Benjamin Hoadly (1706–1757) was an English physician, known also as a dramatist.

Life

bishop of Winchester The Bishop of Winchester is the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of Winchester in the Church of England. The bishop's seat (''cathedra'') is at Winchester Cathedral in Hampshire. The Bishop of Winchester has always held ''ex officio'' the offic ...

, he was born on 10 February 1706 in Broad Street, London. He was sent to Newcome's academy at Hackney, and then to

Corpus Christi College, Cambridge Corpus Christi College (full name: "The College of Corpus Christi and the Blessed Virgin Mary", often shortened to "Corpus") is a Colleges of the University of Cambridge, constituent college of the University of Cambridge. From the late 14th c ...

, where he was admitted on 8 April 1722. He read mathematics, and attended the lectures of Nicholas Saunderson. He graduated M.B. 1727, and M.D. April 1728, having already been elected a

Fellow of the Royal Society Fellowship of the Royal Society (FRS, ForMemRS and HonFRS) is an award granted by the Fellows of the Royal Society of London to individuals who have made a "substantial contribution to the improvement of natural science, natural knowledge, incl ...

. He was registrar of Hereford while his father was bishop there (1721–4). Hoadly settled in London, and was elected a fellow of the

Royal College of Physicians The Royal College of Physicians of London, commonly referred to simply as the Royal College of Physicians (RCP), is a British professional membership body dedicated to improving the practice of medicine, chiefly through the accreditation of ph ...

29 December 1736. In the following spring he delivered the

Gulstonian lectures The Goulstonian Lectures are an annual lecture series given on behalf of the Royal College of Physicians in London. They began in 1639. The lectures are named for Theodore Goulston (or Gulston, died 1632), who founded them with a bequest. By his ...

on the organs of respiration, which were printed. In 1739 he was elected censor, and in 1742 delivered a commonplace Harveian oration, which was printed. On 9 June 1742 he was made physician to the king's household, and on 4 January 1746 physician to the household of

Frederick, Prince of Wales Frederick, Prince of Wales (Frederick Louis, German: ''Friedrich Ludwig''; 31 January 1707 – 31 March 1751) was the eldest son and heir apparent of King George II of Great Britain. He grew estranged from his parents, King George and Queen C ...

. He died at Chelsea on 10 August 1757.

Works

Hoadly was fond of the stage, and was author of '' The Suspicious Husband'', a comedy, which was first acted at

Covent Garden Theatre The Royal Opera House (ROH) is a theatre in Covent Garden, central London. The building is often referred to as simply Covent Garden, after a previous use of the site. The ROH is the main home of The Royal Opera, The Royal Ballet, and the Orch ...

on 12 February 1747.

David Garrick David Garrick (19 February 1716 – 20 January 1779) was an English actor, playwright, Actor-manager, theatre manager and producer who influenced nearly all aspects of European theatrical practice throughout the 18th century, and was a pupil a ...

wrote a prologue for it, and acted the part of Ranger. It hit the popular taste, was often repeated on the stage, and was published in 1747 with a dedication to the king. The critics

Samuel Foote Samuel Foote (January 1720 – 21 October 1777) was a Cornish dramatist, actor and Actor-manager, theatre manager. He was known for his comedic acting and writing, and for turning the loss of a leg in a riding accident in 1766 to comedic oppor ...

and John Genest also praised it. A farce by Charles Macklin, ''The Suspicious Husband Criticized'', was produced at Drury Lane on 24 March 1747. Hoadly also wrote a comedy ''The Tatlers'', which was acted at Covent Garden on 29 April 1797 for Joseph George Holman's benefit, but was never printed. In 1756 he published ''Observations on a series of Electrical Experiments by Dr. Hoadly and Mr. Wilson''.

Family

Hoadly married, first, Elizabeth, daughter of Henry Betts, and by her had one son, Benjamin; secondly, Anne, daughter of General Armstrong.

Notes

External links

Benjamin Hoadly
at th
Eighteenth-Century Poetry Archive (ECPA)
;Attribution {{DEFAULTSORT:Hoadly, Benjamin 1706 births 1757 deaths 18th-century English medical doctors English dramatists and playwrights Fellows of the Royal Society People educated at Newcome's School English male dramatists and playwrights 18th-century English male writers