RALPH, M. D. an eminent physician, poet, and divine, born in the year 1620. He studied divinity in Trinity college, Oxford; but the times of confusion coming on, he changed the course of his studies, and applied himself to physic. He took a doctor's degree in that faculty; in which he rose to such eminence, that he was, in the time of the usurpation, appointed physician to the state. Upon the restoration, he quitted his profession of physic; was elected a fellow of the Royal Society, and precent of his college; and having entered into holy orders, he was made chaplain to the king, and afterwards dean of Wells. Soon after, he served the office of vice-chancellor of Oxford, and was nominated by King William and Queen Mary to the see of Bristol; which he refused to accept. His learning and talents were various. He was an orator, a philosopher, and a poet: he possessed an inexhaustible fund of wit, and was a facetious companion at 80 years of age. Ridicule was the weapon with which he used to correct the delinquents of his college; and he was so absolute a master of it, that he had it always at hand. His poetical pieces in the Muse Anglicanae are excellent in their kind. He wrote several poems, both in English and Latin; and died June 14. 1704, in the 84th year of his age.

Allen, earl of Bathurst, one of the last worthies worthies of Queen Anne's reign, that shining period of triumphs, taste, genius, and elegance, was born in the year 1684. His studies and his education were equally conducive to the brilliant figure he was destined to make in social life and in the senate, as a polite scholar, a patriot, and a statesman. These talents he had an opportunity to display as early as the year 1705; when, at the request of his father Sir Benjamin Bathurst, and the solicitation of the constituents of Cirencester, he served in parliament for that borough, his native soil, with reputation and integrity. He distinguished himself particularly in the struggles and debates relative to the union between the two kingdoms, firmly supporting this measure, calculated to strengthen the vigour of government by its uniting force. Though he was contented to act a subordinate character in the great opposition planned by Mr Harley and Mr St John, his intimate friends, to sap the credit of the duke of Marlborough and his adherents, he was of infinite service to his party in arraigning, with spirit and eloquence, the conduct of the general and the earl of Godolphin, who had long governed the queen, and lavished the treasures of the nation on conquests more splendid than serviceable. The loss of the battle of Almanza seconded his efforts to dispel the intoxication of former successes. His personal regard for Lord Somers, president of the council, was never altered, though they were of different opinions in politics; and when he was divested of his office, Mr Bathurst acted with such tenderness and delicacy, as to preserve the esteem of Lord Somers in a private station. In consideration of his zeal and services, the queen advanced him, in 1711, to the dignity of a peer, by the title of Baron Bathurst, of Battlefield, in Bedfordshire.

His lordship continued to speak his sentiments with an undaunted freedom in the upper house; and slept forth as a formidable opponent to the court measures in the reign of George I. and during Sir Robert Walpole's administration. The acrimony of the prosecution carried on against the earl of Oxford, Lord Bolingbroke, and the duke of Ormond, stimulated his indignation and his eloquence against such vindictive proceedings; and he observed, "that the king of a faction was but the sovereign of half his subjects."

The South-sea scheme having infected the whole nation with a spirit of avaricious enterprise, the people awaked from their delirium, and an infinite number of families were involved in ruin. Lord Bathurst publicly impeached the directors, whose arts had enabled them by these vain expectations to amass surprising fortunes: he represented that the national honour was concerned in stripping them of their ill acquired wealth; and moved for having all the directors of the South-sea company punished by a forfeiture of their estates, for such a notorious act of sordid knavery.

When the bill was brought into the house of lords against Dr Atterbury bishop of Rochester, that learned prelate, who joined to the graces of style and elocution all the elegance of a just delivery; among the many friends, the bishop's eloquence, politeness, and ingenuity had procured him, was Lord Bathurst. He spoke against the bill with great vehemence and propriety; observing, "that if such extraordinary proceedings were countenanced, he saw nothing remaining for him and others to do, but to retire to their country-houses, and there, if possible, quietly enjoy their estates within their own families, since the least correspondence, or intercepted letter, might be made criminal." Then turning to the bishops, he said, he "could hardly account for the inveterate hatred and malice some persons bore the ingenious bishop of Rochester, unless it was that they were infatuated like the wild Americans, who fondly believe they inherit not only the spoils, but even the abilities, of the man they destroy." He was one of the lords who entered his protest against the bill.

