, a learned master of Merchant Taylors’ school, was the second son
, a learned master of Merchant
Taylors’ school, was the second son of a merchant, and
born in London in 1715. He was educated at that school
over which he afterwards presided, whence he was elected
to St. John’s college, Oxford. Soon after taking orders,
he was chosen morning preacher at Lincoln’s-inn chapel,
and lecturer of St. Dunstan’s in the East. He married, in
1740, Miss Jane Bonnin of Windsor, descended from the
Poyntz family, and related to the late dowager lady Spencer, through whose patronage Mr. Townley obtained the
living of St. Bennett, Gracechurch-street, London. He
afterwards became grammar-master to Christ’s hospital;
and in 1759 was chosen high master of the Merchant Taylors’ school, in which office he died July 15, 1778, having
been presented in 1777 to a living in Wales, by bishop
Shipley, to whom he was chaplain. He was the close intimate of Garrick, from whom he held for some years the
valuable vicarage of Hendon, in Middlesex; and it has
been supposed that many of Garrick’s best productions and
revisals partook of Mr. Townley’s assisting hand. He was
the long- concealed author of the celebrated farce of “High
Life below Stairs,
” anno False Concord,
” a farce, for his friend Woodward’s
benefit; and, in 1765, the “Tutor,
” a farce, under Mr.
Column’s protection, at Drury-lane, but which, from the
juvenile characters, did not succeed. It is to be remarked,
that “False Concord
” contains three characters of lord
Lavender, Mr. Suds, an enriched soap-boiler, and a pert
valet, who are not only the exact lord Ogleby, Mr. Sterling, and Brush, of the “Clandestine Marriage,
” brought
out in