was a man remarkable for his perseverance and talent in learning
was a man remarkable for his perseverance and talent in learning many languages by the aid
of books alone, and that under every disadvantage of laborious occupation and extreme poverty. His extraordinary
character was made known to the world by Mr. Spence in
1757, who, in order to promote a subscription for him,
published a comparison between him and the famous Magliabecchi, with a short life of each. From this account it
appears that he was born January 11, 1699, at Miswell
near Tring in Hertfordshire, that he was bred a taylor,
which trade and that of a staymaker he practised throughout life, sometimes adding to them that of a schoolmaster.
He was three times married, and the increase of his family,
with the extravagance of his second wife, kept him always
in great, penury. He worked in general, or taught by day,
and studied by night; in which way he acquired the Latin,
Greek, and Hebrew languages, with a good knowledge of
arithmetic. As he could proceed only as he accidentally
picked up books in a very cheap way, his progress was
slow, but by his unremitting diligence very steady.
According to his own account, he was seven years acquiring
Latin, twice as much in learning Greek, but Hebrew he
found so easy that it cost him little time. He wrote,
1. “Remarks on Berkeley’s
” Essay on Spirit“. 2.
” The
Character of a Jew.“3.
” Criticisms on Job." He was
a modest sensible man, fond of studying the Scriptures,
and a zealous member of the church of England. He
died at Buckingham in July 1777, after having been confined to his bed about a year and a half. During this time
he employed the hours in which he was able to sit up, in his
favourite study of the Old Testament in Hebrew, which
he frequently said now more than repaid him for the trouble
he had taken to acquire the language. It is probable, that
the notice into which he was brought by Mr. Spence secured him afterwards from the extremities of poverty.