SMITH, SIR THOMAS, was born at Walden in Essex in 1512. At 14 he was sent to Queen's college Cambridge, where he distinguished himself so much, that he was made Henry VIII.'s scholar together with John Cheke. He was chosen a fellow of his college in 1531, and appointed two years after to read the public Greek lecture. The common mode of reading Greek at that time was very faulty; the same found being given to the letters and diphthongs, i, u, v, u, u, u, u. Mr Smith and Mr Cheke had been for some time sensible that this pronunciation was wrong: and after a good deal of consultation and research, they agreed to introduce that mode of reading which prevails at present. Mr Smith was lecturing on Aristotle de Republica in Greek. At first he dropped a word or two at intervals in the new pronunciation, and sometimes he would stop as if he had committed a mistake and correct himself. No notice was taken of this for two or three days; but as he repeated more frequently, his audience began to wonder at the unusual sounds, and at last some of his friends mentioned to him what they had remarked. He owned that something was in agitation, but that it was not yet sufficiently digested to be made public. They entreated him earnestly to discover his project: he did so; and in a short time great numbers resorted to him for information. The new pronunciation was
Smith. was adopted with enthusiasm, and soon became universal at Cambridge. It was afterwards opposed by Bishop Gardiner the chancellor; but its superiority to the old mode was so visible, that in a few years it spread over all England.
In 1539 he travelled into foreign countries, and studied for some time in the universities of France and Italy. On his return he was made regius professor of civil law at Cambridge. About this time he published a treatise on the mode of pronouncing English. He was useful likewise in promoting the reformation. Having gone into the family of the duke of Somerset, the protector during the minority of Edward VI. he was employed by that nobleman in public affairs; and in 1548 was made secretary of state, and received the honour of knighthood. While that nobleman continued in office, he was sent ambassador, first to Brussels and afterwards to France.
Upon Mary's accession he lost all his places, but was fortunate enough to preserve the friendship of Gardiner and Bonner. He was exempted from persecution, and was allowed, probably by their influence, a pension of 100l. During Elizabeth's reign he was employed in public affairs, and was sent three times by that prince as her ambassador to France. He died in 1577. His abilities were excellent, and his attainments uncommonly great: He was a philosopher, a physician, a chemist, mathematician, linguist, historian, and architect. He wrote, 1. A treatise called the English Commonwealth. 2. A letter De Rebus et Emendata Linguae Graecae Pronuntiacione. 3. De Moribus Turcarum. 4. De Druidum Moribus.