Conyers Middleton
Encyclopedia
Conyers Middleton was an English
clergyman.
Middleton was born at Richmond in Yorkshire
, and was educated at school in York
and at Trinity College, Cambridge
. He graduated from the University of Cambridge
, took holy orders, and in 1706 obtained a fellowship, which he resigned upon entering into an advantageous marriage. In 1717, he became involved in a dispute with Richard Bentley
over the awarding of degrees. He wrote several trenchant pamphlets, among them the" Remarks" and "Further Remarks" on Bentley's Proposals for a New Edition of the Greek Testament, in which the latter tried to make his own case from the text of the New Testament
.
In 1723 Middleton was involved in a lawsuit against Bentley, resulting from his tract on library administration, written on the occasion of his appointment as university librarian. In 1726 he offended the medical profession with a dissertation contending that the healing art among the ancients was exercised only by slaves or freedmen. Between the dates of these publications he visited Italy, and made certain observations on the pagan
origin of church ceremonies and beliefs which he subsequently published in his Letter from Rome, showing an Exact Conformity between Popery and Paganism (1729). This tract probably contributed to the controversy which broke out against him on his next publication (1731).
Middleton had remonstrated with Daniel Waterland
when the latter replied to Matthew Tindal
's Christianity as Old as the Creation. Middleton took a line which in exposed him to the reproach of infidelity. In professing to indicate a short and easy method of confuting Tindal, he laid emphasis on the indispensableness of Christianity as a mainstay of social order. This brought him into conflict with those who held the same views as Waterland. Middleton was attacked from many quarters, and produced several apologetic pamphlets.
His next important publication was a Life of Cicero (1741), largely told in the latter's own words. Although Middleton's reputation was enhanced by this work, there is no doubt that he drew largely from a rare book by William Bellenden
, De tribus luminibus Romanorum. The work was undertaken at the request of John Hervey, 2nd Baron Hervey; from their correspondence came the idea for The Roman Senate, published in 1747.
The same year and the following produced the most important of all his writings, the Introductory Discourse and the Free Inquiry "concerning the miraculous powers which are supposed to have subsisted in the church from the earliest ages." In combating this belief, Middleton indirectly established two important propositions. He showed that ecclesiastical miracles must be accepted or rejected in the mass; and he distinguished between the authority due to the early fathers' testimony to the beliefs and practices of their times, and their very slender credibility as witnesses to matters of fact. In 1750, he was driven to expose Bishop Sherlock
's eccentric notions of antediluvian prophecy, which had been published 25 years before. Shortly afterwards he died, at Hildersham
, near Cambridge.
Middleton's most ambitious work is out of date, but his controversial writings have a place in the history of opinion. Alexander Pope
thought he and Nathaniel Hooke
were the only prose writers of the day who deserved to be cited as authorities on the language. Samuel Parr
, while exposing Middleton's plagiarism
s, praised his style. An edition of his works, containing several posthumous tracts, but not including the Life of Cicero, appeared in 4 volumes in 1752 and in 5 volumes in 1755.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
clergyman.
Middleton was born at Richmond in Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
, and was educated at school in York
York
York is a walled city, situated at the confluence of the Rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. The city has a rich heritage and has provided the backdrop to major political events throughout much of its two millennia of existence...
and at Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Trinity has more members than any other college in Cambridge or Oxford, with around 700 undergraduates, 430 graduates, and over 170 Fellows...
. He graduated from the University of Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
, took holy orders, and in 1706 obtained a fellowship, which he resigned upon entering into an advantageous marriage. In 1717, he became involved in a dispute with Richard Bentley
Richard Bentley
Richard Bentley was an English classical scholar, critic, and theologian. He was Master of Trinity College, Cambridge....
over the awarding of degrees. He wrote several trenchant pamphlets, among them the" Remarks" and "Further Remarks" on Bentley's Proposals for a New Edition of the Greek Testament, in which the latter tried to make his own case from the text of the New Testament
New Testament
The New Testament is the second major division of the Christian biblical canon, the first such division being the much longer Old Testament....
.
In 1723 Middleton was involved in a lawsuit against Bentley, resulting from his tract on library administration, written on the occasion of his appointment as university librarian. In 1726 he offended the medical profession with a dissertation contending that the healing art among the ancients was exercised only by slaves or freedmen. Between the dates of these publications he visited Italy, and made certain observations on the pagan
Paganism
Paganism is a blanket term, typically used to refer to non-Abrahamic, indigenous polytheistic religious traditions....
origin of church ceremonies and beliefs which he subsequently published in his Letter from Rome, showing an Exact Conformity between Popery and Paganism (1729). This tract probably contributed to the controversy which broke out against him on his next publication (1731).
