, a lawyer of considerable eminence, was the son of Dr. John Bridgeman, bishop of Chester, and educated
, a lawyer of considerable eminence, was the son of Dr. John Bridgeman, bishop
of Chester, and educated to the profession of the law, in
which, as he disapproved of the usurpation, he made no
figure until the restoration, when on May 13, 1660, he was
called to be a serjeant by the king’s special writ, and on
June 1, was advanced to be lord chief baron of the exchequer, from which, Oct. 22, he was removed to be lord chief
justice of the common pleas. While he presided in this’
court, his reputation was at its height for equity and moderation. In 1667, when the great seal was taken from
lord Clarendon, the king delivered it, August 13, to sir
Orlando, with the title of Keeper. After this, his good
name began to decline: he was timid and irresolute, and
his timidity still increased with his years: nor was his
judgment equal to all the difficulties of his office. His
Jady, a woman of cunning and intrigue, was too apt to interfere in chancery suits; and his sons, who practised under him, did not bear the fairest characters. He was desirous of an union with Scotland, and a comprehepsion
with the dissenters: but was against tolerating the papists.
He is said to have been removed from his office for refusing
to affix the seal to the king’s declaration for liberty of conscience, Nov. 17, 1672. The time of his death we have
not been able to ascertain, but a singular account of his
son sir Orlando, may be seen in the Biog. Brit. vol. VI.
p. 3740. The lord-keeper is known as a law writer, by his
“Conveyances, being select precedents of deeds and instruments concerning the most considerable estates in
England,
”
, was the son of Dr. Edward Chetwynd, dean of Bristol, who published
, was the son of Dr. Edward Chetwynd, dean of Bristol, who published some single sermons,
enumerated by \Vood, and died in 1639. His mother was
Helena, daughter of the celebrated sir John Harrington,
author of the “Nugae Antiques.
” He was born in Sermons
” already noticed, he published a curious and scarce book, entitled
“Anthologia Historica containing fourteen centuries of
memorable passages, and remarkable occurrences, &c.
”
Lond. Collections Historical, Political, Theological, &c.
” He
was also editor of his grandfather sir John Harrington’s
“Briefe View of the State of the Church of England, &c.
being a character and history of the Bishops,
”
, an eminent physician, born at Montauban in Lano-uedoc in 1649, was the son of Dr. Peter Duncan, professor of physic in that city,
, an eminent physician, born at
Montauban in Lano-uedoc in 1649, was the son of Dr.
Peter Duncan, professor of physic in that city, and grandson to William Duncan, an English gentleman, of Scottish original, who removed from London to the south of
France about the beginning of the last century. Having
lost both his parents while yet in his cradle, he was indebted, for the care of his infancy and education, to the
guardianship of his mother’s brother, Mr. Daniel Paul, a
leading counsellor of the parliament of Toulouse, though
a firm and professed protestant. Mr. Duncan received the
first elements of grammar, polite literature, and philosophy, at Puy Laurens, whither the magistracy of Montauban had transferred their university for a time, to put an
end to some disputes between the students and the citizens.
The masters newly established there, finding their credit
much raised by his uncommon proficiency, redoubled their
attention to him; so that he went from that academy with
a distinguished character to Montpellier, when removed
thither by his guardian, with a view to qualify him for a
profession which had been for three generations hereditary
in his family . His ingenuity and application recommended him to the esteem and friendship of his principal
instructor there, the celebrated Dr. Charles Barbeyrac
(uncle to John Barbeyrac the famous civilian), whose medical lectures and practice were in high reputation. Having taken his favourite pupil into his own house, the professor impressed and turned to use his public and private
instruction by an efficacious method, admitting him, at
every visit he paid to his patients, to consult and reason
with him, upon ocular inspection, concerning the effect of
his prescriptions. When he had studied eight years under
the friendly care of so excellent a master, and had just
attained the age of twenty-four, he was admitted to the
degree of M. D. in that university. From Montpellier he
went to Paris, where he resided nearly seven years. Here
he published his first work, upon the principle of motion
in the constituent parts of animal bodies, entitled: “Explication nouvelle & mechanique des actions an i males,
Paris, 1678.
” It was in the year following that he went
for the first time to London, to dispose of some houses
there, which had descended to him from his ancestors.
He had, besides, some other motives to the journey; and
among the rest, to get information relative to the effects of
the plague in London in 1665. Having dispatched his
other business, he printed in London a Latin edition of
his “Theory of the principle of motion in animal bodies.
