, a Scotch antiquary, was the son of the rev. Pat. Anderson, of Edinburgh, where he was born Aug.
, a Scotch antiquary, was the son
of the rev. Pat. Anderson, of Edinburgh, where he was
born Aug. 5, 1662. He had a liberal education at the university of that city, which was much improved by genius
and application. When he had finished his studies, he
was placed under the care of sir Hugh Paterson, of Bannockburn, an eminent writer to the signet, and made such
progress, that in 1690 he was admitted a member of that
society, and during his practice discovered so much knowledge joined with integrity, that he probably would have
made a very distinguished figure had he remained longer
in this branch of the law profession. The acquaintance
with ancient writings, however, which he had been obliged
to cultivate in the course of his practice, gratified a taste
for general antiquities and antiquarian research, which he
seems to have determined to pursue, and he happened to
have an early opportunity to prove himself well qualified
for the pursuit. In 1704, a book was published by Mr.
William Atwood, a lawyer, entitled “The superiority and
direct dominion of tl?e Imperial Crown and Kingdom of
England over the Crown and Kingdom, of Scotland.
” In
this, Mr. Anderson, although altogether unknown to Mr.
Atwood, was brought in by him as an evidence and eyewitness to vouch some of the most important original chai%
ters and grants by the kings of Scotland, which AtwoocJ
maintained were in proof of the point he laboured to establish. Mr. Anderson, in consequence of such an appeal,
thought himself bound in duty to his country to publish
what he knew of the matter, and to vindicate the memory
of some of the best of the Scottish kings, who were accused
by Atwood of a base and voluntary surrender of their sovereignty. Accordingly, in 1705, he published “An Essay, shewing that the Crown of Scotland is imperial and
independent,
” Edinburgh, 8vo, which was so acceptable
to his country that the parliament ordered him a reward,
ind thanks to be delivered by the lord chancellor in presence of her majesty’s high commissioner and the estates,
which was done, and at the same time they ordered Atwood’s hook to he burnt at Edinburgh by the hands of the
hangman.
, an ingenious poet of the eighteenth century, was born Oct. 31, 1724. He was the son of the Rev. Christopher Anstey, D. D. by Mary, daughter of Anthony
, an ingenious poet of the eighteenth century, was born Oct. 31, 1724. He was the son of the Rev. Christopher Anstey, D. D. by Mary, daughter of Anthony Thompson, esq. of Trumpington, in Cambridgeshire. He was first educated at Bury St. Edmunds, under the Rev. Arthur Kinsman, and thence removed to Eton, where he was distinguished for industry and talents. In 1742 he succeeded to a scholarship of King’s College, Cambridge, and soon added to his fame as a classical scholar by the Tripos verses which he wrote for the Cambridge commencement, while an undergraduate in the year 174.5. In the same year he was admitted fellow of King’s College, and in 1746 took his bachelor’s degree. He was, however, interrupted in his progress towards his master’s degree by having engaged in an opposition to what he conceived to be an innovation in the constitution of his college. King’s college had immemorially exercised the right of qualifying its members for their degrees within the walls of their own society, as is the case in New college, Oxford, without that regular performance of acts and exercises generally in use in the university schools, and required of other colleges. It was, however, proposed as a salutary regulation, and a fit employment for the bachelor fellows of King’s, that they should occasionally compose Latin declamations, and pronounce them in the public schools, a regulation altogether new and unprecedented in the annals of King’s College. Mr. Anstey, who was at that time of six years standing in the university, and the senior bachelor of his year, finding himself suddenly called upon to make a Latin oration upon a given subject, attempted to resist it, but, finding that impossible, delivered a harangue composed of adverbs, so ingeniously disposed as to appear somewhat like sense, but was, in fact, a burlesque upon the whole proceeding. He was immediately ordered to descend from the rostrum, and another declamation prescribed, in which he gave so little satisfaction, that he was refused his master’s degree in 1749. He succeeded, however, so well in his opposition to this innovation, that no more Latin declamations were required of the bachelors of King’s college.
, esq. a lieutenant in the first regiment of foot-guards, only son of the rev. Dr. Francis Ayscough (who was tutor to lord Lyttelton
, esq. a lieutenant in
the first regiment of foot-guards, only son of the rev. Dr.
Francis Ayscough (who was tutor to lord Lyttelton at Oxford, and at length dean of Bristol) by Anne, fifth sister to
his lordship, who addressed a poem to the doctor from Paris, in 1728, printed in Dodsley’s second volume. And
there are some verses to captain Ayscough in the second
lord Lyttelton’s poems, 1780. Captain Ayscough was also
author of Semiramis, a tragedy, 1777, and the editor of the
great lord Lyttelton' s works. In September, 1777, he
went to the continent for the recovery of his health, and
wrote an account of his journey, which, on his return, he
published under the title of “Letters from an Officer in
the Guards to his Friend in England, containing some accounts of France and Italy, 1778,
” 8vo. He received,
however, but a temporary relief from the air of the continent. After lingering for a short time, he died Oct. 14,
1779, a few weeks only before his cousin, the second lord
Lyttelton, whose family owes little to his character, or that
of the subject of this short article. Two young men of
more profligate morals have seldom insulted public decency, by calling the public attention to their many licentious amours and adventures.
, an eminent physician, was the son of the Rev. George Baker, who died in 1743, being then archdeacon
, an eminent physician, was the son of the Rev. George Baker, who died in 1743, being then archdeacon and registrar of Totness. He was born in 1722, educated at Eton, and was entered a scholar of King’s college, Cambridge, in July 1742, where he took his degree of B. A. 1745, and M. A. 1749. He then began the study of medicine, and took the degree of doctor in 1756. He first practised at Stamford, but afterwards settled in London, and soon arrived at very extensive practice and reputation, and the highest honours of his faculty, being appointed physician in ordinary to the Jking, and physician to the queen. He was also a fellow of the Royal and Antiquary Societies, created a baronet Aug. 26, 1776, and in 1797 was elected president of the College of Physicians, London. Besides that skill in his profession, and personal accomplishments, which introduced him into the first practice, and secured him a splendid fortune, he was a good classical scholar and critic, and his Latin works are allowed to be written in a chaste and elegant style. He died June 15, 1809, in his eighty-eighth year, after having passed this long life without any of the infirmities from which he had relieved thousands.
, an English divine of the Hutchinsonian principles, was a younger son of the Rev. Richard Bate, vicar of Chilham and rector of Warehorn,
, an English divine of the Hutchinsonian
principles, was a younger son of the Rev. Richard Bate,
vicar of Chilham and rector of Warehorn, who died in
1736. He was born about 1711, and matriculated at St.
John’s college, Cambridge, where he took his degrees, of
B. A. 1730, and M. A. 1742. He was an intimate friend
of the celebrated Hutchinson, as we learn from Mr. Spearman’s life of that remarkable author), by whose recommendation he obtained from Charles duke of Somerset a presentation to the living of Sutton in Sussex, near his seat at
Petworth. Mr. Bate attended Hutchinson in his last illness (1737), and was by him in a most striking manner recommended to the protection of an intimate friend, “with
a strict charge not to suffer his labours to become useless
by neglect.
” It having been reported that Hutchinson had
recanted the publication of his writings to Dr. Mead a
little before his death; that circumstance was flatly contradicted by a letter from Mr. Bate, dated Arundel, January
20, 1759. He died at Arundel, April 7, 1771. His evangelical principles of religion shone with a steady lustre, not
only in his writings, but in his life. Disinterested, and disdaining the mean arts of ambition, he was contented with
the small preferment he had in the church. As a Christian
and a friend, he was humble and pious, tender, affectionate,
and faithful; as a writer, warm, strenuous, and undaunted,
in asserting the truth.
, a Scotch divine and poet, was the eldest son of the rev. David Blair, one of the ministers of Edinburgh,
, a Scotch divine and poet, was the
eldest son of the rev. David Blair, one of the ministers
of Edinburgh, and chaplain to the king. His grandfather
was the rev. Robert Blair, sometime minister of the gospel
at Bangor, in Ireland, and afterward at St. Andrew’s, in
Scotland. Of this gentleman, some “Memoirs,
” partly
taken from his manuscript diaries, were published at Edinburgh, in 1754. He was celebrated for his piety, and by
those of his persuasion, for his inflexible adherence to
presbyterianism, in opposition to the endeavours made in
his time to establish episcopacy in Scotland. It is recorded
also that he wrote some poems. His grandson, the object
of the present article, was born in the year 1699, and
after the usual preparatory studies, was ordained minister
of Athelstaneford, in the county of East Lothian, where
he resided until his death, Feb. 4, 1747. The late right
hon. Robert Blair, president of the court of session in.
Scotland, who died in 1811, was one of his sons, and the
late celebrated Dr. Hugh Blair, professor of rhetoric and
belles-lettres, was his cousin.
, a nonjuring clergyman of great piety and learning, son of the rev. John Bonwicke, rector of Mickleham in Surrey, was
, a nonjuring clergyman of great piety and learning, son of the rev. John Bonwicke, rector of Mickleham in Surrey, was born April 29, 1G52, and educated at Merchant Taylors school. Thence he was elected to St. John’s college, Oxford, in 1668, where he was appointed librarian in 1670; B.A. 1673; M. A. March 18, 1675; was ordained deacon May 21, 1676; priest, June 6 (Trinity Sunday), 1680; proceeded B. D. July 21, 1682; and was elected master of Merchant Taylors school June 9, 1686. In 1689, the college of St. John’s petitioned the Merchant Taylors company, that he might continue master of the school (which is a nursery for their college) for life; but, at Christmas 1691, he was turned out for refusing to take the oath of allegiance, and was afterwards for many years master of a celebrated school at Headley, near Leatherhead in Surrey, where he had at one time the honour of having the poet Fenton for his usher, and Bowyer (who was afterwards the learned printer) for a scholar.
n 1799, to his relations, the only son of the late general Trelawney, of Soho-square, and the second son of the rev. sir Henry Trelawney, bart. of Cornwall.
Mr. Breretort' became a member of the society of arts
in 1762; and,by his assiduity, zeal, and order, filled the
distinguished office of vice-president with great credit to
himself and advantage to the society, from March 1765
till his last illness in 1798. He was also an early member
of the royal society and the society of antiquaries. The
Archaeologia of the latter contain his “Observations on
Peter Collinson’s Account of the Round Towers in Ireland;
” his “Tour through South Wales;
” his “Extracts
from the Household Book of Henry VIII;
” his “Account
of a painted Window in Brereton Church, Cheshire;
” and
that of “A non-descript Coin,
” supposed to be Philip VI.
of France. Mr. Pennant has also, in his Welch Tour,
described and given an engraving of several Roman antiquities found at a Roman station on his estate in Flintshire.
Mr. Brereton was a bencher of the hon. society of Lincol n’s-Inn; filled the office of treasurer, and was keeper
of the Black Book. He also represented the borough of
Ilchester in parliament. He took the name of Salusbury
with an estate, and became constable of the castle of
Flint, a valuable privilege to his adjacent possessions. His
domestic happiness was manifest to his numerous and respectable acquaintance, among whom were some of the
most learned men of the age. He died Sept. 8, 1798, in
the eighty-fourth year of his age, and was interred in St.
George’s chapel, Windsor. His wife was sister of sir
Thomas Whitmore, K. B. and with her he lived happily
for more tnan fifty years. They had five children, who all
died young: he bequeathed the rents of his estates to her
during her life, and after her decease, which happened in
1799, to his relations, the only son of the late general
Trelawney, of Soho-square, and the second son of the rev.
sir Henry Trelawney, bart. of Cornwall.
, son of the rev. W. Broad, of Rendcombe, in Gloucestershire, was
, son of the rev. W.
Broad, of Rendcombe, in Gloucestershire, was born in
1577, and educated at St. Mary’s-hall, Oxford, which he
entered in 1594, but soon after went to Aiban-hall, where
he took his degrees in arts: In 1611, on the death of his
father, he became rector of Rendcombe, where he was
held in high esteem for piety and learning, and where he
died, and was buried in the chancel of his church, in June,
1635. He wrote: 1. a “Touchstone for a Christian,
”
Lond. The Christian’s Warfare,' ibid.
1613, 12mo. 3.
” Three questions on the Lord’s Day,
c.“Oxon. 1621, 4to. 4.
” Tractatus de Sabbato, in
quo doctrina ecclesise primitives declaratur ac defenditur,"
1627, 4to, and two treatises on the same subject, left in
manuscript, and published, with an answer, by George
Abbot (not the archbishop), as mentioned in his life.
and elegant poet of the last century, was born at Burton-upon-Trent, January 21, 1705-6; and was the son of the rev. William Browne, minister of that parish, where he
, esq. F. R. S. and a very ingenious and elegant poet of the last century, was born at Burton-upon-Trent, January 21, 1705-6; and was the son of the rev. William Browne, minister of that parish, where he chiefly resided, vicar of Winge, in Buckinghamshire, and a prebendary of Litchfield, which last preferment was given him by the excellent bishop Hough. He was possessed, also, of a small paternal inheritance, which he greatly increased by his marriage with Anne, daughter of Isaac Hawkins, esq. all whose estate, at length, came to his only grandson and heir-at-law, the subject of this article. Our author received his grammatical education, first at Litchfield, and then at Westminster, where he was much distinguished for the brilliancy of his parts^ and the steadiness of his application. The uncommon rapidity with which he passed through the several forms or classes of Westminster school, attracted the notice, and soon brought him under the direction of the head master, Dr. Freind, with whom he was a peculiar favourite. Mr. Browne stayed above a year in the sixth, or head form, with a view of confirming and improving his taste for classical learning and composition, under so polite and able a scholar. When he was little more than sixteen years of age, he was removed to Trinity-college, Cambridge, of which college his father had been fellow. He remained at the university till he had taken his degree of M. A. and though during his residence there he continued his taste for classical literature, which through his whole life was his principal object and pursuit, he did not omit the peculiar studies of the place, but applied himself with vigour and success to all the branches of mathematical science, and the principles of the Newtonian philosophy. When in May 1724, king George the First established at both universities, a foundation for the study of modern history and languages, with the design of qualifying young men for employments at court, and foreign embassies, Mr. Browne was among the earliest of those who were selected to be scholars upon this foundation. On the death of that prince, he wrote an university copy of verses, which was the first of his poems that had been printed, and was much admired. About the year 1727, Mr. Browne, who had been always intended for the bar, settled at Lincoln’s-inn. Here he prosecuted, for several years, with great attention, the study of the law, and acquired in it a considerable degree of professional knowledge, though he never arrived to any eminence in the practice of it, and entirely gave it up long before his death. He was the less solicitous about the practice of his profession, and it was of the less consequence to him, as he was possessed of a fortune adequate to his desires; which, by preserving the happy mean between extravagance and avarice, he neither diminished nor increased.
, a celebrated commentator on the New Testament, the son of the rev. Miles Burkitt, who was ejected for nonconformity,
, a celebrated commentator on the New Testament, the son of the rev. Miles Burkitt, who was ejected for nonconformity, was born at Hitcharn, in Northamptonshire, July 25, 1650. He was sent first to a school at Stow Market, and from thence to another at Cambridge. After his recovery from the small pox, which he caught there a he was admitted of Pembroke-hall, at the age of no more than fourteen years; and upon his removal from the university, when he had taken his degree, he became a chaplain in a private gentleman’s family, where he continued some years. He entered young upon the ministry, being ordained by bishop Reynolds; and the first employment which he had was at Milden, in Suffolk, where he continued twenty-one years a constant preacher (in a plain, practical, and affectionate manner), first as curate, and afterwards as rector of that church. In 1692 he was promoted to the vicarage of Dedham, in Essex, where he continued to the time of his death, which happened in the latter end of October, 1703. He was a pious ancT charitable man. He made great collections for the French Protestants in the years 1687, &c. and by his great care, pains, and charges, procured a worthy minister to go and settle in Carolina. Among other charities, he bequeathed by his last will and testament the house wherein he lived, with the lands thereunto belonging, to be an habitation for the lecturer that should be chosen from time to time to preach the lecture at Dedham. He wrote some books, and among the rest a Commentary upon the New Testament, in the same plain, practical, and affectionate manner in which he preached. This has often been reprinted in folio, and lately with some alterations and improvements, by the rev. Dr. Glasse. Mr. Burkitt’s other works are small pious tracts for the use of his parishioners.
, a dissenting minister of the Socinian persuasion, son of the rev. Joseph Cappe, minister of the dissenting congregation
, a dissenting minister of the Socinian persuasion, son of the rev. Joseph Cappe, minister
of the dissenting congregation at Mill hill in Leeds, was
born in that town Feb. 21, 1732-3, and educated for some
time under the care of his father, whom he lost in his sixteenth year. Having at this early age discovered a predilection for nonconformity, he was placed at the academy
of Dr. Aikin at Kilvvorth in Leicestershire, in 1743, and
the next year removed to that of Dr. Doddridge at Northampton. During his residence here he overcame somescruples that arose in his mintl respecting the evidences of
revealed religion, by examining them in the best writers
with great attention. After passing two years at Northampton, he was deprived of the benefit of Dr. Doddriclge’s instructions, who was obliged to leave England on
account of his health, and in 1752 went to the university
of Glasgow, where he continued three years, improving
his knowledge with great industry and success, and forming an acquaintance with many eminent men of the day,
particularly Dr. Leechman, Dr. Cullen, Dr. Adam Smith,
Dr. Moore, and the late Dr. Black. Having completed his
studies, he returned in 1755 to Leeds, and within a short
time after was chosen co-pastor, and the following year
sole pastor of the dissenting congregation at St Saviourgate, York. This situation he retained for forty years,
during which he engaged the respect and affection of his
hearers, and was distinguished as a preacher of uncommon
eloquence, and a man of great learning and amiable manners. In 1791 and 1793 he experienced two paralytic
shocks, which ever after affected both his walking and his
speech, but was enabled to employ much of his time in
preparing those works for the press which appeared after
his death. Weakened at length by paralytic affections, he
died Dec. 24, 1800. He published in his life-time, 1. “A
Sermon upon the king of Prussia’s Victory at Rosbach,
”
Nov. 5, 1757. 2. “Three Fast-day Sermons, published
during the American War.
” 3. “A Sermon on the Thanksgiving-day, 1784.
” 4. “A Fast-clay Sermon, written during the American War, but first published in 1795.
” 5
“A Sermon on the Death of the rev. Edw. Sandercock.
” 6.
“A selection of Psalms for Social Worship.
” 7. “Remarks in vindication of Dr. Priestley, in answer to the
Monthly Reviewers. 17 8.
” Letters published in the York
Chronicle, signed `A. doughty Champion in heavy armour,' in reply to the attack of Dr. Cooper (under the signature of Erasmus) upon Mr. Lindsey on his resigning
the living of Catterick, and “Discourses on the Providence and Government of God.
” ' In
, D. D. was the son of the rev. William Chapman, rector of Stratfield-say in Hampshire,
, D. D. was the son of the rev. William Chapman, rector of Stratfield-say in Hampshire,
where he was probably born in 1704. He was educated at
King’s college, Cambridge, A. B. 1727, and A. M. 1731.
His first promotion was the rectory of Mersham in Kent,
and of Alderton, with the chapel of Smeeth; to which he
was appointed in 1739 and 1744, being then domestic
chaplain to archbishop Potter. He was also archdeacon
of Sudbury, and treasurer of Chichester, two options.
Being educated at Eton, he was a candidate for the provostship of that college, and lost it by a small majority,
and after a most severe contest with Dr. George. Among
his pupils he had the honour to class the first lord Camden, Dr. Ashton, Horace Walpole, Jacob Bryant, sir W.
Draper, sir George Baker, and others who afterwards attained to considerable distinction in literature. His first
publication was entitled “The Objections of a late anonymous writer (Collins) against the book of Daniel, considered/' Cambridge, 1728, 8vo. This was followed by his
” Remarks on Dr. Middleton’s celebrated Letter to Dr.
