CHAPTER III 



OUTLINE OF FOTHERGILL'S LIFE IN LONDON 



Have I done worthy work ? Be love's the praise ! 



The world is used to have its business done 



On other grounds, find great effects produced 



For power's sake, fame's sake, motives in men's mouth 



So, good ; but let my low ground shame their high ! 



Truth is the strong thing. Let man's life be true ! 



And love's the truth of mine. Time prove the rest ! 



R. BROWNING. 



ON his return to London in the year 1740 Fothergill took 

 a house, No. 2 White Hart Court, which was situated in 

 the northern angle between Lombard Street and Grace- 

 church Street. Here stood in those days a famous 

 meeting-house of the Friends, and around it houses of 

 merchants and others belonging to the society ; in one 

 of them, that of Henry Gouldney, George Fox died in 

 1691. Fothergill paid in 1748 a rent of 45 for his 

 dwelling-house. 1 The place has now long been covered 

 by tall city offices. 



Fothergill had now entered on the career of a London 

 physician. An outline will here be given of the chief 

 events in his busy life. Most of these will be again referred 

 to in later chapters, where his medical activities, his 

 friendships, and his scientific interests will be spoken of 

 in more detail, as well as his influence in his own Society 

 and his relations with the American provinces. 



It was not long before business came to the young 

 physician, though the returns were small for some years. 

 He received 105 guineas in fees in the year 1740, and 

 expended 104, including 44 for the tour abroad. Whilst 



1 W. Beck, London Friends' Meetings, 1869, p. 146. 

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