In the Gentleman's Magazine for 1737* is an ele gant Ode to the Duke of Newcastle by Dr. Freind (who was in that year made canon of Christ Church), and the following epigram: "Reverendo doctissimoque Roberto Freind, S.T. P. Ecclesia Divi Petri Westmonast. Prebendario, De te, Freinde, duæ certant socialiter Ædes, Dat. 14 Kal. Julii, A. S. 1737." R. L.† Thus indifferently translated in 1738: "For you, most learned Freind! two Churches strove, (For you, the darling object of their love;) This Christ was call'd, and that St. Peter's nam'd, (Rare Nursing Mothers, from past ages fam'd) Their friendly contest was, which Church should grace Her Foster Son with Dignitary's place, And cheer him, now grown old, with her most A noble Duke, this contest to decide, Dr. Freind's Latin poetry was much superior to his English, as may be seen by his Verses on the Death of Queen Caroline, inscribed to the Duke of Newcastle, principal secretary of state §. He had. " * Vol. VII. p. 631. + Probably Robert Lowth, afterwards the learned Bishop. Dr. Atterbury, in 1712, when Dean of Christ Church, apologizing to Bishop Trelawny for the Poets of his College, says, By Dr. Freind's assistance, I hope, we shall every day do better." § Printed in "Pictas Academiæ Oxoniensis in Obitum augustissimæ et dilectissimæ Regina Carolina, Oxonii, 1738;" and copied in the "Select Collection," 1781, vol. VII. p. 125. before before written the Dedication to that Queen, prefixed to the Medical Works of his Brother *. In 1744, he resigned his stall at Westminster in favour of his son; and died August 9, 1751, aged 84. By Jane his wife, one of the two daughters of Dr.Samuel Delangle+, he had two sons; Charles, who died in 1736; and William, his successor at Witney, and afterwards Dean of Canterbury, of whom seep.102. Dr. Freind wrote the epitaph on Dodwell, which is printed in Ashmole's Berkshire, vol. II. p. 492; and the beautiful epitaph on Lord Carteret's younger son Philip, who died at Westminster-school, 1710, in his 19th year §. * See p. 97. The other was married to Bp. Smalridge (see p. 92). Who had a small benefice near Oxford, and taught the French language to young gentlemen in that University. He was created D.D. 1682; and obtained a prebend of Westminster Oct. 13, 1683; which he held till 1693. See P. 85. § Held out on a very large marble scroll by a figure of Time on his monument in the North aile of Westminster Abbey. The Reader will not be displeased to see it here; and may compare the annexed translation of it with that by Samuel Cobb, in the "Antiquities of Westminster Abbey, 1722," 8vo, vol. II. p. 101. Quid breves te delicias tuorum Næniis Phoebi chorus omnis urget, En, puer, vitæ pretium caducæ ! Audies clarus pietate, morum Short-lived Delight of every Friend, To mourn my sickle's stroke! Watchful I guard thy ashes here: Thy spotless life, thy studious pain, Tinstruct each rival youth. "The "The epitaph to Dr. Smalridge at Christ Church," says Bishop Newton, "was drawn up most probably by Dr. Freind, the head-master of Westminsterschool, and also his brother-in-law; the Bishop and he having married two sisters *. Dr. Freind was at that time the celebrated writer of Latin epitaphs; which yet Mr. Pope, who was as great a composer of epitaphs in English verse, and could not well bear a Rival in any way, thought too prolix and too flattering, if Dr. Freind be really intended, as he was generally supposed to be intended, in that epigram: "Freind, for your Epitaphs I'm griev'd, Where still so much is said, One half will never be believ'd, Shenstone expresses a satisfaction in possessing a name that was not liable to a pun. One has just been given. Another, on Dr. Freind's appointment to the mastership of Westminster-school, is here added: "Ye Sons of Westminster, who still retain WILLIAM FREIND, the second brother, who was one year younger than Robert, was elected from Westminster-school to Christ Church in 1687; where he took the degree of M.A. 1694; and obtained a living in Bedfordshire. The vicissitudes of fortune which occurred to this gentleman are thus related in Mrs. Pilkington's Memoirs: "We had a sort of chapel belonging to the gaol, where Dr. Freind, a clergyman, brother to Dr. Freind the physician, obliged