, D. D. a learned dissenter, was born at Warrington in Lancashire, Feb.
, D. D. a learned dissenter, was born
at Warrington in Lancashire, Feb. 13, 1747. His lather
died when he was only three years old; but he had the
happiness to be instructed in the principles of piety by a
sensible and affectionate mother, and early discovered an
inclination to study with a view to the ministerial function.
He was accordingly placed at the grammar school of Warrington, under the Rev. Mr. Owen, an able classical scholar, and afterwards became a boarder at a school kept by
the Rev. Philip Holland, at Bolton. From this he removed in 1764 to the academy at Warrington, where Dr.
Aikin and Dr. Priestley were tutors. In 1769 he was ordained a preacher, and settled at Cockey Moor, near Bolton, for twelve years, during which he became highly acceptable to his congregation, and more than trebled their
number. In May 17 So, he removed to Manchester, and
became connected there as co-pastor, with one of the
largest and most wealthy congregations among the Protestant dissenters, of the presbyterian denomination, and
here he remained during the space of thirty years, preaching from 1782, twice each Sunday. In the beginning of
1784, the degree of D. D. was conferred upon him by the
university of Edinburgh, on the recommendation of his
friends, particularly the late learned Dr. Percival. Not
long after, Dr. Barnes was induced, by the solicitations of
his friends,' to undertake, in conjunction with his colleague
in the ministry, the Rev. Ralph Harrison, the charge of
an academical institution at Manchester. On this he entered in the summer of 1786, and presided as principal,
with great reputation, until 1798, when he determined to
resign it, in consequence of the difficulty which he had
for some time experienced, in maintaining in so large a
town as Manchester, where there are many temptations to
dissipation, that regular and strict discipline which he
wished to support. His active mind, however, was alxvays
ready to embrace every opportunity of usefulness and
after his retirement from the academy, he began to take a
lively interest in the concerns of the Manchester infirmary,
which continued to be a favourite object of his attention to
the time of his death and in the conduct of which his assistance has been generally considered and acknowledged
to be of great use. He was also one of the first promoters
of the Manchester literary and philosophical society, anjd
wrote several papers in the early volumes of its memoirs,
which his friend Dr. Percival, a very competent judge, repeatedly urged him to revise and enlarge for separate publication, but he appears to have been unambitious of literary fame, althou/h he had undoubted claims; and never
published any thing, but “A Discourse upon the commencement of the Academy,
”
, a learned dissenter, was born at Norwich in 1715. He received
, a learned dissenter, was born at
Norwich in 1715. He received the elements of classical
learning in the country, and discovering an inclination for
the profession of a dissenting minister, was sent to London
to study un'ler the tuition of Mr. Eames. When he had
finished his studies, he settled with a small congregation
at Wattsfield, in Suffolk, where he improved his acquaintance with the Latin, Greek, and Hebrew languages, in
each of which he acquired much critical skill. The favourite object of his pursuit was oriental history, which he
applied to the illustration of the sacred writings. Observing a striking conformity between the present customs
of the eastern nations and those of the ancients, as mentioned or alluded to in various passages of scripture, he
conceived a design at a very early period, of making extracts of such passages in books of travels and voyages, as
appeared to him to furnish a key to many parts of holy
writ. In 1764 he published a volume of “Observations
on divers Passages of Scripture,
” &c. The favourable reception which this work met with, encouraged Mr. Harmer
to proceed in it, and in 1776 he gave the public an
enlarged edition of it, in 2 vols. 8vo. By the preface to this
impression we learn that Dr. Lowth bishop of London furnished him with some ms papers of sir John Chardin. In
17S7 Mr. Haroier published two other volumes. A new
edition of the whole of this most useful work has lately been
published by the rev. Adam Clarke. He was author also
of the ' Outlines of a new Commentary on Solomon’s Song,
drawn by the help of instructions from the East;“an
” Account of the Jewish Doctrine of the Resurrection of the
Dead," and some other tracts of less consequence. Mr.
Harrner died without a struggle, in November 1788,
having passed the preceding day in perfect health.