, a clergymnn of Ireland, of considerable celebrity in his day,
, a clergymnn of Ireland, of considerable celebrity in his day, was born in that kingdom
about 1686. His fatiior lived as a servant in the family of
sir John fennel, an [rish judge, and afterwards rented a
small farm, in which situation he is supposed to have continued to his decease; for, when our author came to be in
prosperous circumstances, he was advised by Dr. Swift
not to take his parents out of the line of life they were
fixed in, but to render them comfortable in it. At what
place, and under whom, young Delany received his grammatical education, we are not able to ascertain; but at a
proper age he became a sizer in Trinity college, Dublin;
went through his academical course; took the customary
degree*; and was cnosen, first a junior, and afterwards a
senior fellow of the college. During this time he formed
an intimacy with Dr. Swift; and it appears from several
circumstances, that he was one of the dean of St. Patrick’s
chief favourites. It is not unreasonable to conjecture,
that, besides his considerable merit, it might be some general recommendation to him, that he readily entered into
the dean’s playful disposition. He joined with Swift and
Dr. Sheridan in writing or answering riddles, and in composing other slight copies of verses, the only design of
which was to pass away the hours in a pleasant manner;
and several of Mr. Delany’s exertions on these occasions
may be seen in Swift’s works. These temporary amusements did not, however, interfere with our author’s more
serious concerns. He applied vigorously to his studies,
distinguished himself as a popular preacher, and was so
celebrated as a tutor, that by the benefit of his pupils, and
ijis senior fellowship, with all its perquisites, he received
every year between nine hundred and a thousand pounds.
In 1724 an affair happened in the college of Dublin, with
regard to which Dr. Delany is represented as having been
guilty of an improper interference. Two under-graduates
having behaved very insolently to the provost, and afterwards refusing to make a submission for their fault, wefe
both of them expelled. On this occasion Dr. Delany took
the part of the young men, and (as it is said) went so far
as to abuse the provost to his face, in a sermon at the college-chapel. Whatever may have been his motives, the
result of the matter was, that the doctor was obliged to
give satisfaction to the provost, by an acknowledgement of
the otfence. Our author’s conduct in this affair, which
had been displeasing to the lord primate Boulter, might
probably contribute to invigorate the opposition which the
archbishop made to him on a particular occasion. In 1725
he was presented by the chapter of Christ-church, to the
parish of St. John’s, in the city of Dublin, but without a
royal dispensation he could not keep his fellowship with
his new living. Archbishop Boulter, therefore, applied
to the duke of Newcastle, to prevent the dispensation from
being granted. In 1727 Dr. Delany was presented by the
university of Dublin to a small northern living, of somewhat better than one hundred pounds a year; and about
the same time, lord Carteret promoted him to the chancellorship of Christ-church, which was of equal value.
Afterwards, 1730, his excellency gave him a prebend in
St. Patrick’s cathedral, the produce of which did not exceed either of the other preferments. In 1729 Dr. Delany
began a periodical paper, called “The Tribune,
” which
was continued through about twenty numbers. Soon after,
our author engaged in a more serious and important work,
of a theological nature, the intention of publishing which
brought him to London in 1731; it had for title, “Revelation examined with candour,
” the first volume whereof
was published in Revelation examined with candour,
” and so favourable a reception did the whole work meet with, that a third
edition was called for in 1735. In 1738 Dr. Delany published a 30th of January sermon, which he had preached
at Dublin before the lord-lieutenant, William duke of Devonshire. It was afterwards inserted in the doctor’s volume
upon social duties. In the same year appeared one of the
most curious of Dr. Delany’s productions, which was a
pamphlet entitled, “Reflections upon Polygamy, and the
encouragement given to that practice in the scriptures of
the Old Testament.
” This subject, however, has since
been more ably handled by the late ingenious Mr. Badcock, in the two fine articles of the Monthly Review relative to Marian’s “Thelyphthora.
” Dr. Deiany was led
by his subject to consider in a particular manner the case
of David; and it is probable, that he was hence induced
to engage in examining whatever farther related to that
great Jewish monarch. The result of his inquiries he published in “An historical account of the life and rei^n of
David king of Israel.
” The first volume of this work appeared in