us with divine service every Sunday. This gentleman was himself a prisoner in the King's Bench; and, after all the gran * Bishop Smalridge left three children; a son named Philip, and two daughters. deur deur he had once lived in, was now so low reduced, as even to be beholden to such an unfortunate crea ture as I for six-pence; which, unfortunate as I was, I could not refuse to so fine an orator, a gentleman! and, by all accounts, only undone by boundless ge nerosity and hospitality. The first day I heard him preach, I was charmed with his elocution; but the rest of the congregation, mad and drunk, bade him hold his tongue. He, indeed, like Orpheus, played to wolves and bears; nor were they half so obliging to him, as the storms were to Arion; neither could he, though uttering dulcet and harmonious sounds, make the rude crowd grow civil with his song. This fine gentleman I often invited to my lonely mansion. He was not a little surprized to hear my mournful story; and indeed it somewhat alleviated my sorrow to find such a companion: Poor gentleman! Death has released him; I am sure I should have done it, had the Almighty given me a power equal to my inclination to serve him."-He died April 15, 1745. On this head my late friend Mr. Ashby observed, "There is a traditional story that one of the name of Freind (I think it must be Mrs. Pilkington's hero) dreamt that two numbers in a Lottery of Queen Anne would be the two greatest prizes; that he went and bought them, and they came up so; that he went backwards and forwards to his bureau to look at them, till he was almost mad; that he spent all, and died a beggar (I believe) in gaol. This story I had from Mr. Holmes, the curate, and afterwards vicar of Wellingborough, a gentleman of uncommon good sense, who died about the year 1760, and who was sent for to the inn by Freind to drink a bottle when he was in his meridian; and (as I recollect) had the story of the tickets from himself. If he would tell it on such an occasion, he must have told it to many: and one should like to know what one could about so extraordinary a tale, Dr. Johnson says truly, 'One must not be too positive in disbelieving, as the story may be true; nor too credulous, as it may be false. Mrs. Pilkington calls him a clergyman; and and mentions the grandeur he had lived in. This is not the description of a common clergyman, however well provided; and you mention no preferment; so I think he must be the man; though I do not remember that my informant called him a clergyman; but I always thought he was a son or a younger brother of the master of Westminster-school; though I could never make him out before. Yet surely Mrs. Pilkington would have heard this story from him if he ever told it to a stranger; and if so, she would surely have been glad to have swelled her Memoirs with it." The traditional story is thus confirmed by Bishop Newton: "Dr. William Freind, brother to Dr. Robert Freind, master of Westminster-school, and to Dr. John Freind the famous physician, had a prize of 20,000l. in Queen Anne's time, and another considerable prize of 5 or 10,000l. in the reign of George I.; but yet with these lucky hits he would have died a prisoner in the Fleet*, if his old schoolfellow the Earl of Winchelsea, when he was at the head of the Admiralty, had not made him chaplain to a ship of 100 guns. One part of this strange story may gain credibility from the News-papers of the times. Whatever might be the case as to the dream, or the prizes in Queen Anne's reign, the Rev. William Freind, a clergyman in Bedfordshire, obtained a prize of 20,000l. Feb. 14, 1714-15; and when the marriage of Mr. Smalridge (son to the Bishop) was mentioned in print, May 2, 1730, his lady is called "Miss Freind, daughter to him who got the great prize." What could have afterwards involved him in distress, is not for us now to enquire. Mrs. Pilkington's account of his profuse hospitality is confirmed by Bishop Atterbury's mention of his entertaining Royal Guests. And it is not improbable that, elated by his former success, he might have ventured deeply into the fatal bubble of the South Sea. Rather the King's Bench, a circumstance which Mrs. Pi kington could not easily mistake. ↑ See p. 89. Dr. |