Waterland,“published in 1731, and which has passed
through three editions. In his
” Eusebius,“2 vols. 8vo,
he defended Christianity against the objections of Mor-gan, and against those of Tindal in his
” Primitive Antiquity explained and vindicated.“The first volume of
Eusebius, published in 1739, was dedicated to archbishop
Potter; and when the second appeared, in 1741, Mr.
Chapman styled himself chaplain to his grace. In the
same year he was made archdeacon of Sudbury, and was
honoured with the diploma of D. D. by the university of
Oxford. He is at this time said to have published the
” History of the ancient Hebrews vindicated, by Theophanes Cantabrigiensis,“8vo but this was the production
of Dr. Squire. He published two tracts relating to
” Phlegon,“in answer to Dr. Sykes, who had maintained
that the eclipse mentioned by that writer had no relation to
the wonderful darkness that happened at our Saviour’s crucifixion. In 1738 Dr. Chapman published a sermon
preached at the consecration of bishop Mavvson, and four
other single sermons, 1739, 1743, 1748, and 1752. In a
dissertation written in elegant Latin, and addressed to
Mr. (afterwards Dr.) Tunstall, then public orator of the
university of Cambridge, and published with his Latin
epistle to Dr. Middleton concerning the genuineness of
some of Cicero’s epistles, 1741, Dr. Chapman proved that
Cicero published two editions of his Academics; an original thought that had escaped all former commentators,
and which has been applauded by Dr. Ross, bishop of Exeter, in his edition of Cicero’s
” Epistolse ad familiares,“1749. In 1744 Mr. Tunstall published
” Observations on
the present Collection of Epistles between Cicero and M.
Brutus, representing several evident marks of forgery in
those epistles,“&c. to which was added a
” Letter from
Dr. Chapman, on the ancient numeral characters of the
Roman legions.“Dr. Middleton had asserted, that the
Roman generals, when they had occasion to raise new
legions in distant parts of the empire, used to name them
according to the order in which they themselves had raised
them, without regard to any other legions whatever. This
notion Dr. Chapman controverts and confutes. According
to Dr. Middleton there might have been two thirtieth legions in the empire. This Dr. Chapman denies to have
been customary from the foundation of the city to the time
when Brutus was acting against Anthony, but affirms nothing of the practice after the death of Brutus. To this
Dr. Middleton made no reply. In 1745 Dr. Chapman was
employed in assisting Dr. Pearce, afterwards bishop of
Rochester, in his edition of
” Cicero de Officiis.“About
this time Dr. Chapman introduced Mr. Tunstall and Mr.
Hall to archbishop Potter, the one as his librarian, the
other as his chaplain, and therefore had some reason to
resent their taking an active part against him in the option
cause, though they both afterwards dropped it. Dr. Chapman’s above-mentioned attack on Dr. Middleton, which he
could not parry, and his interposition in defence of his
much-esteemed friend Dr. Waterland, provoked Dr. Middleton to retaliate in 1746, by assailing him in what he
thought a much more vulnerable part, in his Charge to the
archdeaconry of Sudbury, entitled <e Popery the true bane
of letters.
” In would wash him as white
as snow.
” Thinking his case partially stated by Dr. Burn,
in his “Ecclesiastical Law,' 1 vol. I. (article Bishops), as
it was taken from the briefs of his adversaries, he expostulated with him on the subject by letter, to which the doctor
candidly replied,
” that he by no means thought him criminal, and in the next edition of his work would certainly
add his own representation." On this affair, however, Dr.
Hurd passes a very severe sentence in his correspondence
with Warburton lately published. Dr. Chapman died the
34th of October, 1784, in the 80th year of his age.
, a very learned physician, and voluminous writer, the son of the rev. Walter Charleton, M. A. some time vicar of Ilminster,
, a very learned physician,
and voluminous writer, the son of the rev. Walter Charleton, M. A. some time vicar of Ilminster, and afterwards
rector of Shepton Mallet, in the county of Somerset,
was born at Shepton Mallet, February 2, 1619, and was
first educated by his father, a man of extensive capacity,
though but indifferently furnished with the goods of fortune. He was afterwards sent to Oxford, and entered of
Magdalen Hall in Lent term 1635, where he became the
pupil of the famous Dr. John Wilkins, afterwards bishop
of Chester, under whom he made great progress in logic
and philosophy, and was noted for assiduous application
and extensive capacity, which encouraged him to aim at
the accomplishments of an universal scholar. But as his
circumstances confined him to some particular profession,
he made choice of physic, and in a short time made as
great a progress in that as he had done in his former studies.
On the breaking out of the civil war, which brought the
king to Oxford, Mr. Charleton, by the favour of the king,
had the degree of doctor of physic conferred upon him in
February 1642, and was soon after made one of the physicians in ordinary to his majesty. These honours made
him be considered as a rising character, and exposed him
to that envy and resentment which he could never entirely
conquer. Upon the declension of the royal cause, he came
up to London, was admitted of the college of physicians,
acquired considerable practice, and lived in much esteem
with the ablest and most learned men of the profession;
such as sir Francis Prujean, sir George Ent, Dr. William
Harvey, and others. In the space of ten years before the
Restoration, he wrote and published several very ingenious
and learned treatises, as well on physical as other subjects,
by which he gained great reputation abroad as well as at
home; and though they are now less regarded than perhaps they deserve, yet they were then received with almost universal approbation. He became, as Wood tells
us, physician in ordinary to king Charles II. while in exile,
which honour he retained after the king’s return; and,
upon the founding of the royal society, was chosen one of
the first members. Among other patrons and friends were
William Cavendish, duke of Newcastle, whose life Dr.
Cliarleton translated into Latin in a very clear and elegant
style, and the celebrated Hobbes, but this intimacy, with:
his avowed respect for the Epicurean philosophy, drew
some suspicions upon him in regard to his religion, notwithstanding the pains he had taken to distinguish between
the religious and philosophical opinions of Epicurus in his
own writings against infidelity. Few circumstances seem
to have drawn more censure on him than his venturing to
differ in opinion from the celebrated Inigo Jones respecting
Stonehenge, which Jones attributed to the Romans, and
asserted to be a temple dedicated by them to the god Coelus, or Coelum; Dr. Charleton referred this antiquity to
later and more barbarous times, and transmitted Jones’s
book, which was not published till after its author’s death,
to Olaus Wormius, who wrote him several letters, tending
to fortify him in his own sentiment, by proving that this
work ought rather to be attributed to his countrymen the
Danes. With this assistance Dr. Charleton drew up a
treatise, offering many strong arguments to shew, that this
could not be a Roman temple, and several plausible reasons why it ought rather to be considered as a Danish monument; but his book, though learned, and enriched with
a great variety of curious observations, was but indifferently
received, and but coldly defended by his friends. Jones’s
son-in-law answered it with intemperate warmth, and many
liberties were taken by others with Dr. Charleton’s character, although sir William Dugdale and some other eminent antiquaries owned themselves to be of our author’s
opinion; but it is now supposed that both are wrong.
Notwithstanding this clamour, Dr. Charleton’s fame was
advanced by his anatomical prelections in the college
theatre, in the spring of 1683, and his satisfactory defence
of the immortal Harvey’s claim to the discovery of the
circulation of the blood, against the pretence that was set
up in favour of father Paul. In 1689 he was chosen president of the college of physicians, in which office he continued to the year 1691. A little after this, his circumstances becoming narrow, he found it necessary to seek a
retreat in the island of Jersey; but the causes of this are not
explained, nor have we been able to discover how long he
continued in Jersey, or whether he returned afterwards to
London. All that is known with certainty is, that he died
in the latter end of 1707, and in the eighty-eighth year
of his age. He appears from his writings to have been a
man of extensive learning, a lover of the constitution in
church and state, and so much a lover of his country as to
refuse a professor’s chair in the university of Padua. In
his junior years he dedicated much of his time to the study
of philosophy and polite literature, was as well read in
the Greek and Roman authors as any man of his time, and
he was taught very early by his excellent tutor, bishop
Wilkins, to digest his knowledge so as to command it readily
when occasion required. In every branch of his own
profession he has left testimonies of his diligence and his
capacity; and whoever considers the plainness and perspicuity of his language, the pains he has taken to collect
and produce the opinions of the old physicians, in order
to compare them with the moderns, the just remarks with
which these collections and comparisons are attended, the
succinctness with which all this is dispatched, and the
great accuracy of that method in which his books are
written, will readily agree that he was equal to most of his
contemporaries. As an antiquary, he had taken much pains
in perusing our ancient historians, and in observing their
excellencies as well as their defects. But, above all, he
was studious of connecting the sciences with each other,
and thereby rendering them severally more perfect; in
which, if he did not absolutely succeed himself, he had at
least the satisfaction of opening the way to others, of showing the true road to perfection, and pointing out the
means of applying and making those discoveries useful,
which have followed in succeeding times. There is also
good reason to believe, that though we have few or none
of his writings extant that were composed during the last
twenty years of his life, yet he was not idle during that
space, but committed many things to paper, as materials
at least for other works that he designed. There is now a
large collection of his ms papers and letters on subjects of
philosophy and natural history in the British Museum.
(Ayscough’s Catalogue.) His printed works are, 1 . “Spiritus
Gorgonicus vi sua saxipara exutus, sive de causis, signis,
et sanatione Lithiaseos,
” Leyden, The darkness
of Atheism discovered by the light of nature, a physicotheological treatise,
” London, The Ephesian and Cimmerian Matrons, two remarkable examples of
the power of Love and Wit/ 7 London, 1653 and 1658, 8vo.
4.
” Physiologia Epicuro-Gassendo-Charletoniana: or a
fabric of natural science erected upon the most ancient
hypothesis of atoms,“London, 1654, in fol. 5.
” The Immortality of the human Soul demonstrated by reasons natural,“London, 1657, 4to. 6.
” Oeconomia Animalis novis Anatomicorum inventis, indeque desumptis modernorum Medicorum Hypothesibus Physicis superstructa et
mechanice explicata,“London, 1658, 12mo; Amsterdam,
1659, 12mo; Leyden, 1678, 12mO; Hague, 1681, 12mo.
It is likewise added to the last edition of
” Gulielmi Cole
de secretione animali cogitata.“7.
” Natural history of
nutrition, life, and voluntary motion, containing all the
new discoveries of anatomists,“&c. London, 1658, 4to.
8.
” Exercitationes Physico-Anatomicse de Oeconomia Animali,“London, 1659, 8vo printed afterwards several
times abroad. 9.
” Exercitationes Pathologicæ, in quibus
morborum pene omnium natura, generatio, et causae ex
novis Anatomicorum inventis sedulo inquiruntur,“London,
160, and 1661, 4to. 10.
” Character of his most sacred
Majesty Charles II. King of Great Britain, France, and
Ireland,“London, 1660, one sheet, 4to. 11.
” Disquisitiones duae Anatomico-Physica? altera Anatome pueri de
ccelo tacti, altera de Proprietatibus Cerebri humani,“London, 1664, 8vo. 12.
” Chorea Gigantum, or the most
famous antiquity of Great Britain, vulgarly called Stonehenge, standing on Salisbury Plain, restored to the Danes,“London, 1663, 4to. 13.
” Onomasticon Zoicon, plerorumque animalium differentias et nomina propria pluribus
linguis exponens. Cui accedunt Mantissa Anatomice, et
quiedam de variis Fossilium generibus,“London, 1668 and
1671, 4to; Oxon. 1677, fol. 14.
” Two Philosophical
Discourses the first concerning the different wits of men
the second concerning the mystery of Vintners, or a discourse of the various sicknesses of wines, and their respective remedies at this day commonly used, &c. London, 1663, 1675, 1692, 8vo. 15. “De Scorbuto Liber
singularis. Cui accessit Epiphonema in Medicastros,
”
London, Natural
History of the Passions,
” London, Enquiries into Humane Nature, in six Anatomy-prelections in
the new theatre of the royal college of physicians in London,
” London, Oratio Anniversaria habita in Theatro inclyti Collegii Medicorum Londinensis 5to
Augusti 1680, in commemorationem Beneficiorum a
Doctore Harvey aliisque præstitorum,
” London, 1680, 4to.
19. “The harmony of natural and positive Divine Laws,
”
London, Three Anatomic Lectures concerning, l.The motion of the blood through the veins and
arteries. 2. The organic structure of the heart. 3. The
efficient cause of the heart’s pulsation. Read in the 19th,
20th, and 21st day of March 1682, in the anatomic theatre
of his majesty’s royal college of Physicians in London,
”
London, Inquisitio Physlca de causis
Catameniorum, et Uteri Rheumatismo, in quo probatur
sanguinem in animali fermentescere nunquam,
” London,
Gulielmi Ducis Novicastrensis vita,
”
London, A Ternary of Paradoxes, of the
magnetic cure of wounds, nativity of tartar in wine, and
image of God in man,
” London, The
errors of physicians concerning Defluxions called Deliramenta Catarrhi,
” London, Epicurus his Morals,
” London, The Life
of Marcellus,
” translated from Plutarch, and printed in the
second volume of “Plutarch’s Lives translated from the
Greek by several hands,
” London,
pelt their name) (John), a noted loyalist and popular poet in the reign of Charles I. was the eldest son of the rev. Thomas Cleiveland, M. A. some time vicar of Hinckley,
, or rather Cleiveland (for so he and his family spelt their name) (John), a noted loyalist
and popular poet in the reign of Charles I. was the eldest
son of the rev. Thomas Cleiveland, M. A. some time vicar
of Hinckley, and rector of Stoke, in the county of Leicester. He was born in 1613, at Loughborough, where his
father was then assistant to the rector; but educated at
Hinckley, under the rev. Richard Vynes, a man of genius
and learning, who was afterwards as much distinguished
among the presbyterian party as his scholar was among the
cavaliers. In his fifteenth year our poet was removed to
Cambridge, and admitted of Christ’s college, Sept. 4,
1627, where he took the degree of B. A. in 163 1 He was
thence transplanted to the sister foundation of St. John’s
college in the same university, of which he was elected
fellow March 27, 1634, and proceeded to the degree of
M. A. in 1635. Of this society he continued many years a
principal ornament, being one of the tutors, and highly
respected by his pupils, some of -whom afterwards attained
to eminence. By the statutes of that college, he should
have taken orders within six years after his being elected
fellow: but he uas admitted on the law line (as the phrase there is) November 2, 1640, and afterwards on that of
physic, January 31, 1642, which excused him from complying with this obligation; though it does not appear that
he made either law or physic his profession: for, remaining at
college, he became the rhetoric reader there, and was usually
employed by the society in composing their speeches and
epistles to eminent persons (of which specimens may be seen in his works), being in high repute at that time for
the purity and terseness of his Latin style. He also became celebrated for his occasional poems in English, and,
at the breaking out of the civil wars, is said to have been
the first champion that appeared in verse for the royal
cause; which he also supported by all his personal influence: particularly by exerting his interest in the town of
Cambridge, to prevent Oliver Cromwell (then an obscure candidate, but strongly supported by the puritan partv)
from being elected one of its members. Cromwell’s
stronger genius in this, as hi every other pursuit, prevailing, Cleveland is said to have shown great discernment,
by predicting at so early a period, the fatal consequences
that long after ensued to the cause of royalty. Cromwell
got his election by a single vote, which Cleveland declared
“had ruined both church and kingdom.
” The parliament
party carrying all before them in the eastern counties,
Cleveland retired to the royal army, and with it to the
king’s head quarters at Oxford, where he was much admired and caressed for his satirical poems on the opposite
faction, especially for his satire on the Scottish covenanters, entitled “The Rebel Scot.
” In his absence he was
deprived of his fellowship, Feb. 13, 1644, by the earl of
Manchester, who, under the authority of an ordinance of
parliament, for regulating and reforming the university of
Cambridge, ejected such fellows of colleges, &c. as refused to take the solemn league and covenant. From Oxford Cleveland was appointed to be judge-advocate in the
garrison at Newark, under sir Richard Willis the governor,
and has been commended for his skilful and upright conduct in this difficult office, where he also distinguished his
pen occasionally, by returning smart answers to the
summons, and other addresses to the garrison. Newark, after
holding out the last of all the royal fortresses, was at
length, in 1646, by the express command of the king
(then a prisoner in the Scots army), surrendered upon
terms, which left Cleveland in possession of his liberty,
but destitute of all means of support, except what he derived from the hospitality and generosity of his brother
loyalists, among whom he lived some years, obscure and
unnoticed by the ruling party, till, in November 1655,
he was seized at Norwich, as “a person of great abilities,
”
adverse and dangerous to the reigning government; and
being sent to Yarmouth, he was there imprisoned for some
time, till he sent a petition to the lord-protector, wherein
the address of the writer has been much admired, who,
while he honestly avows his principles, has recourse to
such moving topics, as might sooth his oppressor, and procure his enlargement: in which he was not disappointed,
for the protector generously set him at liberty, disdaining
to remember on the throne the opposition he had received
in his canvass for parliament as a private burgess. Cleveland thence retired to London, where he is said to have
found a generous Maecenas; and, being much admired
among all persons of his own party, became member of a
club of wits and loyalists, which Butler, the author of Hiir
dibras, also frequented. Cleveland then lived in chambers
at Gray’s-inn (of which Butler is said to have been a member), and, being seized with an epidemic intermitting
fever, died there on Thursday morning, April 29, 1659.
His friends paid the last honours to his remains by a splendid funeral: for his body was removed to Hunsdon -house,
and thence carried for interment, on Saturday May 1, to
the parish church of St. Michael Royal, on College-hill,
London, followed by a numerous attendance of persons
eminent for their loyalty or learning: to whom his funeral
sermon was preached by his intimate friend Dr. John Pearson, afterwards bishop of Chester, author of the Exposition of the Creed.
, rector of Whatfield, and vicar of Debenham, in Suffolk, was the son of the rev. George Clubbe, M. A. of Catherine-hall, Cambridge,
, rector of Whatfield, and vicar of Debenham, in Suffolk, was the son of the rev. George Clubbe,
M. A. of Catherine-hall, Cambridge, and was born in 1703.
He was admitted of King’s-college, Cambridge, by an
unlucky mistake of an uacle, who did not know until too
late, that his not proceeding from Eton school was a bar to
his promotion in that college. He left it, therefore, after
talcing his bachelor’s degree, in 1725. At what time he
was presented to his livings, is not mentioned. He married
one of Dr. Jortin’s daughters, by whom he had a large family. He had the misfortune to lose his sight some time
before his death, March 2, 1773, but never his placid and
agreeable humour. His publications, besides a single
“Sermon
” before the incorporated Society for the Relief
of Clergymen’s Widows and Orphans at Ipswich, 1751,
are, 1. “The History and Antiquities of the ancient villa
of Wheatfield, in the county of Suffolk,
” Fugitive Pieces.
” 2. “Physiognomy; being a.
sketch of a larger work upon the same plan, wherein the
different tempers, passions, and manners of men, will be
particularly considered.
” 3. “A Letter of free advice
to a young Clergyman,
”
, an English poet, was the son of the rev. William Crashaw, a divine of some note in his day,
, an English poet, was the son
of the rev. William Crashaw, a divine of some note in his
day, and preacher at the Temple church, London. He
published several volumes on points controverted between
the Roman catholics and protestants, either original or
translated; and in 1608, a translation of the Life of Galeacius Caracciolo, marquis of Vico, an Italian nobleman,
who was converted by the celebrated reformer Peter
Martyr, and forsook all that rank, family, and wealth
could yield, for the quiet enjoyment of the reformed religion. Mr. Crashaw also translated a supposed poem of
St. Bernard’s, entitled “The Complaint or Dialogue between the Soule and the Bodie of a damned man,
” Manual for true Catholics, or a handfull or rather a heartfull of holy Meditations
and Prayers.
” All these show him to have been a zealous
protestant; but, like his son, somewhat tinctured with a
love of mystic poetry and personification.
