, fourth son of Dudley lord North, and brother to the preceding lord
, fourth son of Dudley lord North, and
brother to the preceding lord Guilford, was born in London, Sept. 4, 1645. In his youth he was of a delicate
constitution, and serious turn of mind, circumstances which
are said to have determined his parents in the choice of
the church as a profession. He received the first principles of education at Bury school, and afterwards, while at
home, his father initiated him in logic and metaphysics.
In 1661 he was admitted a fellow-commoner of Jesus college, Cambridge, but on the barony descending to his
father, he appeared in the academic garb of a nobleman,
although without varying from his plan of study, or the
punctual obedience he gave to every part of college discipline. He is said to have been particularly attentive to
the public exercises and lectures, but was one of the first
who conceived that the latter mode of instruction was less
useful since students had more easy access to books. The
collection of these was one of his earliest passions, and we
learn from his brother that he had the usual predilections
of a collector for the best editions, fine printing, and elegant
bindings, and bought many editions of the same author,
and many copies of the same edition, and in this way soon
became master of a very valuable library, particularly rich in
Greek authors, that and the Hebrew being his favourite
studies while at college. After taking his degree of B. A.
he was admitted fellow of Jesus, Sept. 28, ie66, by the
king’s mandate. He afterwards took his master’s degree,
and was incorporated in the same at Oxford, June 15, 1669.
In 1671 he was admitted to holy orders, and preached his
first, or one of “his first sermons, before Charles II. at Newmarket, which was published the same year. About the
same time he assisted Dr. Gale with the
” Pythagorica
Fragmenta,“published in that learned author’s
” Opuscula," who handsomely acknowledges the favour in his
preface.