our and confidence of one party, as Radcliffe had of the other. He is
always mentioned as a man of benevolence; and it is just to suppose that
his desire of helping the helpless disposed him to so much zeal for "The
Dispensary;" an undertaking of which some account, however short, is
proper to be given.

Whether what Temple says be true, that physicians have had more learning
than the other faculties, I will not stay to inquire; but I believe
every man has found in physicians great liberality and dignity of
sentiment, very prompt effusion of beneficence, and willingness to
exert a lucrative art where there is no hope of lucre. Agreeably to this
character, the College of Physicians, in July, 1687, published an
edict, requiring all the Fellows, Candidates, and Licentiates to give
gratuitous advice to the neighbouring poor. This edict was sent to the
Court of Aldermen; and, a question being made to whom the appellation
of the POOR should be extended, the College answered that it should be
sufficient to bring a testimonial from the clergyman officiating in the
parish where the patient resided.

After a year's experience the physicians found their charity frustrated
by some malignant opposition, and made to a great degree vain by the
high price of physic; they therefore voted, in August, 1688, that the
laboratory of the College should be accommodated to the preparation of
medicines, and another room prepared for their reception; and that the
contributors to the expense should manage the charity.

It was now expected that the apothecaries would have undertaken the care
of providing medicines; but they took another course. Thinking the whole
design pernicious to their interest, they endeavoured to raise a faction
against it in the College, and found some physicians mean enough
to solicit their patronage by betraying to them the counsels of the
College. The greater part, however, enforced by a new edict, in 1694,
the former order of 1687, and sent it to the Mayor and Aldermen, who
appointed a committee to treat with the College and settle the mode of
administering the charity.

It was desired by the aldermen that the testimonials of churchwardens
and overseers should be admitted; and that all hired servants, and
all apprentices to handicraftsmen, should be considered as POOR. This
likewise was granted by the College.

It was then considered who should distribute the medicines, and who
should settle their prices. The physic