Among his visitors and patients, at Chelsea, was his Royal Highness Edward Duke of York, who entrusted the preservation of his life to Dominiceti’s sole direction for above a month; and that in direct opposition to the advice of the Physicians and Surgeons of the Royal household. Sir John Fielding, having experienced the good effects, as he considered, of these baths, wrote a “Vindication of Dr. Dominiceti’s Practice of removing various afflicting diseases by medicated baths, stoves, fumigations, and frictions, founded on facts.”
Dominiceti resided for several years in Chelsea. He became bankrupt in the parish in 1782, and at length disappeared, overwhelmed with debt.
We will now notice one of the most distinguished scholars and clergymen of the early part of the present century, the Rev. Weeden Butler, who resided in the above-mentioned house for a great many years, and also one of his sons, etc., until a comparatively recent period, and which cannot fail to be highly interesting to a large number of readers.
The Rev. Weeden Butler was born at Margate, in 1742. When aged fourteen, he lost both his parents; and with his own free will was articled as clerk to Mr. Rosewell, a respectable solicitor, in Angel Court, Throgmorton Street, London. At the expiration of his term, he was offered by his considerate late master and constant friend till death, a share in the business; but he had determined to renounce for ever the profession of the law, and resolved, by intense study and application, to improve his superior intellectual powers, and ardently to prepare himself for holy orders. About this time, he frequented all the churches and chapels within and around the vast metropolis, as an enquirer after truth. The result of his search fixed his choice, and he devoted his time thenceforth, as a firm member of the Establishment, upon the fullest conviction of its excellence. The course of his classical and theological reading was directed by that splendidly and variously gifted, but most unhappy character, Dr. William Dodd, to whom, for a salary of small extent, he acted as an assiduous amanuensis, till his patron’s ignominious death, in 1777.
Dr. Dodd’s “Commentary on the Holy Bible,” was partly compiled, and wholly written out for the press, by the then unknown Rev. Weeden Butler, who also greatly assisted in editing the four last volumes of “The Christian’s Magazine,” and corrected the proof sheets of the poem, in blank vase, “Thoughts in Prison,” of which Dr. Dodd’s own MS. was in the possession of Mr. Butler’s eldest son in 1829–30. In this last singularly affecting composition occur lines indicative of the worth of the person eulogized, and of the author’s gratitude:—
“But I am lost! a criminal adjudg’d!
A guilty miscreant! can’st thou think, my friend!
Oh! Butler ’midst a million faithful found;
Oh! can’st thou think, who know’st, who long hast known,
My inmost soul; oh! can’st thou think, that life,” &c.
Dr. Dodd resigned his office of Morning Preacher, in Charlotte Street Chapel, Pimlico, in February, 1776, and at his strong recommendation, Dr. Courtney nominated the deserving Reader, Mr. Butler, who was licensed Morning Preacher accordingly; and afterwards by purchase he became proprietor of the chapel, officiating therein up to the year 1814. When the subject of the present article retired from Chelsea, to Gayton; where he piously discharged the duties of curate to his second son, till his increasing infirmities compelled him to resign this his last charge, and he finally withdrew to Greenhill, in the neighbourhood of Harrow, where he died.
He was master of the school in Cheyne Walk for forty years; where many persons of considerable rank had been so thoroughly grounded in morality and general learning as to become bright ornaments to their country. Amongst other scholars, the Rev. Weeden Butler had the gratification of seeing his two sons treading assiduously in his own paths. The Rev. G. Butler, D.D., in 1805, was chosen Head Master of Harrow School, and continued as such, with great reputation, for many years.
The elder Mr. Butler was one of the earliest institutors of the “Society for the Discharge and Relief of Persons imprisoned for small debts,” and most materially assisted James Neild, Esq., his next door neighbour, in firmly establishing that excellent Institution. The friendship, indeed, which existed between these two benevolent characters, cannot be better exemplified and attested than by the following few extracts from a letter written by Mr. Neild, dated Chelsea, January 1, 1808.
“When I look back to the distant period of our lives, and observe, that, of the first Committee of the Society, you, Rev. Sir, and myself, remain the only survivors, I cannot but feel the most powerful, and, at the same time, the most humble gratitude to the Great Disposer of all human events, for having suffered me to live and witness the happy result of our early and well-meant endeavours. * * * * With growing and well-merited esteem, Sir, I witnessed your successful exertions in behalf of the Society, at its earliest institution. Often have I felt the influence acknowledged by all who have heard the eloquent and impressive discourses which you have delivered from the pulpit, in recommendation of the objects embraced by this Charity, and never can the gratifying recollection be effaced which beamed from every countenance around you, when you mentioned the receipt of £100 from an eminent advocate for suffering humanity.” Mr. Neild concludes by referring to the promotion of Mr. Butler’s son (Dr. Butler), which he considers to be the reward of his virtues; of those early advances which his father’s tuition enabled him to make in literature, and to the purity of his Christian principles.