Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 61.djvu/231

 and sentiment of his compositions. It was answered in 'The Scotch Riddle Unfolded,' 1666 (Bagford Ballads, Brit. Mus.) In 1668 was published an 'Ingenious Contention' between Nathaniel Wanley [q. v.] and Wild; this was reissued as 'The Fair Quarrel by way of Letter between Mr. Wanley, a Son of the Church, and Dr. Wilde, a Nonconformist.' In 1672 Wild addressed his 'Humble Thanks for his Majesty's Gracious Declaration of Liberty of Conscience' to the king (London, 1672). It called forth several replies. On the same event he also wrote in prose and verse 'A Letter. . . upon Occasion of his Majesty's Declaration for Liberty of Conscience,' together with his 'Poetica Licentia' and a 'Friendly Debate between a Conformist and a Nonconformist;' these also evoked numerous rejoinders.

At this time Wild was living at Oundle, Northamptonshire. He was indicted in July 1669 at Warwick and Coventry assizes for keeping a conventicle (Cal. State Papers, Dom. 1668-9, p. 430). His final poetical effort was 'Dr. Wild's Last Legacy, or a Poem sent with a Guinney to Mr. B. D. for a New Year's Gift,' 30 Dec. 1678. He died at Oundle of a fit of apoplexy, and was there buried on 30 July 1679. 'A Dialogue between Death and Doctor Wild,' and 'A Pillar on the Grave of Dr. Wild' (not in Brit. Mus.) appeared shortly after (both folio, 1679).

By his wife, Joyce, Wild had at least two sons, both of whom, it is said, were conforming ministers (cf., Alumni Oxon. 1600-1714). Wild's will, dated on 10 Aug. 1678, contained a singular bequest to his native parish of St. Ives for a sermon to be preached annually on Whit Tuesday; as well as for six bibles, for which twelve natives were to cast lots upon the communion table' with three dice in a sawcer' on the said day. The lottery was duly carried on for some time, but is now abandoned.

Wild's later verse is largely elegiac. His satirical efforts are, however, more characteristic. Besides those already mentioned, the chief are: 'A Horrible, Terrible, and Troublesome Historical Narration, or the Relation of a Cock Fight fought at Wisbech ' (London, 1660, fol. ; reprinted in Cotton's 'Compleat Gamester,' 1680); 'The Recantation of a Penitent Proteus, or the Changeling' [see art. ]; and 'The Poring Doctor.' 'Doctor Wild's Poem In Nova Fert Animus ... or a New Song to an Old Friend from an Old Poet upon the Hopeful New Parliament' (two editions 1679), is probably his, but some doubt attaches to 'An Exclamation against Popery,' or 'A Broadside against Popery ' (London [14 Nov.], 1678), and 'Oliver Cromwell's Ghost, or Old Noll newly revived' (n.d. fol.) The second edition of 'Iter Boreale ' (London, 1661, 8vo) and the third (1605, 8vo, a printer's error for 1665) contained twenty others of Wild's poems. This collection was augmented in the edition of 1668 (London, 8vo; reprinted 1670, 8vo; 1671, 8vo, an unauthorised edition; and with a new title-page, 1674, 8vo). A few of Wild's poems were included in 'Rome rhymed to Death; being a Collection of Choice Poems' (London, 1683, 8vo), mostly by John Wilmot, second earl of Rochester [q. v.], several of whose productions were ascribed to Wild.

Copies of the poems and the numerous broadsides which they called forth are in the 'Luttrell Collection' (vols. ii. and iii.), the 'Roxburghe' and 'Bagford Ballads,' and in a collection of poetical sheets numbered C. 20, f. 2, at the British Museum. Wild's own poems were edited with an historical and biographical preface by the Rev. John Hunt (London, 1870, 8vo).

[Works and authorities above mentioned; Poems, with preface, ed. Hunt; Baker's Hist, of Northamptonshire, i. 552; Calamy's Palmer, iii. 26; Kennet's Register, pp. 194, 895, 932, 937; Wood's Athenae, iii. 282, 591, 1197, and Fasti, i. 512, ii. 35; Scott's Life of Dryden, p. 44 ; Dryden's Essay on Dramatic Poetry, xv. 296-9; Chalmers's Biogr. Dict.; Lowndes's Bibl. Man. v. 2919 ; Hazlitt's Handbook, 655, and Collections, passim; Bibliotheca Anglo-Poetica, p. 416; parish register of Oundle per the vicar, Rev. A. E. Oldroyd.]  WILDE, ALFRED THOMAS (1819–1878), lieutenant-general, of Kirby Cane Hall, Bungay, third son of Edward Archer Wilde, solicitor, of College Hill, Queen Street, London, by Marianne, daughter of William Norris, was born on 1 Nov. 1819. He was a brother of Lord Penzance and nephew of Lord-chancellor Truro. Educated at Winchester school, where he was a commoner from 1834 to 1837, he obtained a commission as ensign in the East India Company's army on 12 Dec. 1838, and joined the 15th Madras native infantry in April 1839. He was transferred to the 19th Madras native infantry in June, was promoted to be lieutenant on 9 July 1842, qualified as interpreter in Hindustani in March 1843, and served with his regiment through the disturbances which occurred that year on the Malabar coast.

In January 1847 Wilde was appointed adjutant, and in February quartermaster and interpreter to his regiment. In March 1850 he was transferred to the adjutancy of the