Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Hale, Richard
HALE, RICHARD, M.D. (1670–1728), physician, eldest son of Richard Hale of New Windsor, Berkshire, was born at Beckenham, Kent, in 1670. He entered at Trinity College, Oxford, with his younger brother, Henry, in June 1689, and Mr. Sykes was his tutor. He graduated B.A. on 19 May 1693, M.A. on 4 Feb. 1695, M.B. on 11 Feb. 1697, and M.D. on 23 June 1701. He settled in London, and was elected a fellow of the College of Physicians on 9 April 1716. He was three times a censor, and delivered the Harveian oration in 1724. It was published in 1735, and contains an account of the English mediæval physicians, which makes it one of the most interesting of the orations. Its style is lively and the author shows considerable knowledge of the original sources of English history. He studied insanity and was famous for his extreme kindness to lunatics. He gave the College of Physicians 500l. for the improvement of their library, and his arms, vert, three pheons argent, are still to be seen upon many of the books. In the college are two portraits of him, one being a copy by Richardson, made in 1733, of a painting done during his life. He died on 26 Sept. 1728.
[Munk's Coll. of Phys. ii. 48, iii. 396; MS. Admission Book of Trinity College, Oxford.]