, an English barrister, was the son of the Rev. John Dodson, M. A. a dissenting minister of Marlborough,
, an English barrister, was the
son of the Rev. John Dodson, M. A. a dissenting minister
of Marlborough, in Wiltshire, and of Elizabeth, one of
the daughters of Mr. Foster, an attorney-at-law of the
same place. He was born at Marlborough on the 20th or
21st Sept. 1732, and educated partly under the care of his
father, and partly at the grammar-school of that town; and
under the direction of his maternal uncle, sir Michael
Foster, he was brought up to the profession of the law.
After being admitted of the Middle Temple, London, August 31, 1754, he practised many years with considerable
reputation, as a special pleader. His natural modesty and
cliffiJence discouraged him from attending the courts, and
therefore he did not proceed to be called to the bar till
July 4, 1783. This measure contributed, as was intended,
more to the diminution than to the increase of professional
business. He was appointed one of the commissioners of
bankrupts in 1770, during the chancellorship of lord Camden, and was continued in that situation till the time of
his death. On December 31, 1778, Mr. Dodson married
miss Elizabeth Hawkes, his cousin-german, and eldest
daughter of Mr. Hawkes, of Marlborough. He enjoyed a
life of uninterrupted good health, and indeed little alteration was observeable in his strength or general habits till
nearly the last year of his life. It was not till the month
of October 1799, that he began more sensibly to feel the
effect of disease; and, after a confinement to his room of
about a fortnight, he died of a dropsy in his chest, at his
house in Boswell-court, Carey-street, London, on the 13th
of November of that year; and was buried in Bunhillfields the 21st of the same month. Mr. Dodson’s legal
knowledge and discrimination were deservedly estimated
by those to whom he was known, and who had occasion to
confer with him upon questions of law. He was deliberate
in forming his opinion, and diffident in delivering it, but
always clear in the principles and reasons on which it was
founded. His general acquaintance with the laws, and
veneration for the constitution of his country, evinced his
extensive acquaintance with the principles of jurisprudence, and his regard for the permanence of the liberties
of Britain. In 1762, Mr. Justice Foster published his
book, entitled, “A Report of some proceedings on the
commission for the trial of the Rebels in the year 1746, in
the county of Surrey; and of other crown cases; to which
are added, Discourses upon a few branches of the Crown
Law.
” This work will be to him, said Mr. Dodson, “monumeutum aere perennius.
” The impression being large,
and a pirated edition being made in Ireland, a new edition,
was not soon wanted in England; but in 1776 Mr. Dodson
published a second edition with some improvements, and
with remarks in his preface on some objections made by
Mr. Barrington in his “Observations on the more ancient
Statutes.
” In Commentaries and Essays,
” written by the members of a small “Society for promoting the knowledge of
the Scriptures.
” Mr. Dodson was a very early member of
this society, not only communicating some papers of his
own, but conducting through the press some of the contributions of others. In 1790 he laid before the public, as
the result of many years’ study, “New translation of Isaiah,
with notes supplementary to those of Dr. Lowth, late
bishop of London, and containing remarks on many parts
of his Translation and Notes, by a Layman.
” In this he
has taken more freedoms than can be justified by the principles of sound criticism; which drew forth an able answer
from the pen of Dr. Sturges, in “Short remarks on a new
Translation of Isaiah,
” 8vo. To this Mr. Dodson replied,
with urbanity and candour, in “A Letter to the Rev. Dr.
Sturges, &c.
” 8vo,
a distinguished clergyman of the established church of Scotland, the third son of the rev. John Drysdale, minister of Kirkaldy, was born April
a distinguished clergyman
of the established church of Scotland, the third son of the
rev. John Drysdale, minister of Kirkaldy, was born April
29, 1718, and educated there in classical learning. In
1732, he was sent to finish his studies at the university of
Edinburgh; and in 1740, was licensed to preach by the
presbytery of Kirkaldy, was several years assistant minister
of the collegiate church in Edinburgh, and in 1748 was
presented to the church of Kirkliston. After residing
there for fifteen years, he was presented to lady Yester’s
church, by the town-council of Edinburgh. This being
the first instance in which the magistrates of that city had
exercised their right of presentation, which was thought
to reside in the parishioners, and Mr. Drysdale being suspected of favouring in his discourses the Arminian tenets,
a very common objection to the modern church of Scotland, a formidable opposition was made to his institution;
but the magistrates proving victorious, he obtained a settlement in lady Yester’s church. The sermons he preached
there, says professor Dalzel, although his mode of delivery
was by no means correct, always attracted a great concourse of hearers, whom he never failed to delight and instruct by an eloquence of the most nervous and interesting
kind. His natural diffidence for some prevented his appearing as a speaker in the ecclesiastical judicatures; but he
was at length induced to co-operate with Dr. Robertson, in
defence of what was termed the moderate party in the church
of Scotland. In 1765, the university of Aberdeen, unsolicited,
conferred upon him the degree of D, D. by diploma, and
on the death of Dr. Jardine, he was preferred to the church
of Tron, and appointed a king’s chaplain, with the allowance of one-third the emoluments arising from the deanery
of the chapel royal. In 1773, having obtained the character of an able and impartial divine, he was unanimously
elected moderator of the general assembly of the Scottish
kirk; “the greatest mark of respect,
” observes his biographer, “which an ecclesiastical commonwealth can bestow.
” In 1784 he was re-elected, by a great majority, to
the same dignity. In May, 17s8, he appeared at the
general assembly, and the first day acted as principal clerk,
but was taken ill, and died on the 16th of June following,
aged seventy years. His general character was that of betievolence and inflexible integrity. His candour obtained
him many friends; and even such as were of different
sentiments in church affairs, and held different religious
tenets, esteemed the man, and with these he kept up a
friendly intercourse. “Indeed,
” adds the professor, “never any man more successfully illustrated what he taught
by his own conduct and manners.
” His reputation as a
preacher was very great; and on an occasional visit he
made to London, Mr. Strahan, the late printer, endeavoured to persuade him to publish a volume of sermons.
On his return to Scotland he began a selection for the purpose, but his modesty hindered his proceeding, and induced him, finally, to relinquish the plan. After his death,
his son-in-law, the late professor Dalzel, who h;,d the inspection of his manuscripts, made a selection of his
sermons, and published them in two 8vo volumes, with biographical anecdotes of his life, which were published also
in the " Transactions of the Royal Society of Edinburgh.
, a learned divine of the church of England, was born at Coventry, August 10, O.S. 1729, and was the son of the Rev. Thomas Edwards, M. A. vicar of St. Michael’s in
, a learned divine of the church
of England, was born at Coventry, August 10, O.S. 1729,
and was the son of the Rev. Thomas Edwards, M. A. vicar
of St. Michael’s in that city, and of Katharine his wife.
His grammatical education he received partly under the
tuition of Edward Jackson, D. D. master of the free grammar-school in Coventry, but principally under the care
of his own father; and such was his eagerness for the acquisition of knowledge, that he seldom engaged in the
diversions common to boys. In 1747, at the age of eighteen,
he was matriculated at the university of Cambridge, and
entered of Clare hall, where he took the degree of B. A.
in 1750, and of M. A. in 1754. He was likewise a fellow
of his college. In the younger part of his life he was a
self-taught musician, and became no mean performer on
the spinnet and the bass-viol: but, finding that this amusement encroached too much upon his studies, he entirely
relinquished it. On the 22d of September, 1751, he was
ordained deacon, and on the 23d of September, 1753, he
was ordained priest, both which orders he received from
the hands of Dr. Frederick Cornwallis, at that time bishop
of Litchfield and Coventry. In the spring of 1755, when
Mr. Edwards was not yet twenty-six years of age, he gave
a striking proof of the diligence with which he applied
himself to the study of the learned languages, and the acquisition of sacred literature. This was his publication of
“A new English Translation of the Psalms from the original Hebrew, reduced to metre by the late bishop Hare
with notes, critical and explanatory, illustrations of many
passages, drawn from the classics, and a preliminary dissertation, in which the truth and certainty of that learned
prelate’s happy discovery is stated, and proved at large,
”
8vo. It was Mr. Edwards’s design to make Dr. Hare’s system of Hebrew metre better known, and to prove, that, by
a judicious application of it, great light might be thrown
upon the poetical parts of the Hebrew scriptures. He was
of opinion that Dr. Hare’s hypothesis was rejected by
many persons, partly from an over-hasty determination,
and partly from too scrupulous a veneration for the Hebrew
text. The notes, which comprehend more than one third
of this book, chiefly contain emendations of the Hebrew
text, pointed out by the metre, and illustrations of some
passages, drawn from the classics, together with an explanation of the most difficult places. Considerable use is
made by our author of Hare and Mudge, but with no
servile adherence to their authority. Mr. Edwards’s next
publication was only a single sermon, which he had
preached at St. Michael’s in Coventry, on the 6th of
February, 1756. On the 2d of May, 1758, he was nominated, by the corporation of Coventry, master of the free
grammar-school, and presented to the rectory of St. John,
the Baptist in that city. This promotion was- followed by
his marriage, November 27th, in the same year, to Anne
Parrott, daughter of Stony er Parrott, esq. of Hawkesbury,
in the parish of Foleshill, in the county of Warwick, by
whom he had one son, Dr. Edwards of Cambridge. Early
in 1759, Mr. Edwards published one of his principal works,
“The doctrine of irresistible Grace proved to have no
foundation in the writings of the New Testament.
” This
was levelled at the opinions of the Calvinists on that subject. Our author’s next publication, which appeared in
1762, was entitled “Prolegomena in Libros Veteris Testamenti Poeticos; sive dissertatio, in qua viri eruditissimi
Francisci Harii nuper Episcopi Cicestriensis de antiqua
Hebraeorum poesi hypothesin ratione et veritate niti, fuse
ostenditur, atque ad objecta quaedam respond etur.
Subjicitur Metricae Lowthianae Confutatio, cum indicibus
necessariis,
” 8vo. This attack upon Dr. Lowth’s “Metricae Harianaj brevis Confutatio,
” which had been annexed to the first edition of his admirable “Praelectiones
de sacra Poesi Hebraeorum,
” did not pass unnoticed by
that gentleman. In the second edition of his “Praelectiones
” he added a note, in which he strenuously maintained his own opinion, in opposition to that of Mr, Edwards. In reply to this note our author published, in 1765 t
“Epistola ad doctissimimi Robertum Lowthium, S. T. P.,
In qua nonnulla, quae ad nuperae siur de sacra Hebraeorum
Poesi Prielectionum editionis calcem habet, expenduntur.
”
In this he indulged himself in some severity of language,
which the subject did not merit, and which ought not to
have been used towards such an antagonist as Dr. Loath.
The doctor thought the “Epistola
” of consequence enough
to deserve a reply; and therefore he printed, in 1766,
“A larger Confutation of bishop Hare’s System of Hebrew
Metre in a letter to the reverend Dr. Edwards in answer to his Latin cpisile,
” 8vo. Here the controversy
ended and the general opinion of the learned world gave
the preference to Dr. Lowth’s arguments.
, a miscellaneous writer and schoolmaster, was born at Edinburgh, Dec. 6, 1721, and was the son of the Rev. William Elphinston. He was educated at the high
, a miscellaneous writer and
schoolmaster, was born at Edinburgh, Dec. 6, 1721, and
was the son of the Rev. William Elphinston. He was educated at the high school of Edinburgh, and afterwards at
the university, where, or soon after he left it, and when
only in his seventeenth year, he was appointed tutor to
lord Blantyre, a circumstance which seems to indicate that
his erudition was extraordinary, or his place nominal.
When of age he accompanied Carte, the historian, on a
tour through Holland and Brabant, and to Paris, where he
acquired such a knowledge of the French language as to
be able to speak and write it with the greatest facility. On
leaving France he returned to Scotland, and became private tutor to the son of James Moray, esq. of Abercairny,
in Perthshire, and an inmate in the family. How long he
remained here is uncertain, but in 1750 he was at Edinburgh, and superintended an edition of Dr. Johnson’s
“Ramblers,
” by the author’s permission, with a translation of the mottos, which was completed in 8 vols. 12 mo,
beautifully printed, but imperfect, as being without the
alterations and additions introduced in the subsequent editions by Dr. Johnson. In 1751 he married, and leaving
Scotland, fixed his abode near London, first at Brompton,
and afterwards at Kensington, where for many years he
kept a school in a large and elegant house opposite to the
royal gardens, and had considerable reputation; his scholars always retaining a very grateful sense of his skill as a
teacher, and his kindness as a friend.
, an English artist of great promise, the fourth son of the rev. William Farington, B. D. rector of Warrington, and
, an English artist of great promise, the fourth son of the rev. William Farington, B. D. rector of Warrington, and vicar of Leigh in Lancashire, was born in 1754, and received his first instructions in the art from his brother Joseph, one of the present royal academicians; but his inclinations leading him to the study of historical painting, he acquired farther assistance from Mr. West. He was for some time employed by the late alderman Boy dell, for whom he executed several very excellent drawings from the Houghton collection. He studied long in the royal academy, and obtained a silver medal in 1779; and in 1780, obtained the golden medal for the best historical picture, the subject of which was the cauldron scene in Macbeth. In 1782 he left England, and went to the East Indies, being induced to undertake that voyage by some advantageous offers. In India he painted many pictures; but his principal undertaking was a large work, representing the Durbar, or court of the nabob, at Mershoodabad. Whilst employed on this work, he imprudently exposed himself to the night air, to observe some ceremonies of the natives, in order to complete a series of drawings begun for that purpose, when he was suddenly seized with a complaint, which, in a few days, unfortunately terminated his life in 1788.
, an English historian and divine, was the son of the rev. Thomas Fuller, minister of St. Peter’s, in Aldwincle,
, an English historian and divine,
was the son of the rev. Thomas Fuller, minister of St.
Peter’s, in Aldwincle, in Northamptonshire, and born
there in 1608. The chief assistance he had in the rudiments of learning was from his father, under whom he
made so extraordinary a progress, that he was sent at
twelve years of age to Queen’s-college, in Cambridge;
Dr. Davenant, who was his mother’s brother, being then
master of it, and soon after bishop of Salisbury. He took
his degrees in arts, that of A. B. in 1624-5, and that of
A. M. in 1628, and would have been fellow of the college;
but there being already a Northamptonshire man a fellow,
he was prohibited by the statutes from being chosen, and
although he might have obtained a dispensation, he preferred removing to Sidney-college, in the same university.
He had not been long there, before he was chosen minister of St. Bennet’s, in the town of Cambridge, and soon
became a very popular preacher. In 1631, he obtained a
fellowship in Sidney-college, and at the same time a prebend in the church of Salisbury. This year also he issued
his first publication, a work of the poetical kind, now but
little known, entitled “David’s Hainous Sin, Heartie Repentances, and Heavie Punishment,
” in a thin 8vx>.
at Kircudbright, the principal town of the county of that name in Scotland, Oct 28, 1732. He was the son of the rev. George Garthshore, the minister of Kircudbright,
, an eminent physician, and very amiable man, was born at Kircudbright, the principal town of the county of that name in Scotland, Oct 28, 1732. He was the son of the rev. George Garthshore, the minister of Kircudbright, and received his early education at home. At the age of fourteen he was placed with a surgeon-apothecary in Edinburgh, where he attended the medical classes of the university, and the infirmary. In his twenty-second year, when he had finished his medical studies, he entered the army, as mate to surgeon Huck (afterwards Dr. Huck Sauntiers) in lord Charles Hay’s regiment. In 1756 he had an opportunity of relinquishing this service for the more advantageous situation of succeeding to the practice of Dr. John Fordyce, a physician at Uppingham, in Rutlandshire, who was about to remove to London. In this place, Dr. Garthshore resided until 1763, giving much satisfaction by his activity, assiduity, and successful practice in physic and midwifery, in a very extensive range of country. Here also he formed some valuable connections, and in 1759 married a young lady heiress to a small estate. This last advantage encouraged him to remove to London in 1763, and after a short residence in Bed ford -street, Coventgarden, he settled in a house in St. Martin’s lane, where he continued nearly fifty years. His professional views in coming to London were amply gratified; but here he was soon assailed by a heavy domestic affliction, the loss of his wife, which took place the 8th of March, 1765. From this calamity Dr. G. sought relief in the practice of his public duties. His natural susceptibility, the instruction of his father, the correspondence of Mr. Maitland, an early friend and patron, had deeply impressed him with devotion to his Maker, and taught him to consider it as inseparable from good-will and beneficence to men. Volumes of his Diary, kept for the whole of his life in London, and amounting to many thousands of close-written pages, in contractions very difficult to decypher, consist of medical, miscellaneous, and eminently pious remarks, meditations, and daily ejaculations of praise and thanksgiving, with fervent prayers to be kept steady in that course of well-doing essential to happiness in the present life and in that which is to come. The tone and temper, elevation and energy, acquired by this sublime heavenly intercourse, appeared indispensable to this good man, not only as the consolation of sorrow, and the disposer to patience and resignation under the ills of life, but as the spring and principle of unwearied perseverance in active virtue; the diligent, liberal, charitable exercise of the profession to which he was devoted. From this time forward he continued for nearly half a century cultivating medicine in all its branches, most attentive to every new improvement in themf, physician to the British lying-in hospital, fellow of the royal and antiquarian societies, rendering his house an asylum for the poor, as well as a centre of communication for the learned; for his connection with the higher orders of men never prevented his habitual attentions and services to the less fortunate: in general, to stand in need of his assistance was the surest recommendation to his partiality.
, an eminent divine of the church of Scotland, eldest son of the rev. Gilbert Gerard, minister of Chapel-Garioch, in
, an eminent divine of the
church of Scotland, eldest son of the rev. Gilbert Gerard,
minister of Chapel-Garioch, in Aberdeenshire, was born
there Feb. 22, 1728; he was educated partly at the parish
school of Foveran, whence he was removed to the grammar-school at Aberdeen, after his father’s death. Here
he made such rapid progress, that he was entered a student in Marischal-college when he was but twelve years
of age. He devoted his first four years to the study of
Greek, Latin, the mathematics, and philosophy, and was
at the close of the course admitted to the degree of M. A.
He now commenced his theological studies, whtch he prosecuted at the universities of Aberdeen and Edinburgh.
Immediately on the completion of his twentieth year, in
1748, he was licensed to preach in the church of Scotland, and in 1750 was chosen assistant to Mr. David Fordyce, professor of philosophy in the Marischal college at
Aberdeen, and in two years afterwards, upon the death of
the professor, Gerard was appointed to succeed him.
Here, after a short time, the department assigned to Mr.
Gerard was confined to moral philosophy and logic, the
duties of which he discharged with conscientious and unwearied diligence, and with equal success and reputation.
He was a member of a literary society at Aberdeen, consisting of Drs. Blackwell, Gregory, Reid, Campbell,
Beattie, &c. which met very regularly every fortnight
during the winter, when the members communicated their
sentiments with the utmost freedom, and received mutual
improvement from their literary discussions; and hence originated those well-known works, Reid’s “Inquiry into the
Human Mind
” Gregory’s “Comparative View;
” Gerard’s
“Essay on Genius
” Beattie’s “Essay on Truth
” andCampbell’s “Philosophy of Rhetoric.
” In An Essay
on Taste,
” which was published in Dissertations on the Genius
and Evidences of Christianity,
” published in Essay on Gesius,
” and his sermons in 2 volumes. In 1799
his son and successor, Dr. Gilbert Gerard, gave the world
a posthumous work of much merit, which had been left
among the papers of his father, entitled “The Pastoral
Care,
” which made a part of his theological course of
lectures. As a clergyman the conduct of Dr. Gerard was
marked with prudence, exemplary manners, and the most
punctual and diligent discharge of his ministerial duties;
his sermons were simple and plain, adapted to the common
class of hearers, but so accurate as to secure the approbation of the ablest judges. As a professor of divinity, his
great aim was not to impose by his authority upon his
pupils any favourite system of opinions; but to impress
them with a sense of the importance of the ministerial office; to teach them the proper manner of discharging all
its duties; and to enable them, by the knowledge of the
scriptures, to form a just and impartial judgment on controverted subjects. Possessing large stores of theological
knowledge, he was judicious in selecting his subjects,
happy and successful in his manner of communicating instruction. He had the merit of introducing a new, and in
many respects a better plan of theological education, than
those on which it had formerly been conducted. Having
a constant regard to whatever was practically useful, rather
than to unedifying speculations, he enjoined no duty
which he was unwilling to exemplify in his own conduct.
