Floyer Sydenham
Encyclopedia
Floyer Sydenham was an English
scholar of Ancient Greek
.
He was a Fellow
and sometime Moderator of Philosophy at Wadham College, Oxford
, and later Rector
of Esher
. He translated some of the Dialogues of Plato into English, and wrote a dissertation on Heraclitus
, which failed of being appreciated. Involved in embarrassment, he was thrown into prison because he could not pay a small bill for provisions, and there died. His sad fate led directly to the foundation of the Royal Literary Fund
.
The translator Thomas Taylor wrote a widely-published panegyric
to Sydenham, and completed his work on the Dialogues.
"Catherine, sister of John Floyer, married Humphrey Sydenham, of Dulverton, and became the mother of Floyer Sydenham, a man of great attainments, Fellow and sometime Moderator of Philosophy at Wadham College, Oxford. He was afterwards Rector of Esher until 1744. He published Notes on Plato, edited the Greater and Lesser Hippias; also a Dissertation on the Doctrine of Heraclitus, and Onomasticon Theologicum. He was so small a gainer in money by these works that he died in great poverty. The sympathy aroused for poor authors by his death led to the formation of the Literary Fund. His grandfather, Humphrey Sydenham, was one of the original Fellows of Wadham College, and the first to take the degree of Master of Arts from that college."
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
scholar of Ancient Greek
Ancient Greek
Ancient Greek is the stage of the Greek language in the periods spanning the times c. 9th–6th centuries BC, , c. 5th–4th centuries BC , and the c. 3rd century BC – 6th century AD of ancient Greece and the ancient world; being predated in the 2nd millennium BC by Mycenaean Greek...
.
He was a Fellow
Fellow
A fellow in the broadest sense is someone who is an equal or a comrade. The term fellow is also used to describe a person, particularly by those in the upper social classes. It is most often used in an academic context: a fellow is often part of an elite group of learned people who are awarded...
and sometime Moderator of Philosophy at Wadham College, Oxford
Wadham College, Oxford
Wadham College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom, located at the southern end of Parks Road in central Oxford. It was founded by Nicholas and Dorothy Wadham, wealthy Somerset landowners, during the reign of King James I...
, and later Rector
Rector
The word rector has a number of different meanings; it is widely used to refer to an academic, religious or political administrator...
of Esher
Esher
Esher is a town in the Surrey borough of Elmbridge in South East England near the River Mole. It is a very prosperous part of the Greater London Urban Area, largely suburban in character, and is situated 14.1 miles south west of Charing Cross....
. He translated some of the Dialogues of Plato into English, and wrote a dissertation on Heraclitus
Heraclitus
Heraclitus of Ephesus was a pre-Socratic Greek philosopher, a native of the Greek city Ephesus, Ionia, on the coast of Asia Minor. He was of distinguished parentage. Little is known about his early life and education, but he regarded himself as self-taught and a pioneer of wisdom...
, which failed of being appreciated. Involved in embarrassment, he was thrown into prison because he could not pay a small bill for provisions, and there died. His sad fate led directly to the foundation of the Royal Literary Fund
Royal Literary Fund
The Royal Literary Fund is a benevolent fund set up to help published British writers in financial difficulties. It was founded by Reverend David Williams in 1790 and has received bequests and donations, including royal patronage, ever since...
.
The translator Thomas Taylor wrote a widely-published panegyric
Panegyric
A panegyric is a formal public speech, or written verse, delivered in high praise of a person or thing, a generally highly studied and discriminating eulogy, not expected to be critical. It is derived from the Greek πανηγυρικός meaning "a speech fit for a general assembly"...
to Sydenham, and completed his work on the Dialogues.
"Catherine, sister of John Floyer, married Humphrey Sydenham, of Dulverton, and became the mother of Floyer Sydenham, a man of great attainments, Fellow and sometime Moderator of Philosophy at Wadham College, Oxford. He was afterwards Rector of Esher until 1744. He published Notes on Plato, edited the Greater and Lesser Hippias; also a Dissertation on the Doctrine of Heraclitus, and Onomasticon Theologicum. He was so small a gainer in money by these works that he died in great poverty. The sympathy aroused for poor authors by his death led to the formation of the Literary Fund. His grandfather, Humphrey Sydenham, was one of the original Fellows of Wadham College, and the first to take the degree of Master of Arts from that college."