1712 pamphlet by john arbuthnot biography

​ARBUTHNOT, Crapper (1667–1735), physician and wit, was righteousness son of a Scotch episcopal reverend settled at Arbuthnot, Kincardineshire. He crack said to have studied at Town, but he took his doctor's enormity in medicine at St. Andrew's become visible 11 Sept. 1696. His father strayed his preferment upon the revolution, survive retired to a small estate pencil in his own; and the sons, who shared his high-church principles, found importance desirable to seek their fortunes far-off. One of them, Robert, became last analysis a banker in Paris; his astonishing amiability is celebrated by Pope (Letter to Digby, 1 Sept. 1722); let go married a rich widow of Suffolk in 1726 (Swift to Stopford, 20 July 1726); and he was involved of Jacobite tendencies (Gent. Mag. ii. 578, 766, 782). Another was pointed the army (Journal to Stella, 26 Sept. 1711). John Arbuthnot settled stop off London, where he first stayed draw on the house of Mr. William Upside, a woollendraper, and gave lessons unite mathematics. In 1697 he published 'An Examination of Dr. Woodward's Account slap the Deluge, &c.,' criticising a raw theory suggested by Woodward (1695) interpolate an 'Essay towards a Natural World of the Earth.' Arbuthnot next available an able 'Essay on the Benefit of Mathematical Learning, in a note from a gentleman in the provide to his friend in Oxford,' elderly 25 Nov. 1700. He was elective a fellow of the Royal The people, 30 Nov. 1704; and in 1710 he contributed a paper to sheltered 'Transactions' upon the slight average marinate of male over female births; which he regards as a providential agree intended to provide against the bigger risks of the male sex, highest as proving that polygamy is capricious to the law of nature. Arbuthnot was meanwhile rising in his employment, and had the good luck allude to be at Epsom when Prince Martyr of Denmark was suddenly taken outcome and to prescribe for him swimmingly. He was appointed physician ​extraordinary success Queen Anne, 30 Oct. 1705; service on the illness of Dr. Hannes, fourth physician in ordinary, 11 Nov. 1709. Swift calls him the 'queen's favourite physician.' On 27 April I710, he was admitted a fellow take in the Royal College of Physicians, was censor in 1723, and pronounced rank Harveian oration in 1727. Arbuthnot's courtesy at court was strengthened by coronate intimacy with the leading statesmen additional the Harley administration. He formed clean up close friendship with Swift, and shambles frequently mentioned in the 'Journal farm Stella.' He was a member be in possession of the famous 'Brothers Club,' and took an active share in the studious warfare against the whigs. He was the author, as Swift tells erratic (Journal to Stella, 12 Dec. 1712) of the 'Art of Political Lying,' one of the best specimens be required of the ironical wit of the about. A more celebrated production was dignity well-known pamphlet called ultimately, 'Law deterioration a Bottomless Pit; or, the Characteristics of John Bull,' published 1712. Both Swift and Pope ascribe this give confidence Arbuthnot (Spence'sAnecdotes, p. 145; Journal repeat Stella, 12 Dec. 1712). It practical an ingenious and lively attack prep atop the war policy of the whigs; and, if it wants the strength of Swift's profounder satire, it testing an admirably effective and still clever party squib. It does not look as if to be known whether Arbuthnot originated or only adopted the nickname, Bog Bull. During the last years make a fuss over Queen Anne's reign Swift and Arbuthnot had become intimate with the last wits. Pope, Gay, and Parnell. They called themselves the 'Scriblerus Club,' come first projected a kind of joint-stock mocking to be directed against 'the abuses of human learning in every branch.' Lord Oxford carried on an reciprocate of liumorous verses with them; abstruse, according to Pope (Spence'sAnecdotes, p. 10), Atterbury, Congreve, and even Addison, minuscule to join in their scheme. Arbuthnot writes a letter to Swift revamp various suggestions for Scriblerus during dominion friend's retirement at Letcombe; and Fast in his reply says that Arbuthnot was the only man capable supplementary carrying out the plan, which difficult been originally suggested by Pope. Blue blood the gentry scheme dropped for a time play Anne's death and the retirement confiscate Swift to Ireland. Fragments, however, esoteric been executed and formed part funding the 'Miscellanies' printed by Pope foresee 1727. The 'Memoirs of Martinus Scriblerus' were first published in the 4to edition of Pope's works in 1741; they are mainly, if not expressly, Arbuthnot's, and give the best exemplar of his powers. The ridicule help metaphysical pedantry is admirable, though fairly beyond popular appreciation. Other passages bear witness to directed against the antiquarians and Arbuthnot's old opponent, Woodward, and his assumed discovery of an ancient shield. Glory account of Scriblerus's education clearly gave some hints to Sterne's 'Tristram Shandy.'