In domestic life he was amiable and exemplary; in his
friendships steady and disinterested, and in his intercourse with society, hospitable, benevolent, and unassuming; uniting to the decorum of the Christian pastor,
the good breeding of a gentleman, and the cheerfulness,
affability, and ease of an agreeable companion.
, an eminent English musician, was the son of the Rev. Thomas Greene, vicar of St. Clave Jewry, in London,
, an eminent English musician, was the son of the Rev. Thomas Greene, vicar of St. Clave Jewry, in London, and nephew of John Greene, serjeant at law. He was brought up in the choir of St. Paul, and when his voice broke was bound apprentice to
, the first of an eminent family of learned men in Scotland, was the son of the Rev. Mr. John Gregory, minister of Drumoak in the county
, the first of an eminent family of
learned men in Scotland, was the son of the Rev. Mr. John
Gregory, minister of Drumoak in the county of Aberdeen,
and was born at Aberdeen in November 1638. His mother
was a daughter of Mr. David Anderson of Finzaugh, or
Finshaugh, a gentleman who possessed a singular turn for
mathematical and mechanical knowledge. This mathematical genius was hereditary in the family of the Andersons,
and from them it seems to have been transmitted to their
descendants of the names of Gregory, Reid, &c. Alexander Anderson, cousin -german of the said David, was
professor of mathematics at Paris in the beginning of
the seventeenth century, and published there several valuable and ingenious works; as may be seen in our vol. II.
The mother of James Gregory inherited the genius of her
family; and observing in her son, while yet a child, a
itrong propensity to mathematics, she instructed him
herself in the elements of that science. His education in the
languages he received at the grammar-school of Aberdeen,
and went through the usual course of academical studies at
Marischal college, but was chiefly delighted with philosophical researches, into which a new door had been lately
opened by the key of the mathematics. Galileo, Kepler,
and Des Cartes were the great masters of this new method;
their works, therefore, Gregory made his principal study,
and began early to make improvements upon their discoveries in optics. The first of these improvements was the
invention of the reflecting telescope, which still bears his
name; and which was so happy a thought, that it has
given occasion to the most considerable improvements
made in optics, since the invention of the telescope. He
published the construction of this instrument in his “Optica
promota,
”
, a learned, but not very accurate editor, was the son of the rev. Henry Hall, of Kirkbridge in Cumberland, where he
, a learned, but not very accurate editor, was the son of the rev. Henry Hall, of Kirkbridge in Cumberland, where he was born in 1679. He received the rudiments of learning at Carlisle, whence he was removed to Queen’s college, Oxford, and admitted battiler July 7, 1696, but for some reason was not matriculated till Nov. 18, 1698. He took his bachelor’s degree in 1701, and that of master in 1704, having just entered into holy orders; and was elected fellow of his college, April 18, 1706. In 1719, upon the death of Dr. Hudson, keeper of the Bodleian library, he became a candidate for that office, and it appears that Dr. Hudson, a little time before his death, expressed a wish that Mr. Hall should be his successor; but his endeavours failed. Dr. Hudson, at the time of his death, had nearly finished his edition of Josephus; and by Mr. Hall’s exertions it was soon published. Shortly after, he married Dr. Hudson’s widow. On April 8, 1720, he was instituted to the rectory of Hampton Poyle, in Oxfordshire, at the presentation of his college; and in the following year took his degrees in divinity. He died at Garford, in Berkshire, and was buried at Kingston, in that county, April 6, 1723.
, a polite and ingenious scholar, was the younger son of the rev. Gideon Hardinge, and grandson of sir Robert Hardinge,
, a polite and ingenious scholar, was the younger son of the rev. Gideon Hardinge, and grandson of sir Robert Hardinge, of King’s Newton, a small hamlet in the parish of Melbourne in Derbyshire, who was knighted in the civil wars. He was born in 1700, and educated at Eton school, which he left in 17 Is for King’s college, Cambridge, where he took his degree of B. A. in 1722, and that of M. A. in 1726. When he left the university, he studied law, and was called to the bar; but obtained in 1731 the office of chief clerk of the house of commons, which he held until 1752, when he was appointed joint secretary of the treasury, in which post he died April 9, 1758.
l Pole’s pedigree, and that Hildesley does not. The subject of this article was the eldest surviving son of the rev. Mark Hildesley, rector of the valuable living of
, a worthy prelate, appears by his pedigree given by his biographer, compared with that of the preceding Mr. Hildersham, to have been descended in the same line from the royal family of England, but as this circumstance seems to have escaped Mr. Butler’s notice, we are unable to say whether the name Hildersham and Hildesley were originally the same. It is certain that Hildersham occurs in t:ie descents in cardinal Pole’s pedigree, and that Hildesley does not. The subject of this article was the eldest surviving son of the rev. Mark Hildesley, rector of the valuable living of Houghton, held with the chapel of Witton, or Wyton All Saints, in the county of Huntingdon, who died in 1729. He was born Dec. 9, 1698, at Murston, near Sittingbourne, in Kent, of which his father was at that time rector. He was educated at the Charter-house, and at the age of nineteen was sent to Trinity-college, Cambridge, where he to >k his degree of A. B. in 1720, and of A. M. in 1724-, having been elected a fellow the year preceding. He was ordained deacon in 1722 and in 172.1 was appointed domestic chaplain to lord Cobham. In 1725 he was nominated a preacher at Whitehall, by Dr. Gibson, bishop of London; and from 1725 to 1729 held the curacy of Yelling in Huntingdonshire. In Feb. 1731 he was presented by his college to the vicarage of Hitchin in Hertfordshire, and the same year married miss Elizabeth Stoker, with whom he lived in the utmost conjugal airection for upwards of thirty years, but by whom it does not appear that he had any issue.
, a prelate celebrated for his controversial talents, was the son of the rev. Samuel Hoadly, who kept a private school many years,
, a prelate celebrated for his
controversial talents, was the son of the rev. Samuel Hoadly, who kept a private school many years, and was afterwards master of the public grammar-school at Norwich.
He was born at Westerham in Kent, Nov. 14, 1676. In
1691 he was admitted a pensioner of Catherine hall, Cambridge, and after taking his bachelor’s degree, was chosen
fellow; and when M. A. became tutor. He took orders
under Dr. Compton, bishop of London, and next year
quitting his fellowship (vacated most probably by his marriage) he was chosen lecturer of St. Mildred in the Poultry,
London, which he held ten years, but does not appear to
have been very popular, as he informs us himself that he
preached it down to 30l. a-year, and then thought it high
time to resign it. This was not, however, his only employment, as in 1702 he officiated at St. Swithin’s in the
absence of the rector, and in 1704-was presented to the
rectory of St. Peter-le-Poor, Broad-street. By this time
he had begun to distinguish himself as a controversial, anthor, and his first contest was;vith Mr. Calamy, the biographer of the non-conformists. Several tracts passed between them, in which Hoadly endeavoured to prove the
reasonableness of conformity to the Church of England.
How well he was qualified to produce that influence on the
non-conformists appears, among other instances, from
what the celebrated commentator Matthew Henry says of
the eftect of his writings on his own mind-: “I have had
much satisfaction this year (1703) in my non-conformity,
especially by reading Mr. Hoadly’s books, in which I see
a manifest spirit of Christianity unhappily leavened by the
spirit of conformity.
” In a
torrent of angry zeal began to pour itself out upon him.
”
His attention to this subject was, however, diverted for
some time by another controversy into which he entered
with Dr. Atterbury. In 1706 he published “Some Remarks on Dr. Atterbury’s Sermon at the Funeral of Mr.
Bennet
” and two years afterwards c< Exceptions“against
another Sermon by the same author, on the power of
” Charity to cover Sin.“In 1709, a dispute arose between
these combatants, concerning the doctrine of non-resistance, occasioned by the sermon we just mentioned before
the lord-mayor, and Hoadly’s defence of it, entitled
” The Measures of Obedience;“some positions in which
Atterbury endeavoured to confute in a Latin Sermon,
preached that year before the London clergy. Hoadly’s
politics were at this time so acceptable to the ruling powers,
that the house of commons gave him a particular mark of
their regard, by representing in an address to the queen,
the signal services he had done to the cause of civil and
religious liberty. At this time, when his principles were
unpopular, (which was indeed the case the greater part of his life), Mrs. Rowland spontaneously presented him to
the rectory of Streatham in Surrey. Soon after the accession of George I. his influence at court became so considerable, that he was made bishop of Bangor in 1715,
which see, however, from an apprehension of party fury,
as was said, he never visited, but still remained in town,
preaching against what he considered as the inveterate
errors of the clergy. Among other discourses he made at
this crisis, one was upon these words,
” My kingdom is not
of this world:“which, producing the famous Bangoriau
controversy, as it was called, employed the press for many
years. The manner in which he explained the text was, that
the clergy had no pretensions to any temporal jurisdictions;
but this was answered by Dr. Snipe; and, in the course
of the debate, the argument insensibly changed, from the
rights of the clergy to that of princes, in the government
of the church. Bishop Hoadly strenuously maintained,
that temporal princes had a right to govern in ecclesiastical
polities. His most able opponent was the celebrated William Law, who, in some material points, may be said to
have gained a complete victory. He was afterwards involved in another dispute with Dr. Hare, upon the nature
of prayer: he maintained, that a calm, rational, and dispassionate manner of offering up our prayers to heaven,
was the most acceptable method of address. Hare, on the
contrary, insisted, that the fervour of zeal was what added
merit to the sacrifice; and that prayer, without warmth,
and without coining from the heart, was of n > avail. This
dispute, like the former, for a time excited many opponents, but has long subsided. From the bishopric of Bangor, he was translated successively to those of Hereford,
Salisbury, and Winchester, of which last see he continued
bishop more than 26 years. His latter days were in some
measure disturbed by a fraud attempted to be practised on
him by one Bernard Fournier, a popish convert, who pretended to have received a notc-of-hand from the bishop
for the sum of 8800l.; but this was proved in court to be a
forgery. It produced the last, and one of the best written
of the bishop’s tracts,
” A Letter to Clement Chevallier,
esq." a gentleman who had too much countenanced F\>urnier in his imposture. This appeared in 1758, when our
prelate had completed his eighty-first year. He died April
17, 1761, aged eighty-five, and was buried in Winchester
cathedral, where there is an elegant monument to his memory. His first wife was Sarah Curtis, by whom he had
two sons, Benjamin, M. D. and John, LL. I) chancellor of
Winchester. His second wife was Mary Newey, daughter
of the rev. Dr. John Newey, dean of Chichester.
, a very polite and elegant Scholar, son of the rev. Thomas Holdsworth, rector of North Stoneham, in
, a very polite and elegant
Scholar, son of the rev. Thomas Holdsworth, rector of
North Stoneham, in the county of Southampton, was born
Aug. 6, 1688, and trained at Winchester-school. He was
thence elected demy of Magdalen college, Oxford, in
July 1705; took the degree of M. A. in April 1711; became a college tutor, and had many pupils. In 1715,
when he was to be chosen into a fellowship, he resigned
his demyship, and left the college, because unwilling to
swear allegiance to the new government. The remainder
of his life was spent in travelling with young noblemen and
gentlemen as a tutor: in 1741 and 1744 he was at Rome
in this capacity, with Mr. Pitt and with Mr. Drake and Mr.
Townson. He died of a fever at lord Digby’s house at
Coleshill in Warwickshire, Dec. 30, 1746. He was the
author of the “Muscipula,
” a poem, esteemed a masterpiece in its kind, written with the purity of Virgil and the
pleasantry of Lucian, and of which there is a good English
translation by Dr. John Hoadly, in vol. V. of “Dodsley’s
Miscellanies,
” and another among Dr. Cobden’s poems.
He was the author also of a dissertation entitled “Pharsalia
and Philippi; or the two Philippi in Virgil’s Georgics attempted to be explained and reconciled to history, 1741,
”
4to; and of “Remarks and Dissertations on Virgil; with
some other classical observations, published with several
notes and additional remarks by Mr. Spence, 1768,
” 4to.
Mr. Spenoe speaks of him in his Polymetis, as one who
understood Virgil in a more masterly manner than any person he ever knew. The late Charles Jennens, esq. erected
a monument to his memory at Gopsal in Leicestershire.
, an excellent classical scholar, the son of the rev. Henry Homer, rector of Birdingbury, in Warwickshire,
, an excellent classical scholar, the
son of the rev. Henry Homer, rector of Birdingbury, in
Warwickshire, who died a few months after this son, in
1791, was born in 1752, and at the age of seven was sent
to Rugby school, where he remained seven years, and became the head-boy of about sixty. He afterwards went to
Birmingham-school, where he remained three years more.
In November 1768, he was admitted of Emanuel-college,
Cambridge, under Dr. Farmer, where he became acquainted
with Dr. Samuel Parr, and was in some measure directed
in his studies by this eminent scholar. He proceeded regularly to his degree of B. A. in 1773, of M. A. in 1776,
and that of B. D. in 1783. He was elected fellow of his
college in 1778, but had lived in Warwickshire about three
years before he became fellow, and returned to the university soon after his election. He then resided much at
Cambridge, frequently visiting the public library, and making himself acquainted with the history or contents of many
curious books which are noticed only by scholars, and particularly turned his attention to several philological works
of great utility and high 'reputation. He was well versed
in the notes subjoined to some of the best editions of various authors; and of his general erudition the reader will
form no unfavourable opinion from the following account
of the works in which he was engaged. He joined with
Dr. Parr in the republication of Bellenden’s Tracts in 1787,
and about the same year published three books of “Livy,
”
viz. the 1st, 25th, and 31st from Drachenborch’s edition,
with dissertations, &c. This was followed by, 1. “Tractatus varii Latini aCrevier, Brotier,
” &c. Epistles
” ex editione Burman. Sallust. ex
cditione Cortii,
” Pliny, ex editione Cortii et
Longolii,
” Caesar, ex edit. Oudendorp,
” Persius ex edit. Heninii.
” 7. “Tacitus, ex edit,
Brotier,
” complete all but the Index. 8. “Livy
” and
“Quintilian,
” in the press at the time of his death. He
also intended to have published “Quintus Curtius,
” but
no steps were taken towards it. To these, however, may
be added his “Tacitus de Moribus Germanorum et de
Vita Agricolje,
” De Oratoribus,
”
divine of the church of England, was born at Evesham, in Worcestershire, in August 1647, and was the son of the rev. George Hopkins, whom Hickes terms a pious and learned
, a learned divine of the church
of England, was born at Evesham, in Worcestershire, in
August 1647, and was the son of the rev. George Hopkins,
whom Hickes terms a pious and learned divine, and who
was ejected for non- conformity. At school his son was so
great a proficient, that at twelve years of age he translated
an English poem into Latin verse, which was printed some
time before the restoration. At thirteen he was admitted
commoner of Trinity-college, Oxford, under the learned
Mr. Stratford, afterwards bishop of Chester. He proceeded
M. A. in 1668, sometime before which he removed from
Trinity-college to St. Mary-hall. He was much noticed
by Dr. Fell, dean of Christ-church, who, it is supposed,
recommended him to the Hon. Henry Coventry, as his
chaplain and companion in his embassy to Sweden; on
which he set out in Sept. 1671. While in Sweden, Mr.
Hopkins applied himself to the study of northern antiquities, having previously studied the Saxon. After his return in 1675, by Mr. Coventry’s recommendation, he was
preferred to a prebend in Worcester cathedral; and from
his installation, began to collect materials for a history of
this church, some of which fell afterwards into the hands of
Wharton and other antiquaries. In June 1678 he was made
curate of Mortlake in Surrey, and about 1680 was chosen
Sunday lecturer of the church of St. Lawrence Jewry, and
in 1686 was preferred to the vicarage of Lindridge in
Worcestershire. In 1697 he was chosen master of St.
Oswald’s hospital in “Worcester, of the profits of which he
made a fund for the use of the hospital, and the benefit of
his poor brethren there. He had proceeded D. D. at Oxford in 1692. He died of a violent fever May 18, 1700,
and was interred in Worcester cathedral. Hickes, who
prefixed his Life to a volume of his Sermons, published in
1708, 8vo, gives him a high character for piety, learning,
and benevolence. He was a great benefactor to the library
of Worcester cathedral. Although a man of extensive
reading and study, he published only, 1.
” Bertram or Ratram, concerning the Body and Blood of the Lord, &c.
wherein M. Boileau’s version and notes upon Bertram are
considered, and his unfair dealings in both detected.“Of
this a second edition appeared in 1688. 2.
” Animadversions on Mr. Johnson’s answer to Jovian, in three letters
to a country friend;“and a Latin translation, with notes, of
a small tract, written in the Saxon tongue, on the burialplaces of the Saxon saints, which Dr. Hickes published in
his
” Septentrional Grammar,“Oxford, 1705. Dr. Hopkins also assisted Gibson in correcting his Latin version of
the Saxon Chronicle; and made a new translation, with
notes and additions, of the article
” Worcestershire" in
Camden’s Britannia, published by Gibson.
, a very learned and highly distinguished prelate, was the son of the rev. John Horsley, M. A. who was many years clerk in
, a very learned and highly distinguished prelate, was the son of the rev. John Horsley, M. A. who was many years clerk in orders a$ St. Martin’s in the Fields. His grandfather is said to have been at first a dissenter, but afterwards conformed, and had the living of St. Martin’s in the Fields. This last circumstance, however, must be erroneous, as no such name occurs in the list of the vicars of that church. His father was in 1745 presented to the rectory of Thorley in Hertfordshire, where he resided constantly, and was a considerable benefactor to the parsonage. He also held the rectory of Newington Butts, in Surrey, a peculiar belonging to the bishop of Worcester By his first wife, Anne, daughter of Dr. Hamilton, principal of the college of Edinburgh, he had only one son, the subject of the present article, who was born in his father’s residence in St. Martin’s church-yard, in Oct. 1733. By his second wife, Mary, daughter of George Leslie, esq. of Kimragie in Scotland, he had three sons and four daughters, who were all born at Thorley. He died in 1777, aged seventy-eight; and his widow in 1787, at Nasing in Essex.
, a topographical historian, the son of the rev. Richard Hutchins, was born in the parish of Bradford
, a topographical historian, the son
of the rev. Richard Hutchins, was born in the parish of
Bradford Peverel, Sept. 21, 1698. His father was rector
of All Saints in Dorchester, and curate of Bradford Peverel. His income was small, and his son’s education was
suited to the frugality of the station in which he was born.
He appears to have been sent early to the grammar-school
at Dorchester, where his master was the rev. Mr. Thornton,
rector of West Stafford, whom he afterwards mentioned
with gratitude, as behaving to him with the kindest attention, and as a second parent. He was afterwards sent to
Oxford, where his residence was not long; for he took his
master of arts degree at Cambridge, a proof that he had
not kept a statutable residence for that degree in his own
university, by applying to another in which none is required; and it is also a proof that he determined in Oxford; for, unless that exercise be performed, a certificate
of a bachelor of arts degree is never granted. He was matriculated in Easter term, 1718, from Hart-hair, now Hertford college; but was afterwards removed by a bene discessit to Baliol college; and, as it appears by their books,
he was admitted a member of that society in Easter term,
April 10, 1719, and was regularly admitted to the degree
of bachelor of arts in Lent term, Jan. 18, 1721-2. He was
a determining bachelor in the same term; so that his whole
residence in the university did not exceed four years; yet
the friendships he contracted in both societies of which
he was a member, continued with life; of which Mr.
Charles Godwyn, fellow of Baliol college, was an instance
in one; and his tutor, Mr. Davis, vice-principal of Harthall, in the other; and in what esteem he held both the one
and the other, different passages in his “History
” evince.
