, a distinguished wit, and Latin poet, was descended of an ancient
, a distinguished wit, and Latin
poet, was descended of an ancient family, and was born at
Howthorpe, a small hamlet in Northamptonshire, in the parish of Thedingworth, near Market-Harborough in Leicestershire, in 1620. He received the first part of his education at the free-school in Coventry, where his father
seems to have resided in the latter part of his life. His
mother was Elizabeth Villiers, daughter and coheir of Edward Villiers, esq. of the same place. They had issue
thirteen sons, and four daughters. Six of the sons lost
their lives in the service of king Charles I. during the grand
rebellion: the rest, besides one who died young, were
Ralph (of whom we now treat), Villiers, Edward, Moses,
Henry, and Benjamin, father of the late earl Bathurst, the
subject of the preceding article. At Coventry school our
author made so quick a progress in the classics, that at the
age of fourteen he was sent to Oxford, and entered October 10, 1634, in Gloucester hall, now Worcester college;
but was removed in a few days to Trinity college, and probably placed under the immediate tuition of his grandfather Dr. Kettel, then president, in whose lodging he
resided (still known by the name of Kettel-hall), and at
whose table he had his diet, for two years. He was elected
scholar of the house, June 5., 1637, and having taken the
degree of A. B. January 27th following, he was appointed
fellow June 4, 1640. He commenced A. M.April 17, 1641,
and on March 2, 1644, conformably to the statutes of his
college, he was ordained priest by Robert Skinner, bishop
of Oxford, and read some theological lectures in the college hall in 1649. These, which he called “Diatribae
theologicEc, philosophies, et philological,
” are said to discover a spirit of theological research, and an extensive
knowledge of the writings of the most learned divines. He
likewise kept his exercise for the degree of B. D. but did
not take it. The confusion of the times promising little
support or encouragement to the ministerial function, like
his friend, the famous Dr. Willis, he applied himself to
the study of physic, and accumulated the degrees in that
faculty, June 21, 1654. Before this time he had sufficiently recommended himself in his new profession, and
had not been long engaged in it, when he was employed
as physician to the sick and wounded of the navy, which
office he executed with equal diligence and dexterity, to
the full satisfaction of the sea-commanders, and the commissioners of the admiralty. We find him soon after settled at Oxford, and practising physic in concert with his
friend Dr. Willis, with whom he regularly attended Abingdon market every Monday. He likewise cultivated every
branch of philosophical knowledge: he attended the lectures of Peter Sthael, a chymist and rosicrucian, who had
been invited to Oxford by Mr. R. Boyle, and was afterwards operator to the royal society about 1662. About the
same time he had also a share in the foundation of that society; and when it was established, he was elected fellow,
and admitted August 19, 1663. While this society was at
Gresham college in London, a branch of it was continued
at Oxford, and the original society books of this Oxford
department are still preserved there in the Ashmolean Museum, where their assemblies were held. Their latter Oxford meetings were subject to regulations made among
themselves; according to which Dr. Bathurst was elected
president April 23, 1688, having been before nominated
one of the members for drawing up articles, February
29, 1683-4. Nor was he less admired as a classical scholar;
at the university a.cts, in the collections of Oxford verses,
and on every public occasion, when the ingenious were
invited to a rival display of their abilities, he appears to
have been one of the principal and most popular performers. Upon the publication of Hobbes’s treatise of “Human Nature,
” &c. Splendid Shilling
” was a piece of solemn ridicule suited to his
taste. Among his harmless whims, he delighted to surprize the scholars, when walking in the grove at unseasonable hours; on which occasions he frequently carried a
whip in his hand, an instrument of academical correction,
then not entirely laid aside. But this he practised, on account of the pleasure he took in giving so odd an alarm,
rather than from any principle of reproving, or intention
of applying an illiberal punishment. In Latin poetry, Ovid
was his favourite classic. One of his pupils having asked
him what book among all others he chose to recommend
he answered, “Ovid’s Metamorphoses.
” The pupil, in
consequence of this advice, having carefully perused the
Metamorphoses, desired to be informed what other proper
book it wouldbe necessary to read after Ovid, and Dr.
Bathurst advised him to read “Ovid’s Metamorphoses
” a
second time. He had so mean an opinion of his performances in divinity, that in his will he enjoins his executors
entirely to suppress all his papers relating to that subject,
and not to permit them to be perused by any, excepting
a very few such friends as were likely to read them with
candour. We are told, however, that on Sunday, March
20, 1680, he preached before the house of commons at St.
Mary’s, the university church, and gave much satisfaction.
His manner was nearly that of Dr. South, but with more
elegance and felicity of allusion. His Life, written by
Mr. Thomas Warton, is perhaps one of the most correct
of that author’s performances, and contains Dr. Bathurst’s
miscellaneous works, which, though they have great merit
in their particular way, and may be read with much pleasure, are not written in such a taste as entitles them to
imitation. This is acknowledged by Mr. Warton. “His
Latin orations,
” says that ingenious Biographer, “are wonderful specimens of wit and antithesis, which were the delight of his age. They want upon the whole the purity
and simplicity of Tully’s eloquence, but even exceed the
sententious smartness of Seneca, and the surprising turns
of Pliny. They are perpetually spirited, and discover an
uncommon quickness of thought. His manner is concise
and abrupt, but yet perspicuous and easy. His allusions
are delicate, and his observations sensible and animated.
His sentiments of congratulation or indignation are equally
forcible: his compliments are most elegantly turned, and
his satire is most ingeniously severe. These compositions
are extremely agreeable to read, but in the present improwriiient of classical taste, not so proper to be imitated.
They are moreover entertaining, as a picture of the times,
and a history of the state of academical literature. This
smartness does not desert our author even on philosophical
subjects.
” Among Dr. Bathurst’s Oratiuncuhe, his address to the convocation, about forming the barbers of Oxford into a company, is a most admirable specimen of his
humour, and of that facetious invention, with which few
vice-chancellors would have ventured to enforce and
eiiliven such a subject. We doubt, indeed, whether a parallel to this exquisite piece of humour can be found. With
regard to the doctor’s Latin poetry, though his hexameters
have an admirable facility, an harmonious versification,
much terseness and happiness of expression, and a certain
original air, they will be thought, nevertheless, too pointed
and ingenious by the lovers of Virgil’s simple beauties.
The two poems which he hath left in iambics make it to
be wished tiiat he had written more in that measure. “That
pregnant brevity,
” says Mr. Warton, “/which constitutes
the dignity and energy of the iambic, seems to have been
his talent.
” Dr. Bathurst’s English poetry has that roughness of versification which was, in a great degree, the fault
of the times.