”
His stay in London, at this time, was little more than
two years; and he was much disposed to settle there entirely. But in 1681 he was recalled to Paris to attend a
consultation on the health of his patron Colbert, which was
then beginning to decline. Soon after his return he produced the first part of a new work, entitled, “La chymie
naturelle, ou explication chymique & mechanique de la
Tiourriture de Tanimal,
” which was much read, but rather
raised than satisfied the curiosity of the learned; to answer
which he added afterwards two other parts, which were
received with a general applause. A second edition of the
whole was published at Paris in 1687. In that year likewise came out his “Histoire de l'animal, ou la connoissance
du corps animé par la méchanique & par la chymie.
” He
left Paris in 1683, upon the much-lamented death of Colbert, the kind effect of whose esteem he gratefully acknowledged, though in a much smaller degree than he
might have enjoyed, if he had been less bold in avowing
his zeal for protestantism, and his abhorrence of popery.
He had some property in land adjoining to the city of
Montauban, with a handsome house upon it, pleasantly
situated near the skirts of the town. It was with the purpose of selling these, and settling finally in England, that
he went thither from Paris. But the honourable and
friendly reception he met with there determined his stay
some years in his native city. In 1690, the persecution
which began to rage with great fury against protestants
made him suddenly relinquish all thoughts of a longer
abode in France. Having disposed of his house and land
for less than half their value, he retired first to Geneva,
intending to return to England through Germany; an intention generally kept in petto, but for many years unexpectedly thwarted by a variety of events. Great numbers
of his persuasion, encouraged by his liberality in defraying
their expences on the road to Geneva, had followed him
thither. Unwilling to abandon them in distress, he spent
several months in that city and Berne, whither great numbers had likewise taken refuge, in doing them all the service in his power. The harsh and gloomy aspect which
reformation at that time wore in Geneva, ill agreeing with
a temper naturally mild and cheerful, and the sullen treatment he met with from those of his profession, whose ignorance and selfishness his conduct and method of practice
tended to bring into disrepute, occasioned his stay there
to be very short. He listened therefore with pleasure to
the persuasion of a chief magistrate of Berne, who invited
him to a residence more suited to his mind. He passed
about 8 or 9 years at Berne, where to his constant practice
of physic was added the charge of a professorship of anatomy and chemistry. In 1699, Philip landgave of Hesse
sent for him to Cassel. The princess, who lay dangerously ill, was restored to life, but recovered strength very
slowly. Dr. Duncan was entertained for three years with
great respect, in the palace of the landgrave, as his domestic physician. During his stay at that court, he wrote
his treatise upon the abuse of hot liquors. The use of tea,
which had not long been introduced into Germany, and in
the houses of only the most opulent, was already at the
landgrave’s become improper and immoderate, as well as
that of coffee and chocolate. The princess of Hesse, with
a weak habit of body inclining to a consumption, had been
accustomed to drink these liquors to excess, and extremely
hot. He thought fit, therefore, to write something against
the abuse of them, especially the most common one last
mentioned. Their prudent use, to persons chiefly of a
phlegmatic constitution, he allowed. He even recommended them, in that case, by his own example, to be
taken moderately warm early in the morning, and soon
after dinner; but never late in the evening, their natural
tendency not agreeing with the posture of a body at rest.
He wrote this treatise in a popular style, as intended for
the benefit of all ranks of people; the abuse he condemned
growing daily more and more epidemical. Though he
deemed it too superficial for publication, he permitted it
to be much circulated in manuscript. It was not till five
years after that he was persuaded by his friend Dr. Boerhaave to print it, first in French, under the title of “Avis
salutaire a tout le monde, contre Tabus cles liqueurs chaudes,
& particulierement du caffe, du chocolat, & du the.
”
Rotterdam, J
, a learned Rabbinical writer, was the son of Dr. Gaffarell, by Lucrece de Bermond, his wife; and
, a learned Rabbinical writer,
was the son of Dr. Gaffarell, by Lucrece de Bermond, his
wife; and was born at Mannes, in Provence, about 1601.
He was educated at the university of Apt, in that county,
where he prosecuted his studies with indefatigable industry; and applying himself particularly to the Hebrew
language and Rabbinical learning, was wonderfully pleased
with the mysterious doctrines of the Cabala, and commenced author in their defence at the age of twenty-two.
He printed a 4to volume at Paris in 1623, under_the title
of “The secret mysteries of the divine Cabala, defended
against the trifling objections of the Sophists,
” or “Abdita
divinae Cabalae mysteria,
” &c. The following year he
published a paraphrase upon that beautiful ode the 137th
Psalm, “By the waters of Babylon we sat down and wept,
when we remembered thee, O Sion>
” -&c. He began
early to be inflamed with an ardent desire of travelling for
his improvement in literature, in which his curiosity was
boundless.
ellor of the dioceses of Durham, Hereford, and Llandaff, and commissary of Essex, Herts, and Surrey, was the son of Dr. John Harris, bishop of Llandaff, who died in
, an English civilian, chancellor of
the dioceses of Durham, Hereford, and Llandaff, and
commissary of Essex, Herts, and Surrey, was the son of
Dr. John Harris, bishop of Llandaff, who died in 1738.
