eir characters, and thereby entitled them
to a degree of respect superior to the rest of their cotemporaries.
The transmission of such particulars, has ever been thought no more
than discharging a debt due to posterity; wherefore it is hoped, that
what is here intended to be offered to the publick, relative to a
gentleman, who is universally allowed to have merited so largely in
the republic of letters, and more particularly in his own profession,
a profession, not less useful than respectable, will not be judged
impertinent or disagreeable.

Our learned author was descended from a distinguished family in
Buckinghamshire, and born at Stepney the second of August 1673. His
father, Mr. Matthew Mead, was held in great esteem as a divine among
the presbyterians, and was possessed, during their usurped power, of
the living of Stepney; from whence he was ejected the second year
after the restoration of king Charles the IId. Nevertheless, tho' he
had fifteen children, of whom our Richard was the seventh, he found
means, with a moderate fortune, to give them a compleat education. To
this purpose he kept a tutor in his house to instruct them, and they
were taught latin rather by practice than by rules.

Party-rage perhaps never run higher than about the latter end of
Charles the IId's reign; hereby this little domestic academy was
dispersed in 1683. The king, or rather his ministers, were determined
to be revenged on those, whom they could not prevail on to concur with
their measures. Mr. Mead (the father) was accused of being concerned
in some designs against the court; wherefore being conscious that even
his being a presbyterian, rendered him obnoxious to those in power, he
chose rather to consult his security by a retreat, then to rely upon
his innocence; to this purpose he sought and found that repose in
Holland, which was denied him in his own country; having first placed
his son Richard at a school, under the tuition of an able master of
his own principles: under whose care our young gentleman, by a ready
genius, strong memory, and close application, made a great
proficiency. At seventeen years of age he was sent to Utrecht, to be
further instructed in liberal knowledge, by the celebrated Graevius,
with whom he continued three years.

Having determined to devote his attention to medicine, he removed
from Utrecht to Leyden, where he attended Dr. Herman's botanical
lectures, and was initiated into the theory and practice