Page:Lives of British Physicians.djvu/139

 RADCLIFFE. 121 cording to the usage of the Church of England, estabhshed by law, I shall never make myself so unhappy as to shame my teachers and instruc- tors, by departing from what I have imbibed from ihem. " Yet though I shall never be brought over to confide in your doctrines, no one breathing can have a greater esteem for your conversation, by letter, or word of mouth, than, Sir, Your most affectionate " And faithful servant, " John Radcliffe." And Radcliffe was as constant in his friendship as he proved liimself to be in his religious princi- ples; for when, in the succeeding revolution, Mr. Walker fell into poverty and distress, he allowed him, to the day of his death, a very handsome competency, and contributed largely to his funeral expenses, so that he might be conducted honour- ably to his grave in Pancras church-yard, where he was privately interred. From this creditable anecdote, it will be seen, that Radcliffe was firm and staunch in his Protestant faith, though, from the following, related by his earliest biographer, one may infer that, in everything connected with politics, his conduct was regulated by merely pru- dential motives. When, in the latter end of the year 1688, the mismanagements of the court became so nume- rous, and the apprehensions of their further increase so very strong, that they could no longer be tole- rated, the Prince of Orange was invited over, with an armed force, to redress the grievances of the