, an English divine, son of the rev. John Jackson, first rector of Lensey, afterwards
, an English divine, son of the rev.
John Jackson, first rector of Lensey, afterwards rector of
Rossington, and vicar of Doncaster in Yorkshire, was born
at Lensey, April 4, 1686. He was educated at Doncasterschool under the famous Dr. Bland, who was afterwards
head master of Eton-school, dean of Durham, and from
1732 to 1746 provost of Eton college. In 1702, he was
admitted of Jesus college, Cambridge; and, after taking
the degree of B. A. at the usual period, left the university
in 1707. During his residence there, he learned Hebrew
under Simon Ockley, the celebrated orientalist; but never
made any great proficiency. In 1708, he entered into
deacon’s orders, and into priest’s two years after; when he
took possession of the rectory of Rossington, which had
been reserved for him from the death of his father by the
corporation of Doncaster. That politic body, however,
sold the next turn of this living for 800l. and with the
money paved the long street of their town, which forms
part of the great northern road. In 17)2, he married Elizabeth, daughter of John Cowley, collector of excise at
Doncaster; and, soon after, went to reside at Rossington.
In 1714, he commenced author, by publishing three
anonymous letters, in defence of Dr. S. Clarke’s “Scripture-Doctrine of the Trinity,
” with whom he soon after
became personally acquainted and nine treatises by Jackson on this controversy, from 1716 to 1738, are enumerated
in the supplementary volume of the “Biographia Britannica.
” In Leicester; where, between politics (Leicester being a great party-town) and religion, he
was engaged in almost continual war: and his spirit was
by no means averse from litigation. In May 1720, he qualified himself for afternoon-preacher at St. Martin’s church
in Leicester, as confrater; and, in the two following years,
several presentments were lodged against him in the bishop’s
and also in the archdeacon’s court, for preaching heretical
doctrines; but he always contrived to defeat the prosecutions; and, after the
” Case of the Arian Subscription“was
published by Dr. Waterland, he resolved, with Dr. Clarke,
never to subscribe the articles any more. By this he lost,
about 1724, the hopes of a prebend of Salisbury, which
bishop Hoadly refused to give him without such subscription.
” The bishop’s denial,“says his biographer,
” was
the more remarkable, as he had so often intimated his own
dislike of all such subscriptions:" Jackson, however, had
keen presented before by sir John Fryer to the private
prebend of Wherwell in Hampshire, where ho such qualification was required.
, an English poet, descended of a Cornish family, was the third son of the rev. Richard Jago, rector of Beaudesert, or Beldesert,
, an English poet, descended of a Cornish family, was the third son of the rev. Richard Jago,
rector of Beaudesert, or Beldesert, in Warwickshire, by
Margaret, daughter of William Parker, gent, of Henley in
Arden, and was born Oct. 1, 1715. He received his classical education under the rev. Mr. Crumpton, an excellent
schoolmaster at Solihull in the same county, but one whose
severity our poet has thought proper to record in his
“Edge-hill.
” At this school he formed an intimacy, which
death only dissolved, with the poet Shenstone, whose letters to him have since been published. In their early days
they probably exchanged their juvenile verses, and afterwards communicated to each other their more serious studies and pursuits. Somerville also appears to have encouraged our author’s first attempts, which were made at a
yet earlier period, when under his father’s humble roof.
From school he was entered as a servitor of University college, Oxford, where Shenstone, then a commoner of Pembroke, the late rev. Richard Greaves, Mr. Whistler, and
others who appear among Shenstone’s correspondents,
showed him every respect, notwithstanding the inferiority
of his rank. A young man of whatever merit, who was
servitor, was usually visited, if visited at all, with secrecy,
but this prejudice is now so much abolished that the same
circumspection is not thought necessary. He took his master’s degree July 9, 1738, having entered into the church
the year before, and served the curacy of Snitterfield, near
Stratford-upon-Avon. His father died in 1740. In 1744,
or according to Shenstone’s letters, in 1743, he. married
Dorothea Susanna Fancourt, daughter of the rev.
Fancourt of Kimcote in Leicestershire, a young lady whom
he had known from her childhood.
, an eminent divine among the nonjurors, the only son of the rev. Thomas Johnson, vicar of Frindsbury, near Rochester,
, an eminent divine among the nonjurors, the only son of the rev. Thomas Johnson, vicar of
Frindsbury, near Rochester, was born Dec. 30, 1662, and
was educated in the king’s school in Canterbury, where
he made such progress in the three learned languages,
Latin, Greek, and Hebrew, under Mr. Lovejoy, then master of that school, that when he was very little more than
fifteen years of age, he was sent to the university of Cambridge, where he was admitted in the college of St. Mary
Magdalen, under the tuition of Mr. Turner, fellow of that
house, March the 4th, 1677-8. In Lent term 1681-2,
he took the degree of B. A. and soon after was nominated
by the dean and chapter of Canterbury to a scholarship in
Corpus Christi college' in that university, of the foundation of archbishop Parker, to which he was admitted April
the 29th, 1682, under the tuition of Mr. Beck, fellow of that
house. He took the degree of M. A. at the commencement 1685. Soon after he entered into deacon’s orders, and
became curate to the rector of Upper and Lower Hardres,
near Canterbury. He was ordained priest by the right rev.
Dr. Thomas Sprat, lord bishop of Rochester and dean of
Westminster, December the 19th, 1686 and July the 9th,
1687, he was collated to the vicarage of Bough ton under the
Blean, by Dr. Sancroft, archbishop of Canterbury, and at the
same time he was allowed by the same archbishop to hold the
adjoining vicarage of Hern-hill by sequestration; both which
churches he supplied himself. About 1689 one Sale,
a man who had counterfeited holy orders, having forged
letters of ordination both for himself and his father,
came into this diocese, and taking occasion from the confusion occasioned by the revolution during the time archbishop Bancroft was under suspension, and before Dr. Tin
lotson was consecrated to the archbishopric, made it his
business to find out what livings were held by sequestration
only, and procured the broad seal for one of these for himself, and another for his father. On this Mr. Johnson
thought it necessary to secure his vicarage of Hern -hi II,
that he might prevent Sale from depriving him of that benefice; and archbishop Sancrot't being then deprived ah
officio only, but not a bencficio, presented him to Hern-hill,
to which he was instituted October the 16th, 1689, by Dr.
George Oxenden, vicar-general to the archbishop, but at
that time to the dean and chapter of Canterbury, guardians
of the spiritualities during the suspension of the archbishop.
But as the living had been so long held by sequestration
that it was lapsed to the crown, he found it necessary to
corroborate his title with the broad seal, which was given
him April the 12th, 1690. In 1697. the vicarage of St.
John in the Isle of Thanet, to which the town of Margate
belongs, becoming void, archbishop Tenison, the patron,
considering the largeness of the cure, was desirous to place
there a person better qualified than ordinary to supply it,
and could think of no man in his diocese more fit than
Mr. Johnson, and therefore entreated him to undertake
the pastoral care of that large and populous parish. And
because the benefice was but small, and the cure very
great, the archbishop, to induce him to accept of it, collated
him to the vicarage of Appledore (a good benefice) on the
borders of Romney Marsh, on the 1st of May, 1697: but
Mr. Johnson chose to hold Margate by sequestration only.
And having now two sons ready to be instructed in learning, he would not send them to school, but taught them
himself; saying that he thought it as much the duty of a
father to teach his own children, if he was capable of doing
it, as it was of the mother to suckle and nurse them in
their infancy, if she was able; and because he believed
they would learn better in company than alone, he took
two or three boarders to teach with them, the sons of some
particular friends. He was much importuned by several
others of his acquaintance to take their sons, but he
refused. At length, finding he could not attend the
he had, his great cure, and his studies, in such a manner
as he was desirous to do, he entreated his patron the archbishop, to give him leave entirely to quit Margate, and
to retire to his cure of Appledore, which, with some difficulty, was at last granted him; but not till his grace had
made inquiry throughout his diocese and the university of
Cambridge for one who might be thought qualified to succeed him. He settled at Appledore in 1703, and as soon
as his eldest son was fit for the university (which was in 1705) he sent him to Cambridge, and his other son to
school till he was of age to be put out apprentice; and
dismissed all the rest of his scholars. He seemed much
pleased with Appledore at his first retirement thither, as a
place where he could follow his studies without interruption. But this satisfaction was not of long continuance;
for that marshy air, in a year or two, brought a severe sickness on himself and all his family, and his constitution (which till then had been very good) was so broken, that he never
afterwards recovered the health he had before enjoyed.
This made him desirous to remove from thence as soon as
he could; and the vicarage of Cranbrook becoming void,
he asked the archbishop to bestow it on him, which his
grace readily did, and accordingly collated him to it April
the 13th, 1707, where he continued till his death, holding
Appledore with it. In 1710, and again in 1713, he was
chosen by the clergy of the diocese of Canterbury to be
one of their proctors for the convocation summoned to
meet with the parliament in those years. And as the first
of these convocations was permitted to sit and act, and to
treat of matters of religion (though they brought no business to any perfection, owing to the differences that had been raised between the two houses) he constantly attended
the house of which he was a member whilst any matter was
there under debate; and his parts and learning came to
be known and esteemed by the most eminent clergy of the
province, as they had been before by those of the diocese
where he lived; so that from this time he was frequently
resorted to for his opinion in particular cases, and had letters sent to him from the remotest parts of the province of
Canterbury, and sometimes from the other province also,
requiring his opinion in matters of learning, especially as
to what concerned our religion and ecclesiastical laws. He
continued at Cranbrook about eighteen years; and as he
had been highly valued, esteemed, and beloved at all
other places where he had resided, so was he here also by
all that were true friends, says his biographer, “to the pure
catholic religion of Jesus Christ, as professed and established in the church of England. But as there were many
dissenters of all denominations in that place, and some
others, who (though they frequented the church, yet)
seemed to like the Dissenters better, and to side with them
upon all occasions, except going to their meetings for religious worship, I cannot say how they loved and esteemed
him. However, he was so remarkably upright in his life
and conversation, that even they could accuse him of no
other fault, except his known hearty zeal for the church
of England, which all impartial persons would have judged
a virtue. For certainly those that have not an hearty
affection for a church ought not to be made priests of it.
Some of those favourers of the dissenters studied to make
him uneasy, by endeavouring to raise a party in his parish
against him, merely because they could not make him,
like themselves, a latitudinarian in matters of religion; but
they failed in their design, and his friends were too many
for them *.
” A little before he left Appledore, he began
to discover that learning to the world, which till this time
was little known beyond the diocese where he lived, except to some particular acquaintance, by printing several
tracts; though his modesty was such, that he would not
put his name to them, till they had at least a second edition. The first of these was a “Paraphrase with Notes
on the Book of Psalms according to the Translation retained in our Common Prayer- Book,
” published in Clergyman’s Vade-Mecum,
” Propitiatory Oblation in the Eucharist;
” in The Unbloody Sacrifice/' part I.; and in 1717, part II.;
in 1720,
” A Collection of Ecclesiastical Laws."
, an ingenious and learned writer, and a judicious and useful preacher, son of the rev. Mr. Thomas Ibbot, vicar of Swaffham, and rector
, an ingenious and learned
writer, and a judicious and useful preacher, son of the rev.
Mr. Thomas Ibbot, vicar of Swaffham, and rector of
Beachamwell, co. Norfolk, was born at Beachamwell in
1680. He was admitted of Clare-hall, Cambridge, July
25, 1695, under the tuition of the rev. Mr. Laughton, a
gentleman justly celebrated for his eminent attainments in
philosophy and mathematics, to whom the very learned
Dr. Samuel Clarke generously acknowledged himself to be
much indebted for many of the notes and illustrations
inserted in his Latin version of “Rohault’s Philosophy.
”
Mr. Ibbot having taken the degree of B. A. Discourse of Freethinking.
” In these sermons the true notion of the exercise of private judgment, or free-thinking in matters of
religion, is fairly and fully stated, the principal objections
against it are answered, and the modern art of free-thinking, as treated by Collins, is judiciously refuted. Some
time after, he was appointed assistant-preacher to Dr. Samuel Clarke, and rector of St. Paul’s, Shadwell. Upon
his being installed a prebendary in the collegiate church
of St. Peter, Westminster, in 1724, he retired to Camberwell, for the recovery of his health, which had been
impaired by the fatigue of constant preaching to very numerous congregations, at a considerable distance from
each other. Here he died April 5, 1725, in the forty-fifth
year of his age, and was buried in Westminster- abbey.
His sermons at Boyle’s lecture, were published in 1727,
8vo, and “Thirty Discourses on Practical Subjects
” were
selected from his manuscripts by his friend Dr. Clarke,
and published for the benefit of his widow, 2 vols. 8vo, for
which she was favoured with a large subscription. In
1719, Dr. Ibbot published a translation of Puffendorff’s
treatise “De habitu religionis Christianas ad vitain civilem,
” or of the relation between church and state, and how
far Christian and civil life affect each other; with a preface
giving some account of the book, and its use with regard
to the controversies in agitation at that time, particularly
the Bangorian. In 1775 were published, “Thirty-six
discourses on Practical Subjects,
” 2 vols. 8vo. This is a
re-publication of the thirty discourses selected by Dr.
Clarke, with the addition of six occasional discourses, and
a life of the author, by Dr. Flexman. There are some
verses of Dr. Ibbot’s, in Dodsley’s Collection, vol. V. entitled “A fit of the Spleen,
” in imitation of Shakspeare.
, an English writer, and bishop of Peterborough, was the son of the rev. Basil Kennet, rector of Dunchurch, and vicar of
, an English writer, and bishop of
Peterborough, was the son of the rev. Basil Kennet, rector of Dunchurch, and vicar of Postling, near Hythe, in
Kent, and was born at Dover, Aug. 10, 1660. He was
called White, from his mother’s father, one Mr. Thomas
White, a wealthy magistrate at Dover, who had formerly
been a master shipwright there. When he was a little
grown up, he was sent to Westminster-school, with a view
of getting upon the foundation; but, being seized with
the srnall-pox at the time of the election, it was thought
advisable to take him away. In June 1678 he was entered
of St. Edmund-hall in Oxford, where he was pupil to Mr.
Allam, a very celebrated tutor, who took a particular pleasure in imposing exercises on him, which he would often
read in the common room with great approbation. It was
by Mr. Allam’s advice that he translated Erasmus on Folly,
and some other pieces for the Oxford booksellers. Under
this tutor he applied hard to study, and commenced an
author in politics, even while he was an under-graduate;
for, in 1680, he published “A Letter from a student at
Oxford to a friend in the country, concerning the approaching parliament, in vindication of his majesty, the
church of England, and tfye university:
” with which the
whig party, as it then began to be called, in the House of
Commons, were so much offended, that inquiries were made
after the author, in order to have him punished. In March
1681 he published, in the same spirit of party, “a Poem,
”
that is, “a Ballad,
” addressed “to Mr. E. L. on his majesty’s
dissolving the late parliament at Oxford,
” which was printed
on one side of a sheet of paper, and began, “An atheist
now must a monster be,
” &c. He took his bachelor’s degree in May Morise encomium,
” which he entitled “Wit
against Wisdom, or a Panegyric upon Folly,
” which, as
we have already noticed, his tutor had advised him to
undertake. He proceeded M. A. Jan. 22, 1684; and, the
same year, was presented by sir William Glynne, bart. to
the vicarage of Amersden, or Ambroseden, in Oxfordshire;
which favour was procured him by his patron’s eldest son,
who was his contemporary in the halh To this patron he
dedicated “Pliny’s Panegyric,
” which he translated in
An address of thanks
to a good prince, presented in the Panegyric of Pliny upon
Trajan, the best of the Roman emperors.
” It was reprinted in Postscript
” to the translation
of his “Convocation Sermon,
” in The remarker
says, the doctor dedicated Pliny’s Panegyric to the late
king James: and, what if he did? Only it appears he did
not. This is an idle tale among the party, who, perhaps,
have told it till they believe it: when the truth is, there
was no such dedication, and the translation itself of Pliny
was not designed for any court address. The young translator’s tutor, Mr. Allam, directed his pupil, by way of exercise, to turn some Latin tracts into English. The first
was a little book of Erasmus, entitled,
” Moriae Encomiumu;“which the tutor was pleased to give to a bookseller in Oxford, who put it in the press while the translator was but an
under-graduate. Another sort of task required by his tutor
was this ‘ Panegyric of Pliny upon Trajan,’ which he likewise gave to a bookseller in Oxford, before the translator
was M. A. designing to have it published in the reign, of
king Charles; and a small cut of that prince at full length
was prepared, and afterwards put before several of the
books, though the impression happened to be retarded till
the death of king Charles; and then the same tutor, not
long before his own death, advised a new preface, adapted
to the then received opinion of king James’s being a just
and good prince. However, there was no dedication to
king James, but to a private patron, a worthy baronet, who
came in heartily to the beginning of the late happy revolution. This is the whole truth of that story, that hath
been so often cast at the doctor not that he thinks himself
obliged to defend every thought and expression of his
juvenile studies, when he had possibly been trained up to
some notions, which he afterwards found reason to put
away as childish things.
”
, son of the rev. Peregrine King, was born at Stepney, in Mfddlesex,
, son of the rev. Peregrine King,
was born at Stepney, in Mfddlesex, in 1685; and, after
a school-education at Salisbury, was entered of Baliol-college, Oxford, July 9, 1701. Proceeding on the law line,
he took his doctor’s degree in 1715; was secretary to the
duke of Ormond and the earl of Arran, when chancellors
of the university; and was made principal of St. Maryhall, in 1718. When he was candidate for the university,
in 1722, he resigned his office of secretary; but his other
preferment he enjoyed (and it was all he did enjoy) to the
time of his death. Dr. Clarke, who opposed him, carried
his election; and, after this disappointment, 1727, he went
over to Ireland. With what design he went thither is to
us unknown; but his enemies say, it was for the purposes
of intrigue, and to expose himself to sale. But he says
himself, and there are no facts alleged to disprove it, “At
no time of my life, either in England or Ireland, either
from the present or any former government, have I asked,
or endeavoured by any means to obtain, a place, pension,
or employment, of any kind. 1 could assign many reasons
for my conduct; but one answer I have always ready: I
inherited a patrimony, which I found sufficient to supply
all my wants, and to leave me at liberty to pursue those
liberal studies, which afforded me the most solid pleasures
in my youth, and are the delight and enjoyment of my old
age. Besides, I always conceived a secret horror of a state
of servility and dependence: and I never yet saw a placeman or a courtier, whether in a higher or lower class,
whether a priest or a layman, who was his own master.
”
During his stay in Ireland, he is said to have written an
epic poem, called “The Toast,
” bearing the name of
Scheffer, a Laplander, as its author, and of Peregrine
O' Donald, esq. as its translator; which was a political
satire, and was printed and given away to friends, but never
sold. Dr. Warton says that the countess of Newburgh was
aimed at in this satire.
, an ingenious young writer, was the son of the rev. Mr. Macdiarmid, minister of Weem in the northern
, an ingenious young writer, was
the son of the rev. Mr. Macdiarmid, minister of Weem in
the northern part of Perthshire, and was bern in 1779.
He studied at the universities of Edinburgh and St. Andrews, and was for some years tutor in a gentleman’s
family. Such a situation is generally desired in Scotland
with the view of provision in the church, but as this was
not Mr. Macdiarmid’s object, he became desirous of visiting the metropolis, and trying his fortune in the career of
literary competition. He accordingly came to London in
1801, and was soon in the receipt of a competent income
from periodical writing. His principal occupations of this
kind were, as editor of the St. James’s Chronicle (a paper in which some of the first scholars and wits of the last half century have employed their pens), and as a reviewer in a
critical publication. On the commencement or rather the
renewal of the late war in 1802-3, his attention was directed to our military establishment, and he relinquished
his periodical engagements to become the author of a very
elaborate work, entitled “An Inquiry into the System of
Military Defence of Great Britain,
” Inquiry into the Nature of Civil and Military Subordination,
” Lives of British
Statesmen,
” 4to, beginning with the life of sir Thomas
More. This work has strong claims on public attention.
