Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB
[blocks in formation]

The Earl Whitworth, 2 copies.
The Lord Bishop of Winchester.
Sir Thomas Webb, Bart.
The Rev. Richard Ward.
Frederick B. Watson, Esq.
Joshua Watson, Esq. 3 copies.
The Archdeacon Watson.
Colonel Webb.

The Rev. H.D. Whittington.

J. Whittington, Esq.

W. Wilberforce, Esq. M.P.

Owen Williams, Esq. M.P.

Thomas Williams, Esq. M.P. 3 copies.

Owen Williams, jun. Esq.

The Rev. G. Woodward.

J. B. Wright, Esq.

Professor Woodhouse.

The Rev. Dr. Wordsworth, Trinity. The Rev. Walton.

The Rev. W. Woodward.

The Archdeacon Wrangham.

Charles Warren, Esq. 2 copies.

Dr. Warren, 3 copies.

The Rev. C. Wodsworth.

Mrs. White, Brasted.

J. Wishaw, Esq.

The Rev. H. Walter, East India College.

W. Wilkins, Esq.

The Dean of Winchester.

H. Warburton, Esq. 6 copies.

F. Whitmore, Esq.

Mrs. Warden.

The Rev. Robert Walpole, 3 copies.

Mr. Mosley Watts.

Wilson, Esq.

The Archdeacon Wollaston.
C. Wilmot, Esq.

Wisbech Literary Society.

J. B. Watkins, Hereford.

The Rev. R. Watkinson.

His Grace the Archbishop of York.

THE LIFE

OF

EDWARD DANIEL CLARKE.

CHAPTER I.

Ancestors of Dr. E. D. Clarke-William Wotton-MILD William Clarke-Rev. Edward Clarke-Birth of Dr. E. D. ClarkeHis early education-Death of his father.

EDWARD DANIEL CLARKE, the subject of these Memoirs, was born June 5, 1769, at Willingdon, in the county of Sussex, and was descended from a line of ancestors, whose learning and abilities reflected, for a long series of years, the highest credit upon the literature of their country. The celebrated Dr. William Wotton, justly considered in his time as a prodigy of early knowledge, was his great-grandfather. His grandfather, known to his friends by the appellation of mild William Clarke, was one of the most accomplished scholars of his age; and his father, Mr. Edward Clarke, although labouring for the best part of his life under the disadvantages of an infirm constitution, was distinguished in the same honourable career. Nor were these instances solitary, occurring one only in each descent: for so widely diffused has been the love of literature throughout the different members of this family, that, of four entire generations, beginning with Dr. Wotton and his wife Anne Hammond, of St. Alban's, in Kent, and ending with Dr. Clarke, his brothers and his sister, there is

B

scarcely a single individual, whether male or female, who, at one period or other, and in proportion to the opportunities offered, has not been remarkable for some traits of literary genius or taste; while many of them, by their learning and their works, have arrived at high degrees of eminence and reputation.

The character and writings of Dr. Wotton are so well known to the literary world, that a short notice of them here will be thought sufficient. Besides several larger works, he was the author of many tracts and dissertations, involving much classical and antiquarian research. One of the earliest of these was entitled," Reflections upon Ancient and Modern Learning;" which, being afterward published in a second edition, in 1697, with a dissertation of Dr. Bentley's annexed, was the means of involving him incidentally in the celebrated controversy betwixt that great scholar and Mr. Boyle. From a dispute like this, in which abuse was lavished on every side with an unsparing hand, it was little to be expected, that Dr. Wotton would escape without some unpleasant marks of his having been connected with it; still less, when it is considered, that his immediate adversary was the caustic dean of St. Patrick's: but it is honourable to him to record the testimony of Mr. Boyle himself, to a species of merit displayed by him, which must have been somewhat rare in that controversy, that his remarks were urged with decency and modesty, and that there was a vein of learning running through his work without any ostentation of it. In the latter part of his life, having retired into Wales, in consequence of some pecuniary embarrassment, he determined to profit by the occasion to make himself master of the Welsh language; and among the fruits of this industry, are a Welsh sermon, which he preached and printed,

« AnteriorContinuar »