[1075] On his promotion he was congratulated by his venerable relation, the elder Pyle, to which the bishop returned the following answer—
“My dear uncle, I return you my hearty thanks for your kind congratulation on my advancement to the see of C. and was proud of shewing my respect and veneration for you by doing a small piece of service to so worthy a young man as my C. P. [cousin Philip] I hope these cold winds will not set you back again and I may once more visit you and survey you as I did then, in the light of an ancient prophet or patriarch. Truly I have often wished that my fortune had permitted me to have enjoyed you more than I have done, to have sat at your feet and suckt in the true unpoluted streams of goodness and religion, which you have poured forth for so many years, so much to your own reputation and the welfare of others. Be assured you leave a Nephew behind you who is determined to support the cause of Truth and Righteousness, and has courage enough to attack the f. [false] principles both of gt, and rn. [government and religion] that universally prevail among ch. Divs. [church Divines] With my most sincere Benediction I am. Dear Sir. your affectionate Nephew 28 Mar. 1752.
E. C.”
[1079] A degree which was exactly the reverse of the initials of his name D.LL.
[1081] Dr. H. was respectable in the line of his profession, not only as a practitioner, but likewise as a writer; though he was not rewarded according to his merit. Many of his works, at his death, were left in manuscript, most of which still remain in that state; but some have been since published, in addition to those that appeared in his life time. Of his published works the following are thought the most remarkable—1. “A paper on a puncture in the bladder,” inserted in the Phil. Trans. vol. 66.—2. “A paper on the disease called the mumps,” inserted in the Edinb. Phil. Trans.—3. “A paper on the use of mercury and opium,” published in Dr. Duncan’s Medical Commentaries.—4. “A Treatise upon Scrophula,” published in London by Dilly.—5. “A Treatise on the Eau-brink-Cut,” published at Lynn, in 1793.—6. “Observations on the Marsh remittent Fever and on the Water Canker, &c.” published by Mawman, London, 1801.—7. “Letters on the cause and treatment of the Gout, in which some digressive remarks on other medical subjects are interspersed;” published by Whittingham, Lynn, and Sold by Crosby, London, 1806. Before we close this brief memoir of Dr. Hamilton we may just observe that he, as was before said of Mr. Rastrick and another person, sometimes left his profounder studies and amused himself in writing verses, of which a specimen may be seen at the beginning of his “Observations on the Marsh Remittent Fever.” In the same work, at page 89, we also learn how long it was that Dr. Hepburn practised physic in this town, and consequently at what time he settled here, which appears to have been about the spring or early part of the year 1694, whence was about 25 years of age. This had escaped the author’s observation till after the memoir of Dr. Hepburn had been printed off, otherwise he would not have represented the doctor’s settlement here as taking place at or about the commencement the last century, which is six years at least later than the time when it did take place. This is mentioned here for the purpose of correcting that mistatement, and enabling the reader to fix the true date of Dr. Hepburn’s first settlement here.—The passage referred to in Dr. Hamilton’s book reads thus,
“The late Dr. George Hepburn, who practised physic at Lynn upwards of 65 years, [1082] and whose medical ability, sagacity, and judgment, were equalled by few, and surpassed by none of his contemporaries, told me that he was so folly convinced of the great efficacy, as well as perfect innocence and safety of large doses of the Peruvian bark, that being attacked by an intermittent fever himself at an early period of his medical career in this town, and at a time when he had, in an epidemic season, a great deal of practice in the country, took at one dose an ounce of the Peruvian bark in powder, mounted his horse immediately after it, went to visit his patients, and had no more of his disease.”
[1082] During so extraordinary a course of practice and longevity he must have seen the whole population of the place buried two or three times over.
[1085] Their godships or high mightinesses would do well however to be constantly upon their guard against that formidable natural enemy of theirs, the high bailiff of Marshland, who has before now overpowered and overthrown as potent beings as any of them. If they escape the mighty hug, or unfraternal embrace of this formidable adversary, this ancient lord and master and demon of this lower region, they may think themselves peculiarly fortunate, and need not fear afterwards to breathe the deleterious air of any other spot in Britain, or even in the very island of Walcheren itself.
[1088] This female and virgin saint is said to have been born at Antioch in the 3rd century. Some say her father was a heathen priest, while others say that it was Theodosius patriarch of Antioch. All agree that she was a christian; and some assert that she was very beautiful, which excited in Olybius, preside of the east, under the Romans, a desire to marry her; but finding she was a christian, deferred it till he could persuade her to renounce her religion. Not being able to accomplish that object, he first put her to extreme tortures, and then beheaded her. She has the same office among the papists, as Lucina has among the heathens, viz. to assist women in labour: So she seems to be the patroness, or tutelar saint of the midwives. Her holiday, (20th July) is very ancient, not only in the Roman, but also in the Greek-church, who celebrate her memory under the name of Marina. She suffered in the year 278. [See Wheatly on the common Prayer, p. 69—also Mackerell’s History of Lynn, p. 4.]—Her victory over the Dragon by means of the cross has probably only a figurative meaning.
[1089] Of the former and present state of this church, the following descriptions have been given by writers who had visited and examined it, and had consequently undertaken to give of it a correct account.—
“This church (says Mackerell) deserves to be taken particular notice of, as it is of no mean extent, being a very large, stately, and magnificient pile, built, as most cathedrals in England are, in the perfect form of a cross, and contains in length within the walls, by mensuration 240 feet; in breadth, including the cross, 118 feet, and in height from the highest battlements 52 feet. About the middle or cross isle it is graced with a very fair and lofty Lanthorn, all covered with lead, mounted on four main arches within the body of the church, in which hangs the Clock-Bell, which may be heard all over the town. The height of this ornamental fabrick is 132 feet. It was neatly painted within with several coats of arms and other decorations in 1621.—At the west end is a tower of stone 82 feet high; on the outside of which towards the street, is placed a Moon-Dial, shewing the increase and decrease of that planet, with the exact hour of the day to all that pass by, actuated within by clock work, and new beautified and gilt in 1710. On this tower is a very high and regular spire, of timber, all covered with lead, resembling a pyramid, in height 193 feet; [but] in all, from the superficies of the ground, it is 275 feet, including the spindle of iron with a cross on the top, and under it a vane in form of a hand, both gilt, which was new set up in 1630; the former one having continued full 70 years, being erected in 1568. [rather 1558.] The model of the spire is surprizing. Near this [and parallel with it on the north side] is the Bell-Tower, built of freestone 86 feet high, in which formerly were five very large bells, of which the biggest was called the Margaret, and was for her curious sound one of the fairest of that kind, and might be heard (the wind favouring, as I have been assured) full ten miles distant. Others had likewise their distinct names, as the Trinity, the St. Thomas, &c. So christened, I suppose, as was usual before the reformation. But the biggest and the least of these were purposely broken, and with some addition cast into others, to make a ring of eight, which was effected in 1663.—This noble structure is illuminated with above 70 arched windows, and others, all formerly of painted glass, representing the pictures of saints in sacred scripture, with other holy men and women, martyrs and confessors; of which that high and lofty one on the south side and cross isle is [was] very remarkable, [exhibiting] as I am informed, the whole history of St. Margaret, the patroness of this church; and that circular one over the altar [containing] the genealogy of the kings of Israel, is now to be seen almost all entire, where also underneath the same are depicted the Town-Arms, and on the south windows in the Quire are still remaining several coats of arms in lively colours, and very fair.”