The style is perspicuous and unaffected; authorities are
quoted for every statement of consequence, and a variety
of curious information is extracted from voluminous records,
and brought for the first time before the public view. His
political speculations were always temperate and liberal.
He was indeed in all respects qualified for a work of this
description, by great powers of research and equal impartiality. But unfortunately he was destined to enjoy, for a
short time only, the approbation with which his work was
received. His health, at all times delicate, received in
November 1807, an irreparable blow by a paralytic stroke;
and in February 1808 a second attack proved fatal, April 7.
Mr. D'Israeli has paid a just and pathetic tribute to his
memory and talents in the work referred to below.
, or perhaps Masters (Thomas), a poet and historian, was the son of the rev. William Master, rector of Cote near Cirencester
, or perhaps Masters (Thomas), a poet
and historian, was the son of the rev. William Master,
rector of Cote near Cirencester in Gloucestershire. He
was first educated at the grammar-school of Cirencester,
and afterwards at Winchester-school, from which he entered New college, Oxford, as a probationer fellow in
1622, and was admitted perpetual fellow in 1624. He
took his degrees in arts, that of M. A. in 1629, and being
in orders, was in 1640 admitted to the reading of the sentences. At this time he was considered as a man of great
learning, well-versed in the languages, and a good poet
and preacher. There are no other circumstances recorded
of his life, except his connection with lord Herbert of
Cherbury, whom he assisted in some of his writings. He
died of a putrid fever in 1643, and was buried in the outer
chapel of New-college. Lord Herbert honoured his memory with a Latin epitaph, which is among his lordship’s
poems, but was not inscribed on the place of his burial.
His poems were in Latin and Greek: 1. “Mensa Lubrica,
”
Oxon. Movorfotpnta ei$ mv TsXfi<r7s alavgutriv,
” a Greek poem on the
passion of Christ, which was translated into Latin by Mr.
Jacob of Merton-college, and into English by Cowley, and
published at Oxford, 1658, 4to. His other Latin productions were, an oration delivered in New-college; “Iter
Boreale,
” “Carolus Redux,
” “Ad regem Carolum,
” &c.
We have termed him a historian from his having given
lord Herbert great assistance in his “Life of Henry VIII.
”
He also had a share in the Latin translation of his lordship’s
book “De Veritate.
” He had accumulated a great mass
of historical information and authorities from the public
records; Wood speaks of having four thick volumes in
folio of these, “lying by him,
” but does not mention whether his own property or borrowed. Dr. Fiddes, however,
informs us, in the introduction to his “Life of Wolsey,' 7
that in his time Mr. Master’s
” diligent and faithful collections“were in the library of Jesus-college, Oxford. He
adds that
” Lord Herbert appears to be indebted for
good part of his history to those collections."
, an ingenious poet, was the son of the rev. Alexander Mickle or Meikle, who exchanging the profession
, an ingenious poet, was the son of the rev. Alexander Mickle or Meikle, who exchanging the profession of physic for that of divinity, was admitted, at an age more advanced than usual, into the ministry of the church of Scotland. From that country he removed to London, where he preached for some time in various dissenting meetings, particularly that of the celebrated Dr. Watts. He was also employed by the booksellers in correcting the translation of Bayle’s Dictionary, to which he is said to have contributed the greater part of the additional notes. In 1716 he returned to Scotland, on being presented to the living of Langholm in the county of Dumfries; and in 1727, he married Julia, daughter of Mr. Thomas Henderson, of Ploughlands near Edinburgh, and first cousin to the late sir William Johnstone, bart. of Westerhall. By this lady, who appears to have died before him, he had ten children.
, a medical and miscellaneous writer, was the son of the rev. Charles Moore, a minister of the English church
, a medical and miscellaneous writer,
was the son of the rev. Charles Moore, a minister of the
English church at Stirling, in Scotland, where this, his only
surviving son, was born in 1730. His lather dying in
1735, his mother, who was a native of Glasgow, and had
some property there, removed to that city, and carefully
superintended the early years of her son while at school
and college. Being destined for the profession of medicine, he was placed under Mr. Gordon, a practitioner of
pharmacy and surgery, and at the same time attended such
medical lectures as the college of Glasgow at that time
afforded, which were principally the anatomical lectures of
Dr. Hamilton, and those on the practice of physic by Dr.
Cullen, afterwards the great ornament of the medical
school of Edinburgh. Mr. Moore’s application to his studies must have been more than ordinarily successful, as we
find that in 1747, when only in his seventeenth year, he
went to the continent, under the protection of the duke of
Argyle, and was employed as a mate in one of the military
hospitals at Maestricht, in Brabant, and afterwards at
Flushing. Hence he was promoted to be assistant to the
surgeon of the Coldstream regiment of foot guards,
comman-ded by general Braddock, and after remaining during
the winter of 1748 with this regiment at Breda, came to
England at the conclusion of the peace. At London he
resumed his medical studies under Dr. Hunter, and soon
after set out for Paris, where he obtained the patronage of
the earl of Albemarle, whom he had known in Flanders,
and who was now English ambassador at the court of
France, and immediately appointed Mr. Moore surgeon to
his household. In this situation, although he had an opportunity of being with the ambassador, he preferred to
lodge nearer the hospitals, and other sources of instruction, xvith which a more distant part of the capital abounded,
and visited lord Albemarle’s family only when his assistance
was required. After residing two years in Paris, it was
proposed by Mr. Gordon, who was not insensible to the
assiduity and improvements of his former pupil, that he
should return to Glasgow, and enter into partnership with
him. Mr. Moore, by the advice of his friends, accepted
the invitation, but deemed it proper to take London in his
way, and while there, went through a course under Dr.
Smellie, then a celebrated accoucheur. On his return to
Glasgow, he practised there during the space of two years,
but when a diploma was granted by the university of that
city to his partner, now Dr. Gordon, who chose to prescribe as a physician alone, Mr. Moore still continued to act
as a surgeon; and, as a partner appeared to be necessary,
he chose Mr. Hamilton, professor of anatomy, as his associate. Mr. Moore remained for a considerable period at
Glasgow; but when he had attained his fortieth year, an
incident occurred that gave a new turn to his ideas, and
opeqed new pursuits and situations to a mind naturally
active and inquisitive. James George, duke of Hamilton,
a young nobleman of great promise, being affected with a
consumptive disorder, in 1769, he was attended by Mr.
Moore, who has always spoken of this youth in terms of
the highest admiration; but, as his malady baffled all the
efforts of medicine, he yielded to its pressure, after a lingering illness, in the fifteenth year of his age. This event,
which Mr. Moore recorded, together with the extraordinary
endowments of his patient, on his tomb in the buryingplace at Hamilton, led to a more intimate connection with
this noble family. The late duke of Hamilton, being, like
his brother, of a sickly constitution, his mother, the duchess
f Argyle, determined that he should travel in company
with some gentleman, who to a knowledge of medicine
added an acquaintance with the continent. Both these
qualities were united in the person of Dr. Moore, who by
this time had obtained the degree of M. D. from the university of Glasgow. They accordingly set out together,
and spent a period of no less than five years abroad,
during which they visited France, Italy, Switzerland, and
Germany. On their return, in 1778, Dr. Moore brought
his family from Glasgow to London; and in the course of
the next year appeared the fruits of his travels, in “A View
of Society and Manners in France', Switzerland, and Germany,
” in 2 vols. 8vo. Two years after, in 1781, he published a continuation of the same work, in two additional
volumes, entitled “A View of Society and Manners in
Italy.
” Having spent s6 large a portion of his time either
in Scotland or on the continent, he could not expect suddenly to attain an extensive practice in the capital; nor
indeed was he much consulted, unless by his particular
friends. With a view, however, to practice, he published
in 1785, his “Medical Sketches,
” a work which was favourably received, but made no great alteration in his engagements; and the next work he published was “Zeluco,
”
a novel, which abounds with many interesting events,
arising from uncontrouled passion on the part of a darling
son, and unconditional compliance on that of a fond mother. While enjoying the success of this novel, which was
very considerable, the French revolution began to occupy
the minds and writings of the literary world. Dr. Moore
happened to reside in France in 1792, and witnessed many
of the important scenes of that eventful year, but the massacres of September tending to render a residence in Paris
highly disagreeable, he returned to England; and soon
after his arrival, began to arrange his materials, and in
1795, published “A View of the Causes and Progress of
the French Revolution,
” in 2 vols. 8vo, dedicated to the
Duke of Devonshire. He begins with the reign of Henry
IV. and ends with the execution of the royal family. In
1796 appeared another novel, “Edward: various Views of
Human Nature, taken from Life and Manners chiefly in
England.
” In Mordaunt,
” being “Sketches of Life, Characters, and Manners
in various Countries including the Memoirs of a French
Lady of Quality,
” in 2 vols. 8vo. This chiefly consists of
a series of letters, written by “the honourable John
Mordaunt,
” while confined to his couch at Vevay, in Switzerland, giving an account of what he had seen in Italy, Germany, France, Portugal, &c. The work itself comes under no precise head, being neither a romance, nor a novel,
nor travels: the most proper title would perhaps be that
of “Recollections.
” Dr. Moore was one of the first to
notice the talents of his countryman the unfortunate Robert Burns, who, at his request, drew up an account of
his life, and submitted it to his inspection.
been almost totally neglected where we might have expected an account of him as a machinist, was the son of the rev. Thomas Morland, rector of Sulhamstead in Berkshire,
a man of very considerable celebrity in his day, but whose history has been
almost totally neglected where we might have expected an
account of him as a machinist, was the son of the rev.
Thomas Morland, rector of Sulhamstead in Berkshire,
and was born about 1625, as we learn from one of his
works, dated 1695, in which he says he had then passed
the seventieth year of his age. He was educated at Winchester school, whence he was removed to Cambridge,
and, according to Cole, to Magdalen college. He says
himself, that, after passing nine or ten years at the university, he was solicited by some friends to take orders; but,
not thinking himself “fitly qualified,
” he devoted his time
to the study of mathematics, which appears, in one shape
or other, to have been his first and last pursuit, a few
years only of the interval being employed on political affairs. That he was thought qualified for such, appears by
his being sent, in 1653, with Whitelock and a retinue of
other gentlemen, on the famous embassy to the queen of
Sweden, the purpose of which was to conclude an offensive and defensive alliance with that princess. Of their
success an ample account may be seen in Whitelocke’s
“Journal,
” published in
, a learned English divine, born in 1578, at Dorney in Buckinghamshire, was the son of the rev. Lawrence Mountague, vicar of that place. He was
, a learned
English divine, born in 1578, at Dorney in Buckinghamshire, was the son of the rev. Lawrence Mountague, vicar
of that place. He was educated at Eton school, on the
foundation, and was elected thence to King’s college,
Cambridge, in 1594, where he obtained a fellowship. After
taking his bachelor’s degree in 1598, and that of M. A. in
1602, he entered into orders, and obtained the living of
Wotton-Courtney in the diocese of Wells, and also a prebend of that church. The editor of his life in the Biog.
Brit, says that his next promotion was to a fellowship of
Eton college, where he assisted sir Henry Savile in preparing his celebrated edition of St. Chrysostom’s works;
and in 1610, he published there, in 4to, “The two Invectives of Gregory Nazianzen against Julian,
” with the notes
of Nonnus; but although the latter part of this may be true,
he was not chosen fellow of Eton until April 29, 1613, in
which year also (May 14) he was inducted into the rectory
of Stamford Rivers in Essex, then in the gift of Eton college. On the death of Isaac Casaubon, he was requested
by the king to write some animadversions on the Annals of
Baronius, for which he was well qualified, having made
ecclesiastical history very much his study from his earliest
years. He had in fact begun to make notes on Baronius
for his private use, which coming to the ears of the king,
James I., himself no contemptible theologian, he intimated
his pleasure on the subject to Mr. Mountagu, who began
to prepare for the press in 1615. He was at this time
chaplain to his majesty, and the following year was promoted to the deanery of Hereford, which he resigned soon
after for the archdeaconry, and was admitted into that
office Sept. 15, 1617. In July 1620, he proceeded bachelor of divinity, and with his fellowship of Eton held, by
dispensation, a canonry of Windsor.
, an eminent mechanist, was born at Exeter, September 1715. He was the second son of the rev. Zachariah Mudge, prebendary of Exeter, and vicar
, an eminent mechanist, was born
at Exeter, September 1715. He was the second son of
the rev. Zachariah Mudge, prebendary of Exeter, and
vicar of St. Andrew’s, Plymouth, who died April 3, 1769,
and was honoured by Dr. Johnson with a very elegant
testimony of respect, which was inserted in the London
Chronicle at that time, and may be seen in Mr. Boswell’s
Life of the doctor. Mr. Z. Mudge had three other sons
besides the subject of this article. The eldest, Zachariah,
was a surgeon and apothecary at Taunton, and afterwards
surgeon on board an East Indiaman; he died in 1753 on
ship-board, in the river Canton in China. The third, the
rev. Richard Mudge, was officiating minister of a chapel
of ease at Birmingham, and had a small living presented
to him by the earl of Aylesford. He was not only greatly
distinguished by his learning, but by his genius for music.
He excelled as a composer for the harpsichord; and as a
performer on that instrument is said to have been highly
complimented by Handel himself. The fourth son, John,
was originally a surgeon and apothecary at Plymouth, but
during the latter part of his life practised as a physician
with great success. Like his brother Thomas, he had great
mechanical talents; and, until prevented by the enlargement of his practice, he found time to prosecute improvements in rectifying telescopes. In 1777 the Royal Society
adjudged to him Sir Godfrey Copley’s gold medal, for a
paper which he presented to that learned body on the best
methods of grinding the specula of reflecting telescopes.
He also considerably improved the inhaler, an ingenious
contrivance for the curing of coughs, by inhaling steam.
In 1777 he published “A Dissertation on the inoculated
Small-pox;
” which was followed, some years after, by
“A Treatise on the Catarrhous Cough and Vis Vitae.
” He
died in
of the bravest, and the most successful navai commander that 'ever appeared in the world, the fourth son of the rev. Edmund Nelson, rector of Burnham- Thorpe, in the
, one of the bravest, and the most successful navai commander that 'ever appeared in the world, the fourth son of the rev. Edmund Nelson, rector of Burnham- Thorpe, in the county of Norfolk, was born in the parsonage-house of that parish, September 29, 1758. His father’s progenitors were originally settled at Hilsborough, where, in addition to a small hereditary estate, they possessed the patronage of the living, which our hero’s grandfather enjoyed for several years. His father married, in May 1749, Catherine, daughter of Maurice Suckling, D. D. prebendary of Westminster, whose grandmother had been sister to sir Robert Walpole, earl of Orford. By this lady he had eight sons and three daughters. Horatio, so called after the late earl of Orford, was placed at the high-school of Norwich, whence he was removed to NorthWalsham, both within the precincts of his native county. In his twelfth year, the dispute having taken place between the courts of St. James’s and Madrid, relative to the possession of the Falkland Islands, an armament was immediately ordered, and captain Maurice Suckling, his maternal uncle, having obtained a ship, young Nelson was, at his own earnest request, placed on his quarter-deck as a midshipman, on board the Raisonable, of 64 guns. But in consequence of the dispute being terminated, and capt. Suckling being appointed to a guard-ship in the Medway, Nelson was sent a voyage to the West Indies, and on his return he was received by his uncle on board the Triumph, then lying at Chatham, in the month of July 1772. It was observed, however, that although his voyage to the East Indies had given him a good practical knowledge of seamanship, he had acquired an absolute horror of the royal navy and it was with some difficulty that captain Suckling was enabled to reconcile him to the service; but an inherent ardour, coupled with an unabating spirit of enterprize, and utter scorn of danger, made him at length ambitious to partake in every scene where knowledge was to be obtained or glory earned.
, one of the first names in the English drama, was born at Trottin in Sussex, March 3, 1651— 2, the son of the rev. Humphrey Otway, rector of Woolbeding. From Winc
, one of the first names in the English drama, was born at Trottin in Sussex, March 3, 1651—
2, the son of the rev. Humphrey Otway, rector of Woolbeding. From Winchester-school, where he was educated,
he was entered, in 1669, a commoner of Christ-church,
but left the university without a degree, whether for want
of money, or from impatience of academical restraint, or
mere eagerness to mingle with the world, is not known.
The anonymous writer of his life in one of the editions of
His works, reports that he removed from Oxford to St.
John’s-college, Cambridge, the probability of which rests
only on a copy of verses sent to him by Duke the poet,
who was his intimate friend. At Cambridge, however, he
could not have remained long, if ever he paid more than a
visit to it, for he appeared in London in 1672 in the character of the king in Mrs. Behn’s “Forced Marriage,
” and
found himself unable to gain any reputation on the stage.
If he ever went to Cambridge, it must have been after this
period, for Duke himself was not entered of Trinity-college
until 1675.
, an English poet, was the son of the rev. Mr. Pen rose, rector of Newbury in Berkshire, a
, an English poet, was the son of the rev. Mr. Pen rose, rector of Newbury in Berkshire, a man of high character and abilities, descended from an ancient Cornish family, who died in 1769. He was born in 1743, and being intended for the church, pursued his studies at Christ-church, Oxford, until the summer of 1762, when his eager turn for the naval and military profession overpowering his attachment to his real interest, he left his college, and embarked in the unfortunate expedition against Nova Colonia, in South America, under the command of captain Macnainara. The issue was fatal; the Clive, the largest vessel, was burnt, and although the Ambuscade escaped (on board of which Mr. Penrose, acting as lieutenant of marines, was wounded), yet the hardships which he afterwards sustained in a prize sloop, in which he was stationed, utterly ruined his constitution.
, an English divine, the son of the Rev, John Pyle, rector of Stodey, in Norfolk, was born
, an English divine, the son of the Rev,
John Pyle, rector of Stodey, in Norfolk, was born there in
1674, and is said by Mr. Masters to have been educated at
Caius-college, Cambridge but his name does not occur
in the printed list of graduates. About 1698, he was examined for ordination by Mr. Whiston (at that time chaplain to bishop Moore), who says, in his own “Life,
” that
“Dr. Sydall and Mr. Pyle were the best scholars among
the many candidates whom it was his office to examine.
”
It is supposed Mr. Pyle was first curate of Sr. Margaret’s
parish in King’s Lynn, where he married in 1701, and the
same year was appointed by the corporation to be minister
or preacher of St. Nicholas’s chapel. Between the years
1708 and 1718 he published six occasional sermons, chiefly
in defence of the principles of the Revolution, and the
succession of the Brunswick family. He also engaged in the
Bangorian controversy, writing two pamphlets in vindication of bishop Hoadly, who rewarded him with a prebend
of Salisbury, and a residentiaryship in that cathedral.
, a learned English divine, was the son of the rev. Samuel Richardson, B. D. vicar of Wilshamstead near
, a learned English divine,
was the son of the rev. Samuel Richardson, B. D. vicar of
Wilshamstead near Bedford, by Elizabeth, daughter of
the rev. Samuel Bentham, rector of Knebworth and Paul’s
Walden, in Hertfordshire. His grandfather was the rev.
John Richardson, a nonconformist, who was ejected, in
1662, from the living of St Michael’s, Stamford, in Lincolnshire, and died in 1687. He was born at Wilshamstead, July 23, 1698, and educated partly in the school of
Oakham, and partly in that of Westminster. In March
1716 he was admitted of Emanuel college, Cambridge, of
which he afterwards was a scholar, and took his degrees of
A. B. in 1719, and A. M. in 1723. In the mean time, in
September 1720 he was ordained deacon by Gibson, bishop
of Lincoln, at St. Peter’s, Cornhill, London, and priest, by
the same, at Buckden, in Sept. 1722. He was then appointed curate of St. Olave’s Southwark, which he held
until 1726, when the parish chose him their lecturer.
