born April 1667, Inverbervie, Scot.
died Feb. 27, 1735, London, Eng.
Scottish mathematician, physician, and satirist.
His satirical writings include a political allegory, The History of John Bull (1712), that established John Bull as a personification of England. He was a founding member of the famous Scriblerus Club, which aimed to ridicule bad literature and false learning. He was also chief contributor to and guiding spirit of the Memoirs of Martinus Scriblerus (written 171314), a mocking exposure of pedantry that was written by club members.
Arbuthnot, detail of an oil painting by W. Robinson; in the Scottish National Portrait Gallery, ...
By courtesy of the Scottish National Portrait Gallery, Edinburgh