HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. [263 



pised life, nor feared nor wished for death, but lived agreeably to 

 himself and others." This is the character of a great and good man, 

 and the more praise-worthy, as he lived in an age remarkable for 

 hypocrisy at one period, and for profaneness at another. 



On the Restoration of Charles II. when the former members of 

 the University of Oxford returned to their places, and re-esta- 

 biished the ancient institutions, Archbishop Sheldon munificently 

 founded a Theatre for the acts, exercises, &c. of the students, laid 

 the first stone, and defrayed the whole expence of the edifice, which 

 amounted to above <12,000. He also bestowed large sums in 

 benefactions to other public institutions, especially those connected 

 with the established Church. 



DR. ROBERT JAMES. 



This ingenious gentleman was born at Kinverston, in this county, 

 in the year 1703. His father was a major in the army, his mother 

 a sister of Sir Robert Clarke. He received his education at St. 

 John's College, Oxford, where he took the degree of A. B. and af- 

 terwards became a licentiate in the Royal College of Physicians. 

 In 1743, he published the "Medicinal Dictionary," in three vo- 

 lumes folio ; and shortly afterwards a translation, with a supple- 

 ment by himself, of " Ramazzani de Morbis Artijicum" to which 

 also he prefixed a piece by Frederic Hoffman, upon " Endemical 

 Distempers." In 1746 appeared " The Practice of Physic," in 

 two volumes octavo; in 1760, the Treatise " On Canine Madness/' 

 octavo ; and in 1764, the " Dispensatory/' also in octavo. On the 

 25th of June, 1755, while the King was at Cambridge, Mr. James was 

 admitted by mandamus to the Doctorship of Physic. Three yeara 

 after this, were published " A Dissertation upon Fevers ;" "A 

 Vindication of the Fever Powder ;" and " A Short Treatise on the 

 Disorders of Children," with a good print of the author. This was 

 the eighth edition of the "Dissertation;" the first having been 

 published in 1751. The "Vindication" was in fact a posthumous 

 publication, the author dying before it was completed, in 1776, 

 while he was employed upon it. 



Dr. Johnson, in his Life of Smith, makes an affectionate mention 

 of Dr. James, for whom he had a great regard. It appears also 

 that Johnson acquired from Dr. James some knowledge of physic. 