About this time he married Anne, the widow of capt. David
Durell, the daughter of William Howe, of an ancient
family of the county of Chester. He published in 1727,
2 vols. 8vo, the “Priclectiones Ecclesiastical' of his learned
uncle John Richardson, B. D. author of a masterly
” Vindication of the Canon of the New Testament," against
Toland. In 1724 he was collated to the prebend of Welton-Rivall, in the church of Lincoln.
, a learned physician, and one of the founders of the medical school of Edinburgh, was the son of the rev. Rutherford, minister of Yarrow, in the county of
, a learned physician, and one of the founders of the medical school of Edinburgh, was the son of the rev. Rutherford, minister of Yarrow, in the county of Selkirk, Scotland, and was born Aug. 1, 1695. He received his school-education at Selkirk, where there is every reason to believe he made a rapid progress in the knowledge of the Latin and Greek languages. In 1708, or 1710, he went to the university of Edinburgh, and after the regular course of classical studies, mathe^ matics, and natural philosophy, engaged himself as apprentice to Mr. Alexander Nesbit, at that time an eminent surgeon, with whom he remained until 1716, when he went to London. There he attended some of the hospitals, and the lectures read on anatomy by Dr. Douglas, on surgery by Andre, and on materia medica by Strother. He next proceeded to Leyden, which, from the lectures of Boerhaave, was then the most celebrated medical school in Europe. In 1719, he went to France, and about the end of July of that year was admitted to the degree of M. D. in the university of Rheims. He passed the following winter in Paris, chiefly for the sake of Window’s private demonstrations in anatomy, and in 1720 returned to Britain.
, an ingenious philosopher and divine, the son of the rev. Thomas Rutherforth, rector of Papworth Everard,
, an ingenious philosopher
and divine, the son of the rev. Thomas Rutherforth, rector
of Papworth Everard, in the county of Cambridge, who
had made large collections for an history of that county,
was born October 13, 1712. He was entered of St. John’s
college, Cambridge, about 1725, and took his degrees of
A. B. 1729, and A.M. 1733. He was then chosen fellow,
and proceeded bachelor of divinity in 1740. Two years
after he was chosen fellow of the Royal Society, and in
1745, on being appointed professor of divinity, took his
doctor’s degree, and was appointed chaplain to his royal
highness the prince of Wales. In the church, he was promoted to be rector of Barrow in Suffolk, of Shenfield in
Essex, and of Barley in Hertfordshire, and archdeacon of
Essex. He communicated to the Gentleman’s Society at
Spalding a curious correction of Plutarch’s description of
the instrument used to renew the vestal fire, as relating to
the triangle with which the instrument was formed. It was
nothing but a concave speculum, whose principal focus
which collected the rays is not in the centre of concavity,
but at the distance of half a diameter from its surface: but
some of the ancients thought otherwise, as appears from
Prop. 31 of Euclid’s il Catoptrics;“and, though this piece
has been thought spurious, and this error a proof of it, the
sophist and Plutarch might easily know as little of mathematics. He published
” An Essay on the nature and oblirgations of Virtue,“1744, 8vo, which Mr. Maurice Johnson, of Spalding, in a letter to Dr. Birch, calls
” an useful, ingenious, and learned piece, wherein the noble author of the Characteristics, and all other authors ancient and
modern, are, as to their notions and dogmata, duly, candidly, and in a gentleman-like manner, considered, and
fully, to my satisfaction, answered as becomes a Christian
divine. If you have not yet read that amiable work, I must
(notwithstanding, as we have been told by some, whom he answers in his Xlth and last chapters, do not so much approve it) not forbear recommending it to your perusal.“”Two Sermons preached at Cambridge,“1747, 8vo.
” A
System of Natural Philosophy, Cambridge,“1748, 2 vols.
4to.
” A Letter to Dr. Middleton in defence of bishop
Sherlock on Prophecy,“1750, 8vo.
” A Discourse on
Miracles,“1751, 8vo.
” “Institutes of Natural Law,
” A Charge to the Clergy of Essex,
” Two
Letters to Dr. Kennicott,
” A Vindication of the Right of Protestant Churches to require the
Clergy to subscribe to an established Confession of Faith
and Doctrines, in a Charge delivered at a Visitation, July
1766,
” Cambridge, A Letter to Archdeacon Blackburn,
” he was no less eminent for his piety and integrity than his extensive learning; and filled every public
station in which he was placed with general approbation.
In private life, his behaviour was truly amiable. He was
esteemed, beloved, and honoured by his family and friends;
a,nd his death was sincerely lamented by all who ever heard
of his well-deserved character.
”
, an English antiquary, was the son of the rev. Thomas Salmon, M. A. rector of Mepsall in Bedfordshire,
, an English antiquary, was the
son of the rev. Thomas Salmon, M. A. rector of Mepsall in
Bedfordshire, by a daughter of the notorious Serjeant Bradshaw. He was admitted of Bene‘t college, Cambridge,
June 11, 1690, where his tutors were dean Moss and archdeacon Lunn, and took the degree of LL. B. in 1695. Soon
after he went into orders, and was for some time curate of
Westmill in Hertfordshire; but, although he had taken
the oaths to king William, he had so many scruples against
taking them to his successor, queen Anne, that he became
contented to resign the clerical profession, and with it a
living of 140l. per annum ’offered him in Suffolk. He then
applied himself to the study of physic, which he practised
first at St. Ives in Huntingdonshire, and afterwards at Bishops Stortford, in the county of Hertford. His leisure
time appears to have been employed in studying the history
and antiquities of his country, on which subjects he published, 1. “A Survey of the Roman Antiquities in the Midland Counties in England,
” A Survey of
the Roman Stations in Britain, according to the Roman
Itinerary,
” The History of Hertfordshire,
describing the county and its ancient monuments, particularly the Roman, with the characters of those that have
been the chief possessors of the lands, and an account of
the most memorable occurrences,
” The Lives of the
English Bishops from the Restoration to the Revolution, fit
to be opposed to the Aspersions of some late Writers of
Secret History,
” A Survey of
the Roman Stations in England,
” The Antiquities of Surrey, collected from
the most ancient records, and dedicated to Sir John Evelyn, bart. with some Account of the Present State and
Natural History of the County,
” 1736, 8vo. 7. “The History and Antiquities of Essex, from the Collections of Mr.
Strangeman,
” in folio, with some notes and additions of
his own; but death put a stop to this work, when he had
gone through about two thirds of the county, so that the
hundreds of Chelmsford, Hinkford, Lexden, Tendring,
and Thurstable, were left unfinished.
, a dissenting minister of considerable talents, was born in 1675, and was the second son of the Rev. Giles Say, who had been ejected from the vicarage
, a dissenting minister of considerable talents, was born in 1675, and was the second son of the Rev. Giles Say, who had been ejected from the vicarage of St. Michael’s in Southampton by the Bartholomew-act in 1662; and, after king James the second’s liberty of conscience, was chosen pastor of a dissenting congregation at Guestwick in Norfolk, where he continued till his death, April 7, 1692. Some years after, the subject of this article being at Southwark, where he had been at school, and conversing with some of the dissenters of that place, met with a woman of great reputation for piety, who told him, with joy, that a sermon on Ps. cxix. 130, preached by his father thirty years before, was the means of her conversion. Being strongly inclined to the ministry, Mr. Say entered as a pupil in the academy of the Rev. Mr. Thomas Rowe at London about 1G92, where he had for his fellow-students Mr (afterwards Dr.) Isaac Watts, Hughes the poet, and Mr. Josiah Hort, afterwards archbishop of Tuam. When he had finished his studies, he became chaplain to Thomas Scott, esq. of Lyrninge in Kent, in whose family he continued three years. Thence he removed to Andover in Hampshire, then to Yarmouth in Norfolk, and soon after to Lowestoffin Suffolk, where he continued labouring in word and doctrine eighteen years. He was afterwards copastor with the Rev. Mr. Samuel Baxter at Ipswich nine years; and lastly was called, in 1734, to succeed Dr. Edmund Caiamy in Westminster, where he died at his house in James-street, April 12, 1743, of a mortification in his bowels, in the sixty-eighth year of his age.
, the historian of Staffordshire, was son of the rev. Stebbing Shaw, rector of Hartshorn, on the borders
, the historian of Staffordshire, was
son of the rev. Stebbing Shaw, rector of Hartshorn,
on the borders of Derbyshire, near Ashby de la Zouch.
He was born in 1762, at or near Stone, in Staffordshire;
in the neighbourhood of which town, his mother inherited a small landed estate, which descended to this her
only child. He was educated at the school of Repton,
near Harishorn, first under the rev. Dr. Prior, and afterwards under his successor, the rev. William Bagshaw
Stevens, an ingenious poet and scholar, who died in 1800.
From this accomplished man, for whom he retained an unabated friendship till death, he early imbibed a warm love
of literature. At the close of the month of October, 1780,
he became a resident member of Qu.en’s-college, in Cambridge. At this period, his first literary predilections were
fixed on English poetry, of which he had caught an enthu iastic fondness from his last master. But even this
partiality yielded to his propensity for music; in which his
performance on the violin occupied a large portion of his
time, and he had already attained considerable excellence.
In due time he took his degree of B. A. was elected to a
fellowship, and went into orders. Not long afterwards, the
intimacy which, for almost half a century, had subsisted
between his father and his neighhour, sir Robert Burdett,
of Foremark, in which hospitable mansion the son had
passed many of his early days, induced him to undertake
the superintending care of the present sir Francis, then
lately released from Westminster school, at his father’s
villa at Ealing. With this pupil, he made a tour to the
Highlands of Scotland in the autumn of 1787, of which he
kept a diary. This diary, originally composed merely for
private amusement, he afterwards inconsiderately published;
and thus, it must be confessed, made his first appearance
as an author with some disadvantage; luckily, however,
the publication was anonymous. In the following year,
he made a tour to the West of England, of which he published a more laboured account, with his name. The book
was well received; and, though the style is not simple and
easy (an attainment which indeed the author never reached), yet it discovered a dawning attention to the history of
families and property, to which his industrious researches
were afterwards directed with considerable success. In
1789, about the time of the publication of his tour, he
obtained admission to the reading-room of the British Museum. His account of the vast stores of topographical and
genealogical materials deposited there, fired the imagination of one of his learned friends, who resided in London,
and with whom he passed much of his time. To this connection may be ascribed the origin of a periodical publication, entitled “The Topographer,
” which commenced in
the spring of
guished learning, was descended of an ancient family originally seated at Durham, and was the eldest son of the rev. William Smith, rector of Lowther in Westmoreland,
, an English divine of distinguished
learning, was descended of an ancient family originally
seated at Durham, and was the eldest son of the rev. William Smith, rector of Lowther in Westmoreland, by Elizabeth, his wife, daughter of Giles Wetherali of Stockton
near Durham. His grandfather, Matthew Smith, was a
barrister, and of much reputation for his skill in the law,
and for some valuable annotations which he left in ms. on
Littleton’s tenures. He wrote also some poetical pieces
and two dramas, for which he is commemorated in Gibber’s
“Lives of the Poets.
” During the rebellion he took up
arms in defence of Charles I. and served under prince
Rupert, particularly at the battle of Marston-moor in
1644, for which he and his family were plundered and
sequestered.
, a learned English divine and translator, was the son of the rev. Richard Smith, rector of AllSaints, and minister
, a learned English divine and translator, was the son of the rev. Richard Smith, rector of AllSaints, and minister of St. Andrew, both in Worcester,
who died in 1726. He was born at Worcester in 1711,
and educated at the grammar-school of that city. In 1728
he was admitted of New-college, Oxford, where he proceeded B. A. in 1732, M. A. in 1737, and D. D. in 1758.
In 1735 he was presented by his patron, James earl of
Derby, in whose family he was reader, to the rectory of
Trinity-church, Chester, and by his son and successor’s
interest, whose chaplain he was, to the deanery of Chester
in 1753. He held the mastership of Brentwood-school in
Essex for one year, 1748; and in 1753 was nominated by
the corporation of Liverpool one of the ministers of St.
George’s church there, which he resigned in 1767. With
his deanery he held the parish churches of Handley and
Trinity, but in 1780 resigned the last for the rectory of
West Kirkby. He died Jan. 12, 1787. His character is
thus briefly drawn by his biographer: “He was tall and
genteel; his voice was strong, clear, and melodious; he
spoke Latin fluently, and was complete master not only of
the Greek but Hebrew language; his mind was so replete
with knowledge, that he was a living library; his manner of
address was graceful, engaging, and delightful; his sermons
were pleasing, informing, convincing; his memory, even in
age, was wonderfully retentive, and his conversation was polite, affable, and in the highest degree improving.
” He is
known in the learned world, chiefly by his valuable translations of “Longinus on the Sublime,
” Thucydides,
” Xenophon’s History of the Affairs of Greece,
” Nine Sermons on the Beatitudes,
”
8vo, very elegantly written. In The
Poetic Works of the rev. William Smith, D. D. late dean
of Chester; with some account of the life and writings of
the Author. By Thomas Crane, minister of the parish
church of St. Olave in Chester, &c.
” This work we have
not seen, and for the account of Dr. Smith’s life we are
indebted to a review of it in the Gent. Mag.
, an eminent nonjuving divine, was the son of the rev. Edward, or Edmund Spinckes, rector of Castor, N
, an eminent nonjuving divine,
was the son of the rev. Edward, or Edmund Spinckes, rector of Castor, Northamptonshire, and was born there in
1653 or 1654. His father came from New Kngland with
Dr. Patrick, afterwards bishop of Ely, and, being a nonconformist, had been ejected from Castor and from Overton Longviil in Huntingdonshire. His mother, Martha,
was daughter of Thomas Elmes, of Lilford in Huntingdonshire. After being initiated in classical learning under Mr.
Samuel Morton, rector of Haddon, he was admitted of
Trinity-college, Cambridge, under Mr. Bainbrigg, March
22, 1670; and matriculated on July 9, the same year. In
the following year, by the death of his father, he obtained
a plentiful fortune, and a valuable library; and, on the
12th of October, 1672, tempted by the prospect of a Rustat
scholarship, he entered himself of Jesus- college, where,
in nine days, he was admitted a probationer, and May 20,
1673, sworn a scholar on the Iiustat foundation. “This,
”
Mr. T. Baker observes in the registers, “was for his
honour; for the scholars of that foundation undergo a very
strict examination, and afterwards are probationers for a
year. And as these scholarships are the best, so the scholars are commonly the best in college, and so reputed.
”
He became B. A. early in 1674; was ordained deacon May
21, 1676; was M. A. in 1677; and admitted into priest’s
orders Dec. 22, 1678. After residing some time in Devonshire, as chaplain to sir Richard Edgcomb, he removed to
Petersham, where, in 1681, he was associated with Dr.
Hickes, as chaplain to the duke of Lauderdale. On the
duke’s death, in 1683, he removed to St. Stephen’s Waibrook, London, where he continued two years, curate and
lecturer. In 1685 the dean and chapter of Peterborough
conferred on him the rectory of Peakirk or Peaking cum
Glynton, in Northamptonshire, where he married Dorothy,
daughter of Thomas Rutland, citizen of London. On
July 21, 1687, he was made a prebendary of Salisbury;
in the same year, Sept. 24, instituted to the rectory of St.
Mary, in that town; and three days after, was licensed to
preach at Stratford subter Castrum, or Mid en -castle, in
Wilts, for which he had an annual stipend of 80l. Being
decided in his attachment to the Stuart family, he was deprived of all his preferments in 1690, for refusing to take
the oaths to William and Mary. He was, after this period,
in low circumstances, but was supported by the benefactions of the more wealthy ftonjurors; and on the third of
June, 1713, he was consecrated one of their bishops, receiving that title from the hands of Dr. Hickes. He died
July 28, 1727, and was buried in the cemetery of the
parish of St. Faith, on the north side of St. Paul’s, London,
where an inscription is engraven on a white marble stone.
By his wife, who lived but seven days after him, he had
many children, of whom two survived their parents: William Spinckes, esq. who, by industry and abilities, acquired a plentiful fortune; and Anne, married to Anthony
Cope, esq. Mr. Nelson was the particular friend of Mr.
Spinckes, who was a proficient in the Greek, Saxon, and
French languages, and had made some progress in the
oriental. He is said to have been “low of stature, venerable of aspect, and exalted in character. He had no
wealth, few enemies, many friends. He was orthodox in
the faith: his enemies being judges. He had uncommon
learning and superior judgment; and his exemplary life
was concluded with a happy death. His patience was
great; his self-denial greater; his charity still greater;
though his temper seemed his cardinal virtue (a happy conjunction of constitution and grace), having never been observed to fail him in a stage of thirty-nine years.
”. He
assisted in the publication of Grabe’s Septuagint, Newcourt’s Repertorium, Howell’s Canons, Potter’s Clemens
Alexandrinus, and Walker’s “Sufferings of the Clergy.
”
His own works were chiefly controversial, as, 1. An answer
to “The Essay towards a proposal for Catholic Communion, &c.
” The new Pretenders to Prophecy
re-examined, &c.
” Measures of Submission,
” The Case stated between the church of
Rome and the church of England,
” as to supremacy, Restoring the
prayers and directions of Edward Vlth’s Liturgy,
” The Sick Man
visited, &c.
”
, a learned and worthy prelate, the son of the rev. John Tenison, B. D. by Mary, daughter of Thomas
, a learned and worthy prelate, the son of the rev. John Tenison, B. D. by Mary, daughter of Thomas Dowson of Cottenham in Cambridgeshire, was born at that place Sept. 29, 1636. His father was rector of Mundesley in Norfolk, whence he was ejected for his adherence to Charles I. At the restoration, according to Dr. Ken.net, he became rector of Bracon-Ash, and died there in 1671, but Mr. Masters apprehends that he was rector of Topcroft in Norfolk in 1646, and by Le Neve we find that in 1712, his son, the subject of the present article, at the expeuce of 340l. rebuilt the chancel of Topcroft church, where his father and mother are buried.
, a scholar and poet of considerable merit, is said to have been the second son of the rev. Francis Thompson, B. D. of Queen’s college, Oxford,
, a scholar and poet of considerable merit, is said to have been the second son of the rev.
Francis Thompson, B. D. of Queen’s college, Oxford, and
vicar of Brough in Westmoreland, who died August 31,
1735, aged seventy. His mother, who died two years after,
in the sixty-fifth year of her age, was the widow of the
rev. Joseph Fisher, M. A. fellow of Queen’s college, Ox*
ford, vicar of Brough, and archdeacon of Carlisle, by whom
she had no children. Our author was born probably in the
early part of the last century, but the year cannot be ascertained. He was young, when in 1734 and 1736, he
wrote “Stella, Sive Amores, Tres Libri,
” and “Six Pastorals,
” none of which he thought it proper to include in
his published works. In his poem, entitled “Sickness,
”
he laments the want of a mother’s tenderness, and a father’s care; but, as they died in advanced age, he could not
have lost them before he had attained at least his twentieth
year.
, Lord Thurlow, a distinguished statesman and lawyer, was the second son of the rev. Thomas Thurlow, rector of Ashfield in Suffolk, and
, Lord Thurlow, a distinguished statesman and lawyer, was the second son of the rev. Thomas Thurlow, rector of Ashfield in Suffolk, and was born about 1732. He was entered of, and continued for some time at Caiut college, Cambridge, whery vulgar report has made him idle and dissipated. Of this we have no proof, nor of his having been equally careless of his studies after he entered the society of the Middle Temple. Lord Thurlow may have been indebted to what are called lucky coincidences for some of his promotions, but as he was always found amply qualified for the high stations he held, he could not have much neglected the cultivation of his natural abilities, or been remiss in accumulating that knowledge by which alone he could rival his contemporaries. He appears to have been called to the bar in 1758, and must have rapidly attained distinction in his profession, for, in three years after, chiefly owing to the talent he displayed in the Douglas cause, he was advanced to the rank of king’s counsel. His voice, person, and manner, were not ill calculated to give his efforts an air of consequence at the bar, and his practice became extensive. In March 1770 he was appointed solicitor-general, and in. June 1771 attorney-general. He now sat in parliament for the borough of Tamworth, where he had many opportunities of justifying the choice of his patrons, and of creating that species of character and interest which generally leads to the highest legal appointments. As a politician, he uniformly, and with commanding vigour, suppotted the measures adopted with respect to America, Sec. during lord North’s administration. In June 1778, he was appointed to succeed lord Apsley, as lord high chancellor of Great Britain, and the same day was raised to the peerage by the title of Lord Thurlow of Ashfield in Suffolk. This office he resigned in April 1783, when the seals were put into commission, but was re-appointed when Mr. Pitt was nominated prime minister in December following. He again resigned them in June 1792, and on the 12th of that month was created Lord Thurlow of Thurlow in Suffolk, with a collateral remainder of this honour to the issue male of his late two brothers, the bishop of Durham, and John Thurlow of Norwich. After this retirement, till a short period before his death, he took an active part, and had great weight, in the House of Lords.; and having retained complete possession of his faculties, with accumulated wisdom and experience, his latter speeches were often more the subject of admiration, than any that had been remembered in his earlier days. He died in the seventy-fourth year of his age, Sept. 12, 1806, without male issue.
