1810.1 Account of the Life and Opinions of the late Dr. Pike. 93 
reasonings of a very intimate friend, the 
curate of a neighbouring parish, he was 
freed from his NA pa of guilp in 
separation 2 
termined on seceding. Emolument was as 
nothing to him; when conscience forbad. 
<* Go, (said his liberal-minded friend,) 
if your conscience cannot be satished 
with Us, let NOt, your talents lie idle; 
go hear Kippis, Price, Farmer, Pickard, 
Join that body of Christians ; for other 
dissenters will, not suit you, Among 
them you may be useful.” He went and 
was deli: ehted. Hlesonght acquaintance 
with these gentlemen, and an intimacy 
eommenced with them, which lasted 
many years; more espect tally with dr, 
Kippis. That gentlemau’s great urbanity 
and friendship, afurded him one of his 
greatest pleasures. Ile now decidedly 
renounced the establishment; and the 
first time he preached: among the dis- 
eenters, was for Dr. Kippis, in. March, 
1777. We, alter this, became intimately 
acquainted with all those London minis- 
ters who were called presbyterian, and. 
all their pulpits were occasionally open 
to him, 
Atthis time, he kept a boarding-school 
in London; but about the year 1779, he 
removed it to Stoke Newington, and 
soon after to Edmonten. 
he warried a Miss Gregory, the daughter 
of a Russfa merchant, deceased, by 
whom he ‘has since had a very (ree 
family. In a few years he gave up his 
school to her brother, himself accepung 
an livitution- to a congreg same- 
where in the west, thro nal the medium 
of Dr. Savage. But whether he found 
things disz agreeable there 1 cannot say, 
for his stay in that part was not long, 
He returned to the metropolis. Here is 
again a break in the information I can 
give, as I-then left England for near five 
years, At my return, in 1791, he was 
. 
ation 
Pitan medicine in London, (and a_ 
most intuitive and able physician he 
was.) “L suppose his diploma was froin 
Scotland, America, How leng he 
continued the practice of that profession 
I know not; but as his-own health was 
always tender; he could not then bear 
residence in town, and therefore lived at 
a littie distance. I suppose he wa? Heyer 
extensively known’ as a physician. Ife 
eoxld net push himself into notice. Le 
hated all Jitile arts. And as_he spent 
_ but a few hours daily in town, that cir- 
/cumstance was against hun. Never- 
theless, when he declined. practice, he 
had acquired some coinfortabie property, 
and frum that time he de-" 
When there,’ 
on which he supported his large family, 
with economy, for several years. he 
lace Dr, Buchan, with whom he was: 
very intimate, spok e to me with great 
respect of ee medical. abilities, of his 
abhorrence of medical cant and conse= 
quential ignorance, of his disinterested. 
honesty ; but, said he, ‘he loves to be, 
tog much in the shade, he is too fond of 
a back-ground.” About this tune, he 
had a tempting offer if he would return 
to the esiablishinent, but his views were 
not altered, and the offer was made in 
vain. : 
Atlength, a most infamous and bitter 
persecution was commenced against hina, 
by a set of the vilest miscreants on eart th, 
acting in a large confederacy. This 
compelled hins, ‘with a broken spirit, at 
the age-of sixty, to quit a comfortable 
situation, and all his connections. No- 
body knew to what part he retired. 
Some said to Holland, others to [reland, 
others to Yorkshire. But T think they 
were all mistaken, and that he went 
westward; forin tHe spring of 1805, T saw 
him from my window, at Bridport; and a 
short time after, I saw him again at 
Exeter, purchasing a horse. As judged 
that I might hurt his feelings, if he 
wished for concealment, I did not speak 
to hin; and from that time I knew no 
more of him, til I read his death in the 
dail¥ papers ; T suppose between two and 
three years ago. 
I Be atly pitied his undeserved suffer- 
ings, for | know him to have been a very 
valuable and worthy man; unassuming in 
bis disposition, bland in bis manners, 
and strict in moral principle. Asa son, 
a husband, a father, and a minister, he 
commanded esteem. His heart was 
truly Henly, and he was sympathy itself 
towards all kinds /of distress; ever ready 
to render any kindness, or make any 
sacrifice, to assist or sooth the sorrowful; 
I could tell such iastances of this kind, 
as are very rarely to be met with, but 
they would lengthen this narrative too 
much, Perhaps 1 may give them in 
some future letter. 
Ie vas an able, classical scholar; a 
20d Hiblical eritic, a very pleasing poet, 
ae de ep read from bis youth in medical 
ie re, which was his peculiar delight. 
But none. but his immediate and ver 
intimate friends could know: all this; for 
die wade no display of his knowled: ae or 
talents ; and ratherseemed to aim at con- 
cealment. L have some sweet pcces of 
Aus poetry by me, which I. may some time 
‘transeribe aud sead you, Asa preacher, 
/ he 
