A. Hamilton on 29 Jul 2009  •  Link

Royal physician, FRS, later president of the College of Physicians, writer. His book "Chorea Gigantum," describing his evidence that Stonehenge was built by the Danes was the subject of the "Epistle to Dr. Charleton" by John Dryden,

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walt…

http://books.google.com/books?id=…

Bill on 5 Jan 2014  •  Link

Dr. Walter Charleton was a man of great natural endowments, and one of the most universal scholars of his time. In the early part of his life, he closely studied the Greek and Roman authors; and afterwards applied himself to the study of natural and moral philosophy, history, and antiquities; besides the several branches of literature that were essential to his profession. He has left us ample testimonies of his diligence and capacity in his various writings, which were generally well received in the reign of Charles II. But of late years, such is the fate of good, as well as bad authors, they have been generally neglected. It appears that he was well acquainted with the history of physic, by his frequent comparison of the opinions of the ancient with those of the modern physicians. Of all his writings, none made a greater noise in the world than his "Treatise of Stonehenge;" in which he has endeavoured to prove, in opposition to the opinion of Inigo Jones, that it is a Danish monument. Sir William Dugdale, and other eminent antiquaries, agreed with him in this conjecture. Though he was physician in ordinary to Charles I. and was continued in that station by his son, it does not appear that he was retained by him after the Restoration. He was, in the reign of William III. elected president of the College of Physicians. The author of his life in the "Biographia Britannica," has given him a more advantageous character than Mr. Wood. The reader may see some account of him in Hearne's preface to "Peter Langtoft," Sect. XX. Ob. 1707, Æt. 88.
---A Biographical History of England. J. Granger, 1775.