IV 
PREFACE* 
it. During this latter part of his life, 
he was frequently petitioned for charity 
by fome decayed branches of families 
of eminent men, late of his acquaint- 
ance, who were famous for their 
learned works, &c. which petitions he 
always received, and confidered with at- 
tention ; and, provided they were not 
found fraudulent, they were always an- 
fwered by his charitable donations : he 
has often defired that I would inquire 
into the merits of fuch petitioners ; and, 
if found latisfa<ftory, he commiftioned 
me to convey his bounty to the diftrefted. 
— The laft time I faw him, I was greatly 
furprifed and concerned to find fo good 
a man in the agonies of death : this was 
on the tenth day of January, 1753, at 
four o’clock in the afternoon : he died 
on the eleventh, at four in the morning. 
I continued with him later than any of 
his relations, but was obliged to retire, 
his laft agonies being beyond what I 
could bear; though, under his pain and 
weaknefs of body, he feemed to retain 
a great firmnefs of mind, and refignation 
to the will of God. 
The third of my patrons was the great 
Richard Mead, M. D. He was certainly 
magnanimous beyond the common mea- 
fure, and deferved the title of Great in 
as extenfive a fenfe as any man in his 
llation could do. He, as well as Sir Hans 
Sloane, died in the higheft ftations of 
phyfic they could arrive at, viz. Phyficians 
in Ordinary to the King : Dr. Mead, 
indeed, never was at the head of the 
College of Phyficians of London, but it 
was becaufe he always abfolutely declined 
it; for he hath been elected into that 
honourable ftation, but never could be 
perfuaded to accept of it. His perfonal 
icrvice, his ample fortune, his houfe, and 
3 
prendre . Durant cette dernier e parti e de 
Ja vie, il recevoit fouvent des requetes de 
perfonncs necefliteufes , appartenant d des fa- 
milies de gens celebres , qui avoient eti de fa 
connoifjance , et qui s etoient rendus recom- 
niandables par leurs ftavants ouvrages , &c t 
il recevoit confa?nment ces requetes , et let 
confideroit avec attention ; et , pourvu quelles 
nexpofajfent que la verite , il y repondoit 
toujours par de charitables donations : il 
me prioit fouvent de m informer du merit e 
de ceux qui le follicitoient j et, ft jen etois 
content , il me chargeoit de tranfmettre fa 
beneficence aux ajjiigcs. — La derniere fois 
que je le vis, je Jus port furpris de trouver 
un ft excellent hom?ne d lagonie : ce fut le 
dixie me Janvier , 1753, Jur les quatre 
heitres apres midi, et il mourut le lendemain 
d quatre heures du matin. Je reftai avec 
lui pLs tard quaucun de fes parents ; man 
enfin je fus oblige de me retirer , la vio- 
lence de fon agonie etant au deld de ce que 
je pouvois J'upporter ; quoique , malgre let 
douJeurs quil fouffroit , et la foiblejfe de fon 
cotps, il par lit retenir line grande jermete 
fame, et une entiere refignation d la vo- 
lonte de Dieu . 
Le troifieme de met patrons etoit le celebre 
Richard Mead, DoBeur en Medecine. 11 
avoit certainemcnt une grandeur d'arne au 
dejjht du commun, ct il meriioit d cet egard 
le mm de Grand, dans un fens aufji etendu 
quaucun homme de J'a condition. 11 efi mort , 
aujji bien que le Chevalier Hans Sloane, dans 
les plus hauts po/les de la medecine , oil il put 
parvcnir, Run et 1 autre ay ant ete Medecins 
Ordinaires du Roi : il eft vrai que M. Mead 
n a jamais ete d la tcte du College des Me- 
decins de Londres , mats cejl par ce qui l Fa 
toujours abfolurncnt rej'nfe ; car il a bien 
ete elu d ce pofte honorable, mais on n a 
jamais pu le petfuader de 1 accepter : il a 
toujours contribute rntant quil lui a ete 
