598, in ICto r and” An Abridgment of Fox’s Acts and Monuments," 1589, 4to. He died in 1615. ²