(Richard), an eminent critic and divine, was the son of a mechanic tradesman at Wakefield in Yorkshire, where he was born in the year 1662, and probably received the first part of his education at the free-school in that town; whence being removed to St John's college in Cambridge, he followed his studies with indefatigable industry; and his inclination leading him strongly to critical learning, his skill and knowledge therein was taken notice of by Dr Edward Stillingfleet, who was bred at the same college, and in 1685 appointed him private tutor to his son. Mr Bentley had not been above a year in the Doctor's family, when he had compiled, in a thick volume in 4to, a kind of Hexapla; in the first volume of which was every word of the Bible alphabetically disposed; the various interpretations whereof from the Chaldee, Syriac, vulgar Latin, Septuagint, and the versions of Aquila, Symmachus, and Theodotion, had their proper place in the other five volumes; besides another 4to volume of the various lections and emendations of the Hebrew text drawn out of those ancient versions. In 1692, his patron being advanced to the see of Worcester, collated him to a prebend in that church, and also made him his domestic chaplain. That learned prelate, as well as Dr Will. Lloyd, then bishop of Litchfield, had seen many proofs of our author's extraordinary merit, when they concurred in recommending him as a fit person to open the lectures upon Mr Boyle's foundation in defense of natural and revealed religion. This gave him a fine opportunity of establishing his fame. He saw it well; and resolved to push it to the utmost. Sir Isaac Newton's Principia had been published but a few years, and the book was little known and less understood: Mr Bentley therefore determined to spare no pains in displaying to the best advantage the profound demonstrations which that excellent work furnished in proof of a Deity; and that nothing might be wanting to complete the design, he applied to the author, and received from him the solution of some difficulties which had not fallen within the plan of his treatise*. In short, our author's sermons at Boyle's lectures were universally admired, and highly raised his reputation as a Newtonian preacher; notwithstanding that escape which laid him open to the raillery of Dr Keil, viz. of proving the moon not to turn round her axis because she always shews the same face to the earth. In 1693, he was made keeper of the royal library at St James's; soon after which arose the famous dispute between him and the honourable Mr Boyle, in relation to the genuineness of the Epistles of Phalaris. In 1701 he was presented to the mastership of Trinity college, Cambridge, which is reckoned worth near 1000l. per annum. Upon this promotion he resigned his prebend of Worcester, and, in 1707, was collated to the archdeaconry of Ely; besides this, he was presented to a good benefice in that see. Being thus placed in a state of ease and affluence, he took his degree of doctor of divinity, entered into matrimony, and indulged his inclination in critical pursuits; and the fruits of his labours, which he occasionally published, all displayed such erudition and sagacity, that, by degrees, he obtained the character of being the greatest critic of the age. In the mean while, however, he carried matters with so high a hand in the government of his college, that, in 1709, a complaint was brought before the bishop of Ely, as visitor, against him, by several of the fellows, who charged him with embezzling the college money, and other misdemeanors. In answer to this, he presented his defence to the bishop, which he published in 1710, under the title of The present State of Trinity College, 8vo; and thus began a quarrel, which was carried on with the most virulent animosity on each side, for above 20 years, when it at last ended in the Doctor's favour. During the course of this dispute, he had been promoted to the regius professorship of divinity; and his majesty king George I. on a visit to the university in 1717, having, as usual, nominated by mandate several persons for a doctor's degree in that faculty, our professor, to whose office it belonged to perform the ceremony called creation, demanded four guineas from each person, besides a broad piece of gold, and absolutely refused to create any doctor without these fees; hence there arose a long BER

and warm dispute, during which, the doctor was first suspended, and then degraded; but on a petition to his majesty for relief from that sentence, the affair was referred to the court of king's-bench, where the proceedings against him being reversed, a mandamus was issued, charging the university to restore him.—Dr. Bentley was endowed with a natural hardiness of temper, which enabled him to ride out both these storms without any extraordinary disturbance, or interruption to his literary pursuits. In his private character, though he is generally allowed to have been too fