LOWTH, Dr ROBERT, Bishop of London, the son of Dr William Lowth, was born at Buriton, in Hampshire, on 28th November 1710. From Winchester school he passed, in 1730, to New College, Oxford; and in 1737 became master of arts. He remained at the university, devoting himself to the cultivation of his fine talents, long concealed by the veil of his native modesty, but now slowly becoming visible to the world. Elected professor of poetry in 1741, he was re-elected in 1743, and in this capacity he delivered his lectures De Sacra Poesi Hebraorum. Bishop Hooley collated him in 1744 to the rectory of Ovington, in Hampshire; and nine years afterwards to the rectory of East Woodhay, in the same county. He had also appointed him, in 1750, Archdeacon of Winchester. In 1754 Lowth received the diploma of D.D. from the University of Oxford. He had travelled in 1749 with Lord George and Lord Frederick Cavendish, and had thus been introduced to their kinsman, the Duke of Devonshire. Accordingly, when this nobleman repaired to Ireland, in 1755, as lord-lieutenant, Lowth accompanied him as his first chaplain. Immediately after this he was presented to the see of Limerick, an appointment which he exchanged with Dr Leslie for the prebend of Durham and rectory of Sedgefield. In 1765 he was elected a fellow of the Royal Society; and in the subsequent year was appointed successively to the see of St David's and to that of Oxford. He became Bishop of London in 1777; and in 1783 declined the primacy offered to him by George III. After enduring with great patience and fortitude a severe and protracted attack of the stone, he died at Fulham on 3d November 1787.
Bishop Lowth's first great publication was his Prelections de Sacra Poesi Hebraorum, Oxford, 1753, 4to; 1763, 8vo; republished, with valuable notes by J. D. Michælis, 1770, 8vo, and translated into English by Dr Gregory, 1787. These prelections, discussing a fresh and interesting subject, and written in remarkably pure Latin, were favourably received by the learned, both at home and abroad. His Life of William Wykeham, published in 1758, shows with what skill and patience he could arrange a chaos of facts gathered from "records, registers, manuscripts, and other sources." In 1778 appeared his greatest work, A Translation of Isaiah, accompanied by a dissertation, and notes critical, philological, and explanatory. It is marked by the most critical knowledge of the character, and a full appreciation of the spirit, of eastern poetry. The 13th edition of this work appeared in London in 1842. Lowth also engaged with Warburton in a war of pamphlets, touching the book of Job, and for bitterness of spirit did not fall one whit behind that merciless controversialist. An English Grammar which he published in 1762, was in great repute in his own time, but has long since fallen into neglect. A similar popularity in the case of his poetical pieces was followed by a similar fate. Several of his sermons were published at different times, and have recently been reprinted, along with other remains, by P. Hall, London.—In the high offices which he latterly held, Bishop Lowth consulted the best interests of the church by endeavouring to supply her vacant preferments with the most meritorious in the profession.