WOTTON, Dr William, a learned divine and writer, was the son of Mr Henry Wotton, B. D. rector of Wrentham in Suffolk, where he was born in 1666. He was educated by his father, a gentleman well skilled in the learned languages; under whom he made such amazing proficiency, that at five years of age it is said he could render several chapters of the gospels out of Latin and Greek, and many psalms in Hebrew, into his mother tongue. When he was very young, he remembered the whole of almost every discourse he had heard; and often surprised a preacher by repeating his sermon to him. He was admitted into Catharine-hall in Cambridge some months before he was ten years old; when the progress he made in learning in that university en-
gaged Dr Duport, then master of Magdalen college, and dean of Peterborough, to write an elegant copy of Latin verses in his praise. In 1679 he took the degree of bachelor of arts when he was but twelve years and five months old; and the winter following he was invited to London by Dr Gilbert Burnet, then preacher at the Rolls, who introduced him to most of the learned men in that city, and particularly to Dr William Lloyd, bishop of St Asaph; to whom he recommended himself by repeating to him one of his sermons, as Dr Burnet had engaged he should. In 1691 he commenced bachelor of divinity. The same year Bishop Lloyd gave him the sinecure of Llandrillo, in Denbighshire. He was afterwards made chaplain to the earl of Nottingham, then secretary of state, who presented him to the rectory of Middleton Keynes, in Bucks, and to whom he dedicated his Reflections upon Ancient and Modern Learning. In 1705, Bishop Burnet gave him a prebend in the church of Salisbury; and in 1707, Archbishop Tennison presented him with the degree of doctor of divinity: but in 1714, the difficulties he laboured under with respect to his private fortune, obliged him to retire into South Wales, where he was treated with great kindness and humanity by the gentlemen of that country; and wrote there the "Memoirs of the Cathedral Churches of St David's and Landaff," and his "Miscellaneous Discourses relating to the Traditions and Usages of the Scribes and Pharisees;" which were afterwards printed. He died in 1726. This great man was remarkable for his humanity and friendliness of temper; the narrowness of a party spirit never broke in upon any of his friendships; and his time and abilities were at the service of any person who was making advances in real learning. He wrote, besides the above works, 1. A History of Rome. 2. A Defence of his Reflections upon Ancient and Modern Learning. 3. A Discourse concerning the Languages of Babel. 4. Advice to a young Student, with a Method of Study for the first four Years; and other learned pieces.