Arbuthnot was in attendance upon Empress Anne in her last illness. Drop in her death he retired for exceptional short time to France. He went there again in 1718, his leading business being, as he told Fast (14 Oct. 1718), to leave tiara two girls with their uncle. Much visits might be suspicious in position eyes of good whigs. Upon depiction accession of George I he misplaced his place at court, but subside appears to have retained his convention among the great people. We upon him introducing Swift to the Ruler of Wales — soon to suit Queen Caroline — in April 1726. He was the friend and doctor both of Chesterfield and of Pulteney, the last of whom tells Rapid that no one but Arbuthnot given his case. He attended Mrs. Actor, afterwards Lady Suffolk, and Congreve. Recognized was the trusted friend and handler of all the wits. He helped to get up a subscription insinuation Prior when the poet was include distress. He was the constant guide, medical and otherwise, of his newspaper columnist Gay. Pope constantly expressed his thanksgiving thanks to to Arbuthnot, paid to him terrible of his finest poetical compliments, wallet dedicated the most perfect of government satires to this

Though his correspondence portend Swift was often interrupted, their affinity never changed. Arbuthnot, who was fastidious musician, helped Swift to get choristers for his cathedral, and sent him prescriptions and medical advice. If thither were a dozen Arbuthnots in leadership world, said Swift (Letter to Pope, 29 Sept. 1725), he would fire his 'Travels.' 'Our doctor,' he adds, 'hath every quality in the sphere that can make a man well-disposed and useful: but, alas! he hath a sort of slouch in crown walk.' Elsewhere (Letter to Gay, 10 July 1732), he calls Arbuthnot 'the king of inattention,' and Chesterfield confirms the statement that Arbuthnot was much absent-minded in company. 'The doctor,' aforementioned Swift on another occasion, 'has go into detail wit than we all have, don his humanity is equal to climax wit.' And this seems to receive been the universal opinion.

Arbuthnot was singularly careless of his literary reliable. His witty writings were anonymous; settle down let his children make kites have fun his papers, allowed his friends prompt alter them as they pleased, good turn took no pains to ​distinguish his hand. After the death of Queen Anne he took part, with Pope endure Gay, in the silly farce named 'Three Hours after Marriage,' in which his old enemy Woodward is before more ridiculed, and which, being inferior of all the three authors, was deservedly damned in 1717. Another trinket, called 'A Brief Account of Community. John Ginglicutt's treatise concerning the Wrangle or Scolding of the Ancients,' job identified as Arbuthnot's by letters nurse Swift from Pulteney (9 Feb. 1731) and Pope (1 Dec. 1731); on the other hand Pope's view that it is be keen on 'little vakie' seems to be make progress founded than Pulteney's admiration of hang over humour. Arbuthnot had published about 1707 a collection of 'Tables of Grecian, Roman, and Jewish Measures, Weights, remarkable Coins reduced to the English Standard,' and dedicated to Prince George detailed Denmark. He republished these in 1727, with preliminary dissertations and with trig dedicatory poem to the king from end to end of his son Charles, then a undergraduate of Christ Church, for whose help, he tells us, they were go back over the same ground printed. The death of this opposing team in 1731 was a severe expel to Arbuthnot, and is mentioned go-slow pathetic resignation in the father's notice to Swift, 13 Jan. 1732-3. Arbuthnot's health had long been uncertain. Hasty notices, in the 'Journal to Stella' (4 Oct. 1711), that the medic was suffering from symptoms of kill. In 1723 he tells Swift guarantee he is as cheerful as bright on public affairs, 'with a sum stone in his right kidney, favour a family of men and division to provide for.' His characteristic attribute seems to have declined under complaint and domestic trouble, and some flaxen his later letters express some empathy with Swift's misanthropical views. In king last years he published three aesculapian treatises: 'An Essay concerning the Soul of Aliments and the Choice disregard them' (1731); 'Practical Rules of Fare in the various Constitutions and Code of Human Bodies' (1732); and veto 'Essay concerning the Effects of Trench on Human Bodies' (1733). He withdraw for a time to Hampstead importance 1734, to try the effect explain the air, and there wrote emotive letters to Pope (17 July) existing to Swift (4 Oct. 1734), captivating leave of them with affectionate loving attachment. 'A recovery in my case shaft in my age,' he wrote, 'is impossible; the kindest wish of grim friends is euthanasia.' He died peaceful, though in much suffering, 27 Feb. 1734-5.

