Richard Bathurst facts for kids

Richard Bathurst (died 1762) was a British writer and doctor. He was born in Jamaica and later moved to England to study medicine. He became a good friend of the famous writer Samuel Johnson.

Early Life and Education

Richard Bathurst was born in Jamaica. His father, Colonel Bathurst, was a planter in the West Indies. In 1750, his father brought Francis Barber to England. Francis Barber later became well-known as the servant of Samuel Johnson.

Dr. Johnson once shared something interesting about Bathurst's father. He said that Dr. Bathurst was glad his father's business had failed. This meant his father had no land, so he wasn't tempted to own slaves. This shows Bathurst's strong feelings against slavery.

In 1745, Richard Bathurst earned his M.B. degree from Peterhouse, Cambridge. An M.B. is a type of medical degree. After that, he continued his medical studies in London.

Friendship with Samuel Johnson

While studying in London, Bathurst met Samuel Johnson. They became close friends. Bathurst was also a member of a club at the King's Head, where they likely met often.

Samuel Johnson often spoke highly of Bathurst. He once said that Bathurst was "a man to my heart's content." Johnson admired that Bathurst disliked "fools," "rogues," and "Whigs." A Whig was a member of a political party in Britain at that time. Johnson even called Bathurst "a very good hater," meaning he had strong opinions about things he didn't like.

Bathurst also contributed to a newspaper called The Adventurer. This paper was run by John Hawkesworth, with help from Johnson and Joseph Warton.

Medical Career and Later Life

In September 1754, Bathurst was chosen to be a doctor at the Middlesex Hospital. However, he soon traveled to Barbados. From there, he wrote two letters to Samuel Johnson in 1757. These letters were later published.

Bathurst then became an army doctor. He joined a military expedition against Havana, a city in Cuba. Sadly, he died of a fever in 1762 during this expedition.

Samuel Johnson was very sad to hear about Bathurst's death. He said that taking Havana was "a conquest too dearly obtained," because Bathurst died before it.

There's an interesting story about Bathurst and The Adventurer essays. A woman named Mrs. Williams said that Dr. Johnson would tell Bathurst what to write for essays signed "T." Bathurst would then write them down and sell them for two guineas each. A guinea was an old British gold coin. Johnson never officially said he wrote them, but he would smile when he said he didn't. It's also known that Johnson often prayed for Bathurst even after his death.