Middleton had remonstrated with Daniel Waterland
Daniel Waterland
Daniel Cosgrove Waterland was an English theologian.Daniel Waterland was born at Walesby Rectory, Lincolnshire, England, and educated in Lincoln and at Magdalene College, Cambridge, where he graduated BA in 1703 and MA in 1706...
when the latter replied to Matthew Tindal
Matthew Tindal
Matthew Tindal was an eminent English deist author. His works, highly influential at the dawn of the Enlightenment, caused great controversy and challenged the Christian consensus of his time.-Life:...
's Christianity as Old as the Creation. Middleton took a line which in exposed him to the reproach of infidelity. In professing to indicate a short and easy method of confuting Tindal, he laid emphasis on the indispensableness of Christianity as a mainstay of social order. This brought him into conflict with those who held the same views as Waterland. Middleton was attacked from many quarters, and produced several apologetic pamphlets.
His next important publication was a Life of Cicero (1741), largely told in the latter's own words. Although Middleton's reputation was enhanced by this work, there is no doubt that he drew largely from a rare book by William Bellenden
William Bellenden
William Bellenden was a Scottish classical scholar.James I appointed him magister libellorum supplicum or master of requests...
, De tribus luminibus Romanorum. The work was undertaken at the request of John Hervey, 2nd Baron Hervey; from their correspondence came the idea for The Roman Senate, published in 1747.
The same year and the following produced the most important of all his writings, the Introductory Discourse and the Free Inquiry "concerning the miraculous powers which are supposed to have subsisted in the church from the earliest ages." In combating this belief, Middleton indirectly established two important propositions. He showed that ecclesiastical miracles must be accepted or rejected in the mass; and he distinguished between the authority due to the early fathers' testimony to the beliefs and practices of their times, and their very slender credibility as witnesses to matters of fact. In 1750, he was driven to expose Bishop Sherlock
Thomas Sherlock
Thomas Sherlock was a British divine who served as a Church of England bishop for 33 years. He is also noted in church history as an important contributor to Christian apologetics.-Life:...
's eccentric notions of antediluvian prophecy, which had been published 25 years before. Shortly afterwards he died, at Hildersham
Hildersham
Hildersham is a small village 8 miles to the south-east of Cambridge, England. It is situated just off the A1307 between Linton and Great Abington on a tributary of the River Cam known locally as the River Granta...
, near Cambridge.
Middleton's most ambitious work is out of date, but his controversial writings have a place in the history of opinion. Alexander Pope
Alexander Pope
Alexander Pope was an 18th-century English poet, best known for his satirical verse and for his translation of Homer. He is the third-most frequently quoted writer in The Oxford Dictionary of Quotations, after Shakespeare and Tennyson...
thought he and Nathaniel Hooke
Nathaniel Hooke
Nathaniel Hooke was an English historian.-Life:He was the eldest son of John Hooke, serjeant-at-law, and nephew of Nathaniel Hooke the Jacobite politician. He is thought by John Kirk to have studied with Alexander Pope at Twyford School, and to have formed a lifelong friendship there.He was...
were the only prose writers of the day who deserved to be cited as authorities on the language. Samuel Parr
Samuel Parr
Samuel Parr , was an English schoolmaster, writer, minister and Doctor of Law. He was known in his time for political writing, and as "the Whig Johnson", though his reputation has lasted less well that Samuel Johnson's, and the resemblances were at a superficial level, Parr being no prose stylist,...
, while exposing Middleton's plagiarism
Plagiarism
Plagiarism is defined in dictionaries as the "wrongful appropriation," "close imitation," or "purloining and publication" of another author's "language, thoughts, ideas, or expressions," and the representation of them as one's own original work, but the notion remains problematic with nebulous...
s, praised his style. An edition of his works, containing several posthumous tracts, but not including the Life of Cicero, appeared in 4 volumes in 1752 and in 5 volumes in 1755.
Works
- A Letter from Rome, Shewing an Exact Conformity Between Popery and Paganism, 1729
- A Free Inquiry into the Miraculous Powers, which are Supposed to Have Subsisted in the Christian Church, 1749
- Reflections on the variations, or inconsistencies, which are found among the four EvangelistsReflections on the variations, or inconsistencies, which are found among the four EvangelistsReflections on the Variations, or Inconſiſtencies, which are found among the four Evangeliſts, in their different Accounts of the ſame Facts is an essay by Conyers Middleton; it was published posthumously in 1752 as a part of his Miscellaneous Works....
(posthumous, 1752)