William Gilbert: His Place in the Medical World*

Abstract

FULLER'S "Worthies" has a charming account of William Gilbert. He did not know him personally, for Gilbert had been dead five years when Fuller was born. But he had talked to people who had known him. This prompted him to write as follows: "William Gilbert was born in Trinity Passage in Colchester, his father being a Counsellour of great Esteem in his Profession, who first removed his family thither from Clare in Suffolk, where they had resided in a gentile Equipage some Centuries of Years. He had (saith my informer) the clearness of Venice glass without the Brittleness thereof, soon ripe and Long Lasting in his Perfections. He commenced Doctor in Physick, and was Physician to Queen Elizabeth who stamped on him many Marks of her favour, besides an Annual Pension to encourage his Studies. He addicted himself to Chemistry attaining to great exactness therein. One saith of him that he was Stoicall, but not Cynicall, which I understand; Reserv'd but not Morose, never married, purposely to be more beneficial to his Brethren. Such was his loyalty to the Queen that as if unwilling to survive, he dyed in the same year with her 1603. His stature was Tall, Complexion Cheerful, an Happiness not ordinary in so hard a Student and Retired a Person. He lyeth buried in Trinity Church in Colchester under a plain Monument. Mahomet's tomb at Mecca is said strangely to hang up, attracted by some invisible Loadstone; but the Memory of this Doctor will never fall to the ground, which his incomparable book 'de Magnete' will support to Eternity."