When he had completed his general and classical education, he became tutor to lord Kingston; but ere long, turning his thoughts to medicine, relinquished that office, and proceeded to Paris, where he studied for several years. On the 11th June, 1736, he took the degree of doctor of medicine at Rheims. In the following month Dr. Parsons came to London, bringing with him from Paris letters of introduction and recommendation to Sir Hans Sloane, Dr. Mead, and Dr. James Douglas. He assisted the last-named physician in his anatomical pursuits; through his interest was appointed physician to the public infirmary of St. Giles's, in 1738; and was introduced by him into extensive obstetric practice. He was admitted a fellow of the Royal Society in 1741, and was appointed its foreign secretary in November, 1751. Dr. Parsons was admitted a Licentiate of the College of Physicians 1st April, 1751. "He resided for many years in Red Lion-square, where he frequently enjoyed the company of Bishop Lyttleton, Dr. Stukeley, Mr. Henry Baker, Dr. Knight, and many other of the most distinguished members of the Royal and Antiquarian societies. He enjoyed also the literary correspondence of D'Argenville, Buffon, Le Cat, Beccaria, Bertrand, Valltravers, Ascanius, Turberville, and others of the most distinguished rank in science. As a practitioner, he was judicious, careful, honest, and remarkably humane to the poor; as a friend, obliging and communicative, cheerful and decent in conversation, severe and strict in his morals, and attentive to fulfil with propriety all the various duties in life." In 1769, finding his health impaired, he proposed to retire from business and from London. With that view he disposed of a considerable number of his books and fossils, and went to Bristol. But he returned soon after to his old house, and, dying in it, after a week's illness, on the 4th April, 1770, in the sixty-sixth year of his age, was buried at Hendon, and in obedience to his special instructions, not until the 21st of that month. On his tomb is the following inscription : Here, taken from his sorrowful family and friends, Member of the College of Physicians, in whom the most dignifying virtues were united, Physic, Anatomy, Natural History, Antiquities, are largely indebted to his skill and industry in each, were in him superior to the Sage, Scholar, and Philosopher. He died April 4, 1770, in the 66th year of his age. A portrait of Dr. Parsons, by Wilson, is in the British Museum. He was the author of Elenchus Gynaicopathologicus et Obstetricarius. 1741. 8vo. Lond. A Mechanical and Critical Inquiry into the nature of Hermaphrodites. 8vo. Lond. 1741. The Croonian Lecture on Muscular Motion. 4to. Lond. 1745. Microscopical Theatre of Seeds. 4to. Lond. 1745. A Description of the Human Urinary Bladder and Parts belonging to it. 8vo. Lond. 1742. Human Physiognomy explained in the Croonian Lectures on Muscular Motion. 4to. Lond. 1747. Philosophical Observations on the Analogy between the Propagation of Animals and that of Vegetables, with Observations on the Polypus. 8vo. Lond. 1752. Remains of Japhet, being Historical Inquiries into the Affinity and Origin of the European Languages. HERMAN HEINEKEN, M.D., was born in London, and on the 15th April, 1742, in his twenty-sixth year, was entered on the physic line at Leyden, but he graduated doctor of medicine at Franeker 5th June, 1744 (D.M.I. VOL. II. N de Diabete), and was admitted a Licentiate of the College of Physicians 1st April, 1751. He was elected physician to the Middlesex hospital 29th August, 1749, and, after a service of seven months only, resigned his office there 3rd April, 1750. Dying in 1772, aged fifty-seven, he was buried in the church of St. Mary Aldermary. SIR JOHN BAPTIST SILVESTER, M.D., was born in Aquitaine, and educated at Leyden, where he graduated doctor of medicine 9th October, 1738. He served as physician to the army in the Low Countries, and was admitted a Licentiate of the College of Physicians 25th June, 1751. Appointed physician to the London hospital 22nd February, 1748, he resigned his office 3rd October, 1764, and in 1777 withdrew from practice, and retired to Bath, where he died the 2nd November, 1789. He was interred in the Dutch church, Austin Friars. He was knighted 21st July, 1774, but under what circumstances I have been unable to discover. GEORGE LAMONT, M.D.-A doctor of medicine of Aberdeen, of 11th July, 1727; was admitted a Licentiate of the College of Physicians 25th June, 1751. FRANCIS PHILIP DUVAL, M.D.