His lordship was entirely averse to continental connections; and animadverted severely upon the monarch whose thoughts were turned to foreign concerns and alliances which could never be useful; complaining of the immense sums lavished in subsidies to needy and rascacious princes.

The directors of the charitable corporation having embezzled 300,000l. of the proprietors capital, Lord Bathurst declared in the house of lords, his abhorrence of this most iniquitous scene of fraud; asserting that not one shilling of the money was ever applied to the proper service, but became the reward of avarice and venality.

His lordship concurred, with all his power, in the opposition to Sir Robert Walpole, who now tottered on the brink of ruin. This minister, after obstinate struggles, having been forced to resign all his employments, Lord Bathurst was sworn of the privy council, and made captain of the gentlemen-pensioners, which post he resigned in 1744. He was appointed treasurer to the present king, then prince of Wales, in 1757, and continued in the list of privy-councillors at his accession to the throne; but, on account of his great age, he chose to enjoy otium cum dignitate.

Lord Bathurst's integrity gained him the esteem even of his opponents; and his humanity and benevolence, the affection of all that knew him more intimately. He added to his public virtues all the good breeding, politeness, and elegance, of social intercourse. Dr Freind, Congreve, Vanbrugh, Swift, Prior, Rowe, Addison, Pope, Arbuthnot, Gay, and most men of genius in his own time, cultivated his friendship, and were proud of his correspondence.

Pope, in his Epistle to him on the Use of Riches, thus addresses him:

The sense to value riches, with the art To enjoy them, and the virtue to impart; To balance fortune by a just expense, Join with economy magnificence; With splendor, charity; with plenty, health: O teach us, Bathurst, yet unspoil'd by wealth! That secret rare, between th' extremes to move, Of mad good nature, and of mean self-love.

And Sterne, in his letters to Eliza, thus speaks of him: "This nobleman is an old friend of mine: he was always the protector of men of wit and genius; and has had those of the last century always at his table. The manner in which his notice began of me, was as singular as it was polite.—He came up to me one day as I was at the princess of Wales's court. 'I want to know you, Mr Sterne; but it is fit you should know also who it is that wishes this pleasure: you have heard (continued he) of an old Lord Bathurst, of whom whom your Popes and Swifts have sung and spoken so much: I have lived my life with geniuses of that cast, but have survived them; and despairing ever to find their equals, it is some years since I have closed my accounts, and shut up my books, with thoughts of never opening them again: but you have kindled a desire in me of opening them once more before I die, which I now do; so go home, and dine with me.' This nobleman, I say, is a prodigy: for at 85 he has all the wit and promptness of a man of 30; a disposition to be pleased, and a power to please others beyond whatever I knew! added to which, a man of learning, courtesy, and feeling."

His lordship, in the latter part of his life, preserved his natural cheerfulness and vivacity, always accessible, hospitable, and beneficent. Lately he delighted in rural amusements; and enjoyed, with a philosophical satisfaction, the shade of the lofty trees he had planted himself. Till within a month of his death he constantly rode out on horseback two hours before dinner, and constantly drank his bottle of claret or Madeira after dinner. He used to declare, in a jocose manner, he never could think of adopting Dr Cadogan's method, as Dr Cheyne had assured him, 50 years ago, he would never live seven years longer unless he abridged himself of his wine. Pursuant to this maxim, his lordship having, some years ago, invited several of his friends to spend a few cheerful days with him at his seat at Cirencester, and being one evening very loth to part with them; on his son the late chancellor's objecting to their sitting up any longer, and adding that health and long life were best secured by regularity, he suffered him to retire: but, as soon as he was gone, the cheerful father said, "Come, my good friends, since the old gentleman is gone to bed, I think we may venture to crack another bottle."

His lordship was advanced to the dignity of earl in 1772; and lived to see the above nobleman his eldest son, several years lord high chancellor of Great Britain, and promoted to the peerage in 1771 by the title of Baron Apfley. Lord Bathurst married Catharine daughter of Sir Peter Apfley, by whom he had two other sons and five daughters. His death happened, after a few days illness, at his seat near Cirencester, in the 91st year of his age, and on the 16th of September 1775.