The time of his son’s birth we have not been able to ascertain. He was, however, a member of Oriel college, Oxford, where he took his degree of bachelor of laws in May
1745, and that of doctor in the same faculty in May 1750,
in which last year he was admitted into the college of advocates. Here he proved himself an eminent pleader, although not a masterly orator, and enriched himself by
very extensive practice. He died at his house in Doctors’
Commons, April 19, 1796, leaving his very extensive property mostly to charitable uses. Among the very
munificent items in his will, were 40,000l. to St. George’s hospital; 20,000l. to Hetherington’s charity for the blind;
15,000l. to the Westminster lying-in hospital, and 5000l.
to the Hereford infirmary. He also was in his life-time a
benefactor to the funds of the society of advocates. In
1752 he published a pamphlet, entitled “Observations
upon the English Language, in a letter to a friend,
” 8vo,
relating to the common mistakes in spelling, pronunciation,
and accent. This was anonymous; but he afterwards published with his name, “D. Justiniani Institutionum, Libri
quatuor; and a translation of them into English, with
notes,
”
, an English physician, was the son of Dr. Thomas Hodges, dean of Hereford, of whom there
, an English physician, was the
son of Dr. Thomas Hodges, dean of Hereford, of whom
there are three printed sermons. He was educated in
Westminster-school, and became a student of Christ-church,
Oxford, in 1648. In 1651 and 1654, he took the degrees
of B. and M. A. and, in 1659, accumulated the degrees of
B. and M. D. He settled in London, and was, in 1672,
made fellow of the College of Physicians. He remained in
the metropolis during the continuance of the plague in
1665, when most of the physicians, and Sydenham among
the rest, retired to the country: and, with another of his
brethren, he visited the infected during the whole of that
terrible visitation. These two physicians, indeed, appear
to have been appointed by the city of London to attend the
diseased, with a stipend. Dr. Hodges was twice taken ill
during the prevalence of the disease; but by the aid of
timely remedies he recovered. His mode of performing
his perilous duty was to receive early every morning, at his
own house, the persons who came to give reports of the
sick, and convalescents, for advice; he then made his
forenoon visits to the infected, causing a pan of coals to be
carried before him with perfumes, and chewing troches
while he was in the sick chamber. He repeated his visits
in the afternoon. His chief prophylactic was a liberal use
of Spanish wine, and cheerful society after the business of
the day. It is much to be lamented that such a man afterwards fell into unfortunate circumstances, and was confined
for debt in Ludgate prison, where he died in 1684. His
body was interred in the church of St. Stephen’s, Walbrook,
London, where a monument is erected to him. He is
author of two works: 1. “Vindiciae Medicinse et Medicorum: An Apology for the Profession and Professors
of Physic, &c. 1660,
” 8vo. 2. “Aoj/t*oXoyi sive, pestis
nuperoe apud populum Londinensem grassantis narratio historica,
” Loimologia, or, an Historical Account of the Plague of
London in 1665, with precautionary Directions against the
like Contagion. To which is added, an Essay on the different
causes of pestilential diseases, and how they become contagious. With remarks on the infection now in France,
and the most probable means to prevent its spreading here;
”
the latter by John Quincy, M. D. In A collection of very valuable
and scarce pieces relating to the last plague in 1665;
”
among which is “An account of the first rise, progress,
symptoms, and cure of the Plague; being the substance of
a letter from Dr. Hodges to a person of quality, dated from
his house in Watling-street, May the 8th, 1666.
” The
author of the preface to this collection calls our author
“a faithful historian and diligent physician;
” and tells us,
that “he may be reckoned among the best observers in
any age of physic, and has given us a true picture of the
plague in his own time.
”
, an English dramatic poet, was the son of Dr. Richard Lee, who had the living of Hatfield,
, an English dramatic poet, was the
son of Dr. Richard Lee, who had the living of Hatfield, in
Hertfordshire, where he died in 1684. He was bred at
Westminster-school under Dr. Busby, whence he removed
to Trinity-college, in Cambridge, and became scholar upon
that foundation in 1668. He proceeded B. A. the same
year; but, not succeeding to a fellowship, quitted the
university, and came to London, where be made an unsuccessful attempt to become an actor in 1672. The part
he performed was Duncan in sir William Davenant’s alteration of Macbeth. Cibber says that Lee “was so pathetic
a reader of his own scenes, that I have been informed by
an actor who was present, that while Lee was reading to
major Mohun at a rehearsal, Mohun, in the warmth of his
admiration, threw down his part, and said, Unless I were
able to play it as well as you read it, to what purpose,
should I undertake it! And yet (continues the laureat)
this very author, whose elocution raised such admiration
in so capital an actor, when he attempted to he an actor
himself, soon quitted the stage in an honest despair of ever
making any profitable figure there.