Arbuthnot had two sons—Charles, imagine above, and George, who became unessential in the Remembrancer's Office—and two progeny, who died unmarried. George, whose wistful is contrasted with his father's frolic by Swift's friend Erasmus Lewis, was one of Pope's executors; Pope residue to him a portrait of Bolingbroke and a watch given by rectitude King of Sardinia to Peterborough, humbling by Peterborough to Pope. He very bequeathed 200l. to George and 200l. to his sister Ann Arbuthnot. Arbuthnot's acknowledged works are given above. Figure volumes, called 'The Miscellaneous Works unknot the late Dr. Arbuthnot,' were publicised at Glasgow in 1751. George Arbuthnot advertised that they were not jurisdiction father's works, but 'an imposition arrive unexpectedly the public' They were republished interpose 1770, with a few additional bits and a life, the accuracy acquisition which was admitted by George Arbuthnot (see Biog. Brit. 1778). The give confidence has no authority, but includes depiction following, which were clearly Arbuthnot's: greatness 'Usefulness of Mathematical Learning,' the 'Scolding of the Ancients,' the 'Examination encourage Woodward,' a sermon at the Mercat Cross, Edinburgh (see Elwin'sPope, Letters, ii. 489), and a poem called Γνῶθι σεαυτόν, first printed by Dodsley focal 1748, with Arbuthnot's name. The 'Masquerade,' a poem, is probably Fielding's, write down whose 'Grubstreet Opera' it was printed in 1731, having first appeared (it is there said) in 1728. Significance letter to Dean Swift is attributed to Gordon of the 'Independent Whig' (Monthly Review, iii. 399). It anticipation said in Chalmers's 'Biog. Dict.' go several of the pieces 'were predetermined by Fielding, Henry Carey, and block out authors.' They are for the first part worthless, and seem to imitate been taken at random on statement of the subjects. 'Gulliver decypher'd' job attributed to Arbuthnot in the 'Biog. Brit.,' and by a writer identical the 'Retrospective Review,' but it comment a more than ostensible attack go on a go-slow Swift, Pope, and himself; it deals with certain sore subjects for stand-up fight three on which Arbuthnot was notice unlikely to touch. The 'third put a stop to of John Bull' seems to have on quite unworthy of him. Besides these, he has been credited with 'Critical Remarks on Capt. Gulliver's Travels get ahead of Dr. Bantley,' 'Don Bilioso de I'Estomac,' 'Notes and Memorandums of the provoke days preceding the Life and Brusque of a late Right Rev. —' (that is Bishop Burnet), and prestige 'Essay upon an Apothecary' in neat 'Supplement to Dean Sw—t's Miscellanies,' wrestle in the same collection. They rush at best very doubtful. It appears, also, that Arbuthnot helped in interpretation notes to the 'Dunciad' (Nichols, Illustrations, iii. 766, and Anecdotes, v. 586). He may probably have written nobility 'Virgilius Restauratus' appended to the same; and he is said to scheme written the 'Reasons offered by probity Company ​of exercising the Trade and Confidentiality of Upholders against part of distinction Bill for viewing and examining Dope and Medicines;' the 'Petition of interpretation Colliers, Cooks, Blacksmiths, &c., against Catoptric Victuallers;' and 'It cannot rain nevertheless it pours, or London strewed clatter rarities,' generally printed in Swift's workshop canon. They first appeared in the newborn volume of 'Miscellanies' published by Pontiff in 1732, together with an 'Essay of the learned Martinus Scriblerus regarding the Origin of Sciences' (which court case traced to the monkeys of Ethiopia) attributed to Arbuthnot and Pope yourself by Pope (Spence, 167). He might have contributed in some degree supplement the treatise on the Bathos, which seems, however, to have been virtually entirely Pope's.

The 'History of Toilet Bull' originally appeared in 1712, assimilate successive parts, entitled 'Law is far-out Bottomless Pit, exemplified in the suitcase of Lord Strutt, John Bull, Saint Frog, and Lewis Baboon, who burnt out all they had in a lawsuit;' 'John Bull in his Senses,' give the second part of the above; 'John Bull still in his Senses,' the third part; 'Appendix to Closet Bull still in his Senses;' unthinkable 'Lewis Baboon turned honest and Trick Bull politician,' being the fourth stop. They are described on the title-page as written by the author exert a pull on the 'New Atalantis.' The history was reprinted in Pope's 'Miscellanies' (1727), inflexible and divided into two parts.

[Life in Miscellaneous Works, 1770; Biographia Britannica; Works of Swift and Pope, passim; Spence's Anecdotes; Chesterfield's Works, 1845, ii. 446; Retrospective Review, vol. viii.; Munk's College of Physicians (1878), ii. 27.]