, son of the rev. Richard Tickell, was born in 1686 at Bridekirk in
, son of the rev. Richard Tickell,
was born in 1686 at Bridekirk in Cumberland; and in April
1701 became a member of Queen’s college, in Oxford; in
1708 he was made M. A. and two years afterwards was
chosen fellow; for which, as he did not comply with the
statutes by taking orders, he obtained a dispensation from,
the crown. He held his fellowship till 1726, and then vacated it by marrying in that year, at Dublin. Tickell was
not one of those scholars who wear away their lives in
closets; he entered early into the world, and was long busy
in public affairs, in which he was initiated under the patronage of Addison, whose notice he is said to have gained
by his verses in praise of “Rosamond.
” He produced
another piece of the same kind at the appearance of
“Cato,
” with equal skill, but not equal happiness. When
the ministers of queen Anne were negociating with France,
Tickell published “The Prospect of Peace,
” a poem, of
which the tendency was to reclaim the nation from the
pride of conquest to the pleasures of tranquillity. Mr.
Addison, however he hated the men then in power, suffered his friendship to prevail over the public spirit, and
gave in the “Spectator
” such praises of Tickell’s poem,
that when, after having long wished to peruse it, Dr. Johnson laid hold on it at last, he thought it unequal to the
honours which it had received, and found it a piece to be
approved rather than admired. But the hope excited by a
work of genius, being general and indefinite, is rarely
gratified. It was read at that time with so much favour
that six editions were sold. At the arrival of king George
he sung “The Royal Progress;
” which, being inserted in
the *' Spectator,“is well known. The poetical incident of
most importance in Tickell’s life was his publication of
the first book of the
” Iliad,“as translated by himself, in
apparent opposition to Pope’s
” Homer,“of which the first
part made its entrance into the world at the same time.
Addison declared that the rival versions were both good;
but that Tickell’s was the best that ever was made; and with
Addison those wits who were his adherents and followers,
were certain to concur. Pope does not appear to have
been much dismayed;
” for,“says he,
” I have the town,
that is, the mob, on my side.“But he remarks, that it
is common for the smaller party to make up in diligence
what they want in numbers;
” he “appeals to the people
as his proper judges; and if they are not inclined to condemn him, he is in little care about the high-flyers at Button’s.
” Pope did not long think Addison an impartial
judge; for he considered him as the writer of TickelPs
version. The reasons for his suspicion we shall literally
transcribe from Mr. Spence’s collection. “There had
been a coldness between Mr. Addison and me for some
time; and we had not been in company together for a good
while, any where but at Button’s coffee-house, where I
used to see him almost every day. On his meeting me
there, one day in particular, he took me aside, and said
he should be glad to dine with me at such a tavern, if 1
stayed till those people were gone (Budgell and Philips).
We went accordingly; and after dinner Mr. Addison said
* that he had wanted for some time to talk with me; that
his friend Tickell had formerly, whilst at Oxford, translated
the first book of the Iliad; that he designed to print it,
and had desired him to look it over; that he must therefore beg that I would not desire him to look over my first
book, because, if he did, it would have the air of doubledealing.‘ I assured him that < I did not at all take it ill of
Mr. Tickell that he was going to publish his translation;
that he certainly had as much right to translate any author
as myself; and that publishing both was entering on a fair
stage. I then added, that I would not desire him to look
over my first book of the ’ Iliad,' because he had looked
over Mr. Tickeli’s; but could wish to have the benefit of
his observations on my second, which I had then finished,
and which Mr. Tickell had not touched upon.‘ Accordingly I sent him the second book the next morning; and
Mr. Addison a few days after returned it, with very high
commendations. Soon after it was generally known that
Mr. Tickell was publishing the first book of the ’ Iliad,‘ I
met Dr. Young in the street; and, upon our falling into
that subject, the doctor expressed a great deal of surprise
at Tickell’ s having had such a translation so long by him.
He said, that c it was inconceivable to him, and that there
must be some mistake in the matter; that each used to
communicate to the other whatever verses they wrote, even
to the least things; that Tickell could not have been busied
in so long a work there without his knowing something of
the matter; and that he had never heard a single word of
it till on this occasion.' This surprise of Dr. Young, together with what Steele had said against Tickell in relation
to this affair, makes it highly probable that there was some
underhand dealing in that business; and indeed Tickelt
himself, who is a very fair worthy man, has since in a
manner as good as owned it to me. [When it was introduced into a conversation between Mr. Tickell and Mr.
Pope by a third person, Tickell did not deny it; which,
considering his honour and zeal for his departed friend,
was the same as owning it.]
” Upon these suspicions, with
which Dr. Warburton hints that other circumstances concurred, Pope always, in his “Art of Sinking,
” quotes this
book as the work of Addison. (See Pope, vol. XXV. p. 168.) When the Hanover succession was disputed, Tickeli
gave what assistance his pen would supply. His “Letter
to Avignon
” stands high among party-poems; it expresses
contempt without coarseness, and superiority without insolence. It had the success which it deserved, being five
times printed. He was now intimately united to Mr. Addison, who, when he went into Ireland as secretary to the
lord Sunderland, took him thither, and employed him in
public business; and, when (1717) afterwards he rose to
be secretary of state, made him under-secretary. ' Their
friendship seems to have continued without abatement; for
when Addison died, he left him the charge of publishing
his works, with a solemn recommendation to the patronage
of Craggs. To these works he prefixed an elegy on the
author, which could owe none of its beauties to the assistance which might be suspected to have strengthened or
embellished his earlier compositions; but neither he not
Addison ever produced nobler lines than are contained in
the third and fourth paragraphs, nor is a more sublime or
more elegant funeral poem to be found in the whole compass of English literature. He was afterwards (in June 1724) made secretary to the lords justices of Ireland, a
place of great honour; in which he continued till 1740,
when he died April 23, at Bath. To Tickell cannot be
refused a high place among the minor poets; nor should it
be forgotten that he was one of the contributors to the
“Spectator.
” With respect to his personal character, he
is said to have been a man of gay conversation, at least a
temperate lover of wine and company, and in his domestic
relations without censure.
, a late very learned divine, was the eldest son of the rev. John Townson, M. A. rector of Much Lees, in Essex.
, a late very learned divine, was the eldest son of the rev. John Townson, M. A. rector of Much Lees, in Essex. He was born in 1715; and, having been instructed a-while by his father, was placed under the rev. Henry Nott, vicar of the neighbouring parish of Terling, where he was soon distinguished for quickness of apprehension and a most retentive memory. From Terling he was removed to the free-school at Felstod, then under the direction of the rev. Mr. Wyatt. On March 13, 1733, he was entered a commoner of Christ Church, Oxford, where he had for his tutor the rev. John Whitfield, M. A. afterwards poetry professor. In July 1735, he was elected demy of Magdalen college, and two years afterwards fellow of that society, having in the intermediate year (Oct. 20) been admitted to the degree of B. A. He commenced M.A, June 20, 1739; and was ordained deacon, Dec. 20, 1741, and priest Sept. 19, 1742, by Dr. Seeker, bishop of Oxford.
, successively bishop of Norwich and Winchester, was the son of the rev. Charles Trimnell, sometime fellow of New college,
, successively bishop of Norwich and Winchester, was the son of the rev. Charles Trimnell, sometime fellow of New college, Oxford, whence he was ejected in 1648 by the parliamentary visitors, and was afterwards rector of Ripton Abbots in Huntingdonshire, where he died in 1702. Of a family of fourteen children, there survived him, ). Charles, bi>hop of Winchester; 2. William, dean of Winchester 3. Hugh, apothecary to the king’s household 4. David, archdeacon of Leicester, and chantor of Lincoln 5 Mary, married to Mr. John Sturges, archdeacon of Huntingdon 6. Anne, married to Mr. Alured Clarke of Godmanchester, in the county of Huntingdon; 7. Elizabeth, married to Dr. Henry Downes, bishop of Derry in Ireland; and 8. Catherine, married to Dr. Thomas Green, bishop of Ely.
, one of the most eminent scholars and critics of the last century, was the son of the rev. Dr. Robert Tyrwhitt, of a very ancient baronet’s
, one of the most eminent scholars and critics of the last century, was the son of the rev. Dr. Robert Tyrwhitt, of a very ancient baronet’s family in Lincolnshire, a gentleman of considerable eminence in the church, who was rector of St. James’s, Westminster, which he resigned in 1732, on being appointed a canon residentiary of St. Paul’s. He held also the prebend of Kentishtown, in that cathedral, and was archdeacon of London. In 1740 he obtained a canonry of Windsor, and died June 15, 1742, and was buried in St. George’s chapel, Windsor. He married the eldest daughter of bishop Gibson, and so well imitated the liberality and hospitality of that prelate, that, dying at the age of forty-four years, he left a numerous family very moderately provided for.
, a pious divine of the church of England, was the son of the rev. Richard Venn, rector of St. Antholiri’s, London,
, a pious divine of the church of England, was the son of the rev. Richard Venn, rector of St.
Antholiri’s, London, who distinguished himself as a noted
disputant in his day, particularly in conjunction with bishop
Gibson, in opposing the promotion of Dr. Rundle to a bishopric, on account of a conversation in which the doctor
had expressed sentiments rather favourable to deism. Mr.
Venn also assisted Dr. Webster in writing the “Weekly
Miscellany,
” a periodical publication which, under the venerable name of Richard Hooker, laboured zealously in
defence of high church principles. He died in 1740; and
a volume of his sermons and tracts was published by his
widow, the daughter of Mr. Ashton, who had been executed
in the reign of William III. for being concerned in a plot
to bring back the Stuart family.
at popularity, courage, and piety, was born in the month of May 1634, in Hertford. He was the eldest son of the rev. John Vincent, who died possessed of the valuable
, a nonconformist divine of great
popularity, courage, and piety, was born in the month of
May 1634, in Hertford. He was the eldest son of the rev.
John Vincent, who died possessed of the valuable living of
Sedgfield in the county of Durham, but who was so often
troubled on account of his nonconformity, that although
he had a numerous family, it is said that not two of his
children were born in the same county. This son, Thomas,
was educated at Westminster-school, whence he was, in
1647, elected to Christ Church, Oxford. There he made
such proficiency, that, after taking h'is degree of M. A. in
1654, the dean, Dr. Owen, chose him catechist, an office
which, Wood says, usually belongs to a senior master. On
leaving Oxford he became chaplain to Robert, earl of Leicester, and afterwards succeeded to the living of St. Mary
Magdalen, Milk-street, London, from which he was ejected
for nonconformity in 1662. He then taught school for
some time with another famous nonconformist, the rev.
Thomas Doolittle, at x lslington, and occasionally preached
when it could be done with safety. In 1665 the memorable
and last-plague with which this kingdom was visited, broke
out in the metropolis with uncommon fury, and Mr. Vincent informed his colleague that be now thought it his
duty to relinquish his present employment, and devote
himself to the service of the sufferers in this great calamity.
Doolittle endeavoured in vain to dissuade him, and Mr.
Vincent, that he might not seem obstinate, agreed to refer
the case to the city ministers, who, after hearing his reasons, and admiring his courage and humanity, gave all the
approbation that such an act of self-devotion could admit,
and Mr. Vincent came to lodge in the city, and throughout
the whole continuance of the plague preached constantly
every Sunday in some parish church. This was not ouly
connived at by government, but he was followed by persons
of all ranks. He also visited the sick whenever called upon,
and yet aontinued in perfect health during the whole time,
although seven persons died of the plague in the house
where he resided. This remarkable instance of courage
and humanity probably reconciled many to him who disapproved of his nonconformity; for although he preached
afterwards at a dissenting meeting at Hoxton, and was the
founder of another at Hand-alley, Bishopsgate-street, we
do not find that he was molested. He died Oct. 15, 1678,
in the forty-fourth year of his age. He was the author of
several pious tracts, which went through many editions in
his life-time, and afterwards; and had some controversy
with Penn the quaker, and with Dr. William Sherlock.
The most popular of his tracts were his “Explanation of
the Assemblies Catechism,
” which still continues to be
printed; and his “God’s terrible voice to the city by
Plague and Fire,
” in which are some remarkable accounts
of both these fatal events. This work, which was first
printed in 1667, 12mo, went through thirteen editions before 1671. He published a work of the same kind, occasioned by an eruption of Mount Etna, entitled “Fire and
Brimstone,
” &c. than belong to his fraternity, and adds,
that he was
” of a facetious and jolly humour," which certainly does not correspond with the other characters given
of him.
, a literary antiquary of great learning and accuracy, was the son of the rev. Nathanael Wanley, some time vicar of Trinity-church
, a literary antiquary of great
learning and accuracy, was the son of the rev. Nathanael
Wanley, some time vicar of Trinity-church in Coventry.
This Nathanael Wanley was born at Leicester in 1633,
and died in 1680. Besides the vicarage of Trinity-church,
it is probable that he had another in Leicestershire, from
the following title-page, “Vox Dei, or the great duty of
self reflection upon a man’s own wayes, by N. Wanley,
M. A. and minister of the gospel at Beeby in Leicestershire,
” London, 1658. He was of Trinity-college, Oxford, B. A. 1653, M. A. 1657, but is not mentioned by
Wood. The work which now preserves his name is his
“Wonders of the Little World,
” Examples,
” 2 vols. fol. or Turner’s
“Remarkable Providences,
” containing a vast assemblage
of remarkable anecdotes, &c. many of which keep credulity
on the stretch. As these were collected by Mr. Wanley
from a number of old books, little known, or read, it is
not improbable that such researches imparted to his son
that taste for bibliographical studies which occupied his
whole life. At least it is certain that Humphrey, (who was born at Coventry, March 21, 1671-2, and was bred first a limner, and afterwards some other trade), employed all his
leisure time, at a very early period, in reading old books
and old Mss. and copying the various hands, by which he
acquired an uncommon faculty in verifying dates. Dr.
Lloyd, then bishop of Lichfield and Coventry, sent him to
Edmund-hall, Oxford, of which Dr. Mill was then principal, whom he greatly assisted in his collations of the New
Testament. Hearne says, that during his stay in this hall,
he attended but one lecture, which was in logic, which he
swore he could not comprehend. Dr. Charlett, master of
University-college, hearing of Wanley’s attention to matters of antiquity, induced him to remove to his own college, which he soon did, residing at the master’s lodgings,
who, says Hearne, “employed him in writing trivial things,
so that he got no true learning.
” He certainly acquired
the learned languages, however, although it does not appear that he attended much to the usual course of academic studies, or was ambitious of academic honours, as his
name does not appear in the list of graduates. By Dr.
Charlett’s means he was appointed an under-keeper of the
Bodleian library, where he assisted in drawing up the indexes to the catalogue of Mss. the Latin preface to which
he also wrote. Upon leaving Oxford, he removed to London, and became secretary to the society for propagating
Christian knowledge; and at Dr. Hickes’s request, travelled
ovor the kingdom, in search of Anglo-Saxon Mss. a catalogue of which he drew up in English, which was afterwards translated into Latin by the care of Mr. Thwaites,
and printed in the “Thesaurus Ling. Vet. Septen.
” Oxon.
as born November 25,1746, in the parish of Great Chishill, in the county of Essex. He was the eldest son. of the Rev. James Watson, D. D. an eminent presbyteriau minister,
, a learned English lawyer, and one of the judges of the supreme court of judicature at Bengal, was born November 25,1746, in the parish of Great Chishill, in the county of Essex. He was the eldest son. of the Rev. James Watson, D. D. an eminent presbyteriau minister, then pastor of a dissenting congregation in that place, as well as of Melbourne, in the county of Cambridge, fey Anne his wife, the daughter of John Hanchet, esq. of Crissel Grange, in the county of Essex. Though the retired situation in which this family lived, and the talents of the father, were very favourable to a domestic education, yet the son was very judiciously placed under the care of the Rev. Mr. Banks, a clergyman in that neighbourhood, under whose tuition he was prepared for the peculiar advantages of a public school. Accordingly, Dr. Watson having discovered the progress that his beloved child had made in the elements of language, sent him to the metropolis, and placed him under the care of a person with whom he could confide, that he might be admitted into St. Paul’s school.
, the most celebrated of the family, and the founder of the society of Methodists, was the second son of the rev. Samuel Wesley, and was born at Epworth in Lincolnshire,
, the most celebrated of the family, and the founder of the society of Methodists, was the second son of the rev. Samuel Wesley, and was born at Epworth in Lincolnshire, June 17, 1703, O. S. His mother was the youngest daughter of Dr. Samuel Annesley, an eminent nonconformist, and appears to have been a woman of uncommon mental acquirements, and a very early student of religious controversies. At the age of thirteen she became attached to the church of England, from an examination of the points in dispute betwixt it and the dissenters; but when her husband was detained from his charge at Epworth by his attendance on the convocation in London, she used to admit as many of his flock as his house could hold, and read a sermon, prayed, &c. with them. Her husband, who thought this not quite regular, objected to it, and she repelled his objections with considerable ingenuity. It is not surprising, therefore, that she afterwards approved of her sons’ extraordinary services in the cause of religion.
ted sometimes Junior, but commonly called Dean Harry, to distinguish him from the preceding, was the son of the rev. William Wilkinson of Adwick, or Adwickstreet, in
, denominated sometimes Junior, but commonly called Dean Harry, to distinguish
him from the preceding, was the son of the rev. William
Wilkinson of Adwick, or Adwickstreet, in the West Riding
of Yorkshire, the brother of the first Henry Wilkinson,
rector of Waddesdon; and consequently cousin to the preceding Long Harry. He was born at Adwick in 1616, and
was educated in grammar at a school in All Saints parish,
Oxford. He entered a commoner of Magdalen-hall in
1631, took the degrees in arts, was admitted into holy
orders, and became a noted tutor, and moderator or dean
of Magdalen-hall. Being of the same principles with his
relations, he quitted the university in 1642, and going to
London, took the covenant, and became a frequent
preacher. On the surrender of Oxford to the parliamentary forces, he returned thither, and was created bachelor
of divinity, and made principal of his hall, and moral philosophy reader of the university. He also took the degree
of D. D. and became a frequent preacher at the different
churches in Oxford. As the governor of a society, Wood
ipeaks of him very highly, and his character indeed in this
respect was so well established, that he might have remained principal, if he could have conformed. He suffered
considerably afterwards for nonconformity, while endeavouring to preach at Buckminster in Leicestershire, Gosfield in Essex, Sible-Headingham, and finally at Connard
near Sudbury in Suffolk, where he died May 13, 1690. He
was buried at Milding near Lavenham, in Suffolk. Wood
says “he was a zealous person in the way he professed,
but overswayed more by the principles of education than
reason. He was very courteous in speech and carriage,
communicative of his knowledge, generous and charitable
to the poor; and so public-spirited (a rare thing, adds Wood, in a presbyterian), that he always minded the common good, more than his own concerns.
” He was a considerable benefactor to Magdalen -hall, having built the
library, and procured a good collection of books for it.