His paper on the chronology of Beaumont and Fletcher's plays in the ninth volume of Englische Studien deserves attention. Mr. Robert Boyle's investigations in Englische Studien, and in the Transactions of the New Shakspere Society, are particularly important for the light they throw on Fletcher's connection with Massinger. Mr. Macaulay's Study of Francis Beaumont, 1883, is brightly written.]
FLETCHER, JOHN, M.D. (1792–1836), medical writer, born in 1792, was the son of Thomas Fletcher, merchant, of London. Finding his father's counting-house irksome, he began the study of medicine at Edinburgh, having already been an occasional hearer of Abernethy and C. Bell in London. He graduated M.D. in 1816. After making a start in practice at Henley-on-Thames, whither his family had retired suddenly in reduced circumstances, he returned to Edinburgh and took private pupils in medicine. His Latin scholarship and systematic methods brought him many pupils. In 1828–9 he joined the Argyll Square school of medicine, having McIntosh, Argyle Robertson, and, for a time, James Syme, as his colleagues. He lectured on physiology, and afterwards on medical jurisprudence. His repute as a lecturer stood very high; in 1836 he gave a course of popular lectures on physiology to large audiences of the educated laity of both sexes, illustrated by preparations and diagrams of his own making. He died of a sudden illness the same year. His earliest publication was ‘Rubi Epistolæ Edinburgenses,’ being a collection of good-humoured satirical pieces on students and professors. In 1822 he published ‘Horæ Subsecivæ,’ a dialogue in Latin, and said to be a very useful little book. His principal work was ‘Rudiments of Physiology,’ in three parts, Edinb. 1835–7, the last part (on sensation, &c.) having been brought out by R. Lewins, M.D. It is distinguished by originality and erudition. His ‘Elements of Pathology,’ published several years after his death (1842) by two of his pupils, John J. Drysdale, M.D., and J. R. Russell, M.D., shows a certain leaning to the teaching of Hahnemann. A paper entitled ‘Vieles Sprechen ist gesund,’ in Behrend's ‘Wöchentl. Repert.’ iv. 175 (1837), is attributed to him. Besides one or two introductory lectures, his only other publication is a tract on the trial of Robert Reid for the murder of his wife, 29 June 1835; Reid was thought to have got off unfairly, on a medico-legal plea urged by Fletcher.
[Brit. and For. Med. Rev. 1836, ii. 302; biographical preface, by Lewins, to pt. iii. of Rudiments of Physiology.]
FLETCHER, JOHN, D.D. (d. 1848?), catholic divine, a native of Ormskirk, Lancashire, was educated at Douay College, and at the English seminary of St. Gregory in Paris. When the seminary was dissolved he proceeded to the college of St. Omer, of which his great-uncle, the Rev. William Wilkinson, was for some time president. Fletcher was one of the professors at St. Omer throughout the imprisonment of the members of the college at Arras and Dourlens. Upon their release in 1795 Fletcher accompanied them to England, and was successively missioner at Hexham, Blackburn, and Weston Underwood. He was created D.D. by Pope Pius VII on 24 Aug. 1821, in recognition of his missionary merit and excellent sermons. Fletcher became chaplain to the Dowager Lady Throckmorton, and served the mission at Leamington. In 1844 he removed to the mission at Northampton, which he resigned in 1848, owing to his advanced age. He died shortly afterwards.
His works are: 1. ‘Sermons on various Religious and Moral Subjects, for all the Sundays after Pentecost,’ 2 vols., London, 1812, 8vo; 2nd edit. 1821. Prefixed is ‘An Essay on the Spirit of Controversy,’ which was also published separately. 2. ‘The Catholic's Manual,’ translated from the French of Bossuet, with preliminary reflections and notes, London, 1817, 12mo, 1829, 8vo. 3. ‘Thoughts on the Rights and Prerogatives of the Church and State; with some observations upon the question of Catholic Securities,’ London, 1823, 8vo. 4. ‘Comparative View of the Grounds of the Catholic and Protestant Churches,’ London, 1826, 8vo. 5. ‘The Difficulties of Protestantism,’ London, 1829, and again 1832, 8vo. 6. ‘The Catholic's Prayer-Book,’ London, 1830, 12mo. For some time this manual was extensively used. It was chiefly compiled from the manuscript of ‘A Prayer-Book for the Use of the London District,’ 1813, by the Rev. Joseph Berington [q. v.] 7. ‘The Prudent Christian,’ London, 1834, 12mo. 8. ‘Guide to the True Religion,’ a series of sermons, 2nd edit., London, 1836, 8vo. 9. ‘Transubstantiation, &c. A Letter,’ London, 1836, 8vo. 10. ‘Short Historical View of the Rise, Progress, and Establishment of the Anglican Church,’ London, 1843, 8vo.
He also published translations of several works, including Father Edmund Campion's ‘Ten Reasons’ (1827), Antonio de Dominis's ‘Motives for Renouncing the Protestant Religion’ (1827), and De Maistre's ‘Letters on the Spanish Inquisition’ (1838).
[Gillow's Bibl. Dict. of the English Catholics; Catholic Magazine and Review (1833), iii. 112; Butler's Hist. Memoirs (1822), iv. 441.]
