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The Autobiography of Archbishop Thomas Seeker
FOLIO 43 (1752)
Dr N. Forster: Nathanael Forster (1718-1757), a graduate of Oxford
who was elected fellow of Corpus Christi college in 1739; in addition to
holding several livings he served as domestic chaplain to Thomas
Herring, archbishop of Canterbury, from 1752 and to George II from
1756. A fellow of the Royal Society (1755), he had a wide circle of
learned friends. Seeker had introduced him in 1749 to Butler. For the
letters describing Butler's last illness see L.RL. MS 1373, fols. 3-9,
10-25; these are printed in Thomas Bartlett, Memoirs of the Life, Character
and Writings of Joseph Butler (London and Cambridge, 1839), pp. 203-19.
For an account of Forster who was an accomplished scholar see Nichols,
literary Anecdotes, IX, pp. 289-301.
FOLIO 44 (1752)
His brother was George Benson who was appointed rector of Peterstow,
Herefordshire in 1713 (Foster, Alumni Oxon.).
Dr of Gloucester: the reference is too general to allow for proper
identification.
Dr Frewin: Richard Frewin (1681?-1761), who took his M.D. at
Oxford in 1711 and was elected Camden professor of ancient history in
1727. He left his large collection of books to the Radcliffe Library, and
his house (now Frewin Hall) for the regius professor of medicine. In
1751 Seeker advised John Frost to consult Frewin whether he should
place himself under the care of Dr. Russell of Brighton (L.P.L. MS
1719, fol. 14: 4 April, 1751).
He died 30 August 1752. Seeker had written to Dr. Birch on 17 August:
4 'The good Bishop of Gloucester is in a very weak, and, I fear,
dangerous condition. His pains continue; and several paralytic symptoms
have appeared. ... I had a letter from him on Friday, in which he
speaks of his case as one who thinks it desperate. ..." (Nichols, Literary
Illustrations, III, p. 491).
Bishop of Cloyne: George Berkeley the elder.
Duchess of Somerset: the former Frances Thynne, daughter of Viscount
Weymouth and widow of the eleventh duke who had died 7
? ebruary, 1750. She died at Percy Lodge in Iver, Buckinghamshire on 7
ily, 1754 (G.E.C., Complete Peerage).