” Failing, therefore, in
this design, he had recourse to his pen for support; and
composed a tragedy, called “Nero Emperor of Rome,
”
in The Princess of
Cleve,
” in in 1690,
but, notwithstanding the profits arising from these performances, he was this year reduced to so low an ebb, that
a weekly stipend of ten shillings from the theatre royal was
his chief dependence. Nor was he so free from his
phrenzy as not to suffer some temporary relapses; and
perhaps his untimely end might be occasioned by one. He
died in 1691 or 1692, in consequence of a drunken frolic,
by night, in the street; and was interred in the parish of
Clement Danes, near Temple-Bar. He is the author of
eleven plays, all acted with applause, and printed as soon
as finished, with dedications of most of them to the earls of
Dorset, Mulgrave, Pembroke, the duchesses of Portsmouth and Richmond, as his patrons. Addison declares,
that among our modern English poets there was none better
turned for tragedy than Lee, if, instead of favouring his
impetuosity of genius, he had restrained and kept it within
proper bounds. His thoughts are wonderfully suited to
tragedy, but frequently lost in such a cloud of words, that
it is hard to see the beauty of them. There is infinite
fire in his works, but so involved in smoke, that it does
not appear in half its lustre. He frequently succeeds in
the passionate parts of the tragedy, but more particularly
where he slackens his efforts, and eases the style of those
epithets and metaphors with which he so much abounds.
His
” Rival Queens“and
” Theodosius“still keep possession of the stage. None ever felt the passion of love
pore truly; nor could any one describe it with more
tenderness; and for this reason he has been compared to Ovid
among the ancients, and to Otway among the moderns.
Dryden prefixed a copy of commendatory verses to the
” Rival Queens“and Lee joined with that laureat in
writing the tragedies of
” The duke of Guise“and
” CEdipus.“Notwithstanding Lee’s imprudence and eccentricities, no man could be more respected by his contemporaries. In Spence’s
” Anecdotes" we are told that ViU
liers, duke of Buckingham, brought him up to town, where
he never did any thing for him; and this is said to have
contributed to bring on insanity.
, one of a family of physicians of some note in their day, was the son of Dr. Meyer Schomberg, a native of Cologne, a Jew,
, one of a family of physicians of some note in their day, was the son of Dr. Meyer Schomberg, a native of Cologne, a Jew, and, as it was said, librarian to some person of distinction abroad, which occupation he left, and came and settled in London, where he professed himself to be a physician; and, by art and address, obtained a lucrative situation amidst the faculty. In 1740 he had outstripped all the city physicians, and was in the annual receipt of four thousand pounds. He died March 4, 1761. This, his son, was born abroad, and at the age of two or three years was brought to England, where he received a liberal education, and afterwards studied at Leyden. After his return to London he set up in practice, but had a dispute with the college of physicians, as, we are told, his father had before him. The particulars of this dispute are not uninteresting in the history of the college.
, a very estimable writer, was the son of Dr. West, the editor of “Pindar” in 1^697, who died
, a very estimable writer, was the son
of Dr. West, the editor of “Pindar
” in 1^697, who died in
1716, and his mother was sister to sir Richard Temple,
afterwards lord Cobham. His father, purposing to educate
him for the church, sent him first to Eton, and afterwards
to Oxford; but he was seduced to a more airy mode of life
by a commission in a troop of horse, procured him by his
uncle. He continued some time in the army, but probably
never lost the love, or neglected the pursuit of learning;
and afterwards, finding himself more inclined to civil employment, he laid down his commission, and engaged in
business under lord Townshend, then secretary of state,
with whom he attended the king to Hanover. His adherence to lord Townshend ended in nothing but a nominatioin
(May 1729) to be clerk-extraordinary of the Privy. Council,
which produced no immediate profit; for it only placed
him in a state of expectation and ri^ht of succession, and
it was very long before a vacancy admitted him to profit.
, an eminent physician, was the son of Dr. Clifton Wintringham, also a physician, who died
, an eminent physician,
was the son of Dr. Clifton Wintringham, also a physician,
who died at York, March 12, 1748, and was an author of
reputation, but rather of the mechanical school, as appears
by his first publication, “Tractatus de Podagra, in quo de
ultimis vasis et liquidis et succo nutritio tractatur,
” York,
A Treatise of endemir-diseases,
” ibid. Commentarium nosologicum morbos epidemicos et aeris
variationes in urbe Eboracensi, locisque vicinis, ab anno
1715 ad anni 1725 finem grassantes complectens,
” Lorn!.
An experimental inquiry on some parts
of the animal structure,
” ibid. An inquiry
into the exility of the vessels of a human body,
” ibid.