-A doctor of medicine of Leyden, of 25th October, 1726 (D.M.I. de Emeticorum effectibus in Corpore Humano), was admitted a Licentiate of the College of Physicians 25th June, 1751. Dr. Duval was physician to the dowager princess of Wales, and died 9th July, 1768. PHILIP DE LA COUR, M.D., was born in London, and on the 12th April, 1730, being then twenty years of age, was entered on the physic line at Leyden, where he took the degree of doctor of medicine 18th August, 1733 (D.M.I. de naturali Catameniorum fluxu, 4to.). He was admitted a Licentiate of the College of Physicians 25th June, 1751. In 1772 he retired to Bath, and died there 21st November, 1780. SAMUEL JEBB, M.D.-This accomplished scholar was the second son of Samuel Jebb, a maltster of Mansfield, co. Nottingham, and was born either in that town or at Nottingham, but most probably the former. He was destined for the church, and was sent to Peterhouse, Cambridge, as a member of which he proceeded bachelor of arts in 1712. Becoming attached, however, to the non-jurors he left the university, and accepted the office of librarian to the celebrated Jeremy Collier. Shortly after this he married a relation of the wife of Mr. Dillingham, a noted apothecary in Red Lion-square, from whom, on the recommendation of Dr. Mead, he took instruction in chemistry and pharmacy. He had before this made for himself a reputation as an able scholar, and for many years mainly supported himself by his pen. The intervals from these labours he now devoted to the study of physic; and, proceeding to Rheims, there took his degree of doctor of medicine 12th March, 1728. He was admitted a Licentiate of the College of Physicians 25th June, 1751; and settling at Stratford, Essex, practised there with considerable success for some years. Having accumulated a moderate fortune, he retired to Chesterfield, co. Derby, where he died 9th March, 1772, leaving several children, one of whom, Sir Richard Jebb, bart., M.D., will have to be mentioned hereafter. Dr. Jebb's publications were very numerous. The following will, I believe, be found a tolerably correct list of them : Justini Martyris cum Tryphone Dialogus. 8vo. Lond. 1719. Translation of the Rev. Daniel Martin's Two Critical Dissertations-I. Upon the 7th verse of the 1st chapter of St. John's First Epistle. II. In Defence of the Testimony given to our Saviour by Josephus. 8vo. Lond. 1719. Proposals for publishing a new edition of the Works of Aristides in Four Volumes. 8vo. Lond. 1720. Bibliotheca Literaria. This extended to ten numbers, the first of which appeared in 1722, the last in 1724. De Vitâ et Rebus gestis Maria Scotorum Reginæ, Frauci Dotariæ. 2 vols. Fol. The History of the Life and Reign of Mary Queen of Scots and Dowager of France; extracted from original Records and Writers of Credit. 8vo. Lond. 1725. Ælii Aristidis Adrianensis Opera Omnia Græcè et Latinè. 2 tom. Oxon. 4to. 1730. Johannis Caii Britanni, de Canibus Britannicis, Liber unus-de Variorum Animalium et Stirpium &c. Liber unus-de Libris Propriis, Liber unus-de Pronunciatione Græcæ et Latinæ Linguæ cum Scriptione Novâ, Libellus, ad optimorum exemplarium fidem recogniti. 8vo. Lond. 1729. Friar Bacon's Opus Majus, from a MS. in the Public Library. Fol. Lond. 1733. Humphr. Hodii de Græcis illustribus, Linguæ Græcæ, Literarumque humaniorum Instauratoribus-Præmittitur de Vitâ et Scriptis ipsius Humphredi Hodii Dissertatio. 8vo. Lond. 1742. Mr. Bridges' MSS. relating to the History of Northamptonshire were confided to the editorial care of Dr. Jebb, who published two parts in folio; but circumstances then occurred to interfere with its completion, and the papers were handed to Mr. Whalley. ROBERT WATSON, M.D., was of Catherine hall, Cambridge; M.B. 1745; M.D. 3rd July, 1750. He was admitted a Candidate of the College of Physicians 1st October, 1750, and a Fellow 30th September, 1751. He delivered the Gulstonian Lectures in 1753, and was Censor the same year. Dr. Watson was for a short time physician to the Westminster hospital. Elected to that office in 1752, he resigned it in 1754, and died 2nd March, 1756. "In him," writes the "Gentleman's Magazine," "the public has lost a real scholar, an excellent physician, an admirable philosopher, and, in every consideration, a most worthy person." JOHN CLEPHANE, M.D.-A doctor of medicine of St. Andrew's, of 29th May, 1729, who had served as physician to the army in the Low Countries, was admitted a Licentiate of the College of Physicians 25th June, 1752. He was appointed physician to St. George's hospital, 8th May, 1751. He was admitted a fellow of the Royal Society 4th May, 1749, and died 11th |