24 OUTLINE OF FOTHERGILL'S LIFE CHAP. 



posed many of his medical papers. He discouraged 

 practice, and made it a rule to take no fees whilst he was 

 away, leaving his wealthy patients to the care of others. 

 But he devoted one day in each week to give his advice 

 gratis to the poor, attending for the purpose at the old 

 royal borough town of Middlewich, a few miles away, 

 where he sat to prescribe for patients it is said, at the 

 White Bear Inn. Such indeed was his reputation that, 

 on his four or five days' journey to and from his country 

 seat, his coach was often beset by apothecaries and 

 importunate persons seeking his advice. He was obliged 

 at some places on the route to sit at a table with an 

 amanuensis and deal with a crowd of poor sick people. 



Lea Hall, a roomy brick mansion of Queen Anne's 

 date, was at one time occupied by the Lowndes family. 

 It was surrounded by a moat, and stood in well-stocked 

 grounds, amidst plantations, orchard, and fruit garden. 

 From the roof a wide extent of country was visible. The 

 house has undergone changes in later times : the fine 

 oak panelling of the lofty rooms has been painted over, 

 but a noble staircase remains. Secret panels in some 

 of the chambers formerly opened into hiding-places; 

 one of the tall chimneys contained such a cachette. 

 Much of the moat has been filled, and the orchard is 

 gone ; the garden, too, which Fothergill planted with 

 duplicates from Upton is no longer kept up : rare species 

 supposed to have escaped from his cultivation were at 

 one time found in the neighbourhood. 1 



It was then unusual for physicians to take long holi- 

 days, and some who had attempted it found their practice 

 much diminished on their return. But in Fothergill's 

 case it was not so ; he came back to town and was at 

 once busy. 



In 1767 he moved out of the city to Harpur Street, 



1 Lea Hall was at a later date in the possession of Sir J. Verdin, Bart., 

 and now belongs to the United Alkali Company. The author is indebted to 

 the kindness of Mrs. E. B. Harlock and to Mr. C. F. Lawrence, both of Middle- 

 wich, for information. See also Works, in. p. Ivii ; Mem. S. Fothergill, pp. 

 453 ff. ; Tuke, pp. 34-37 ; Letter, J. F. to J. Pemberton, 16. 9. 1768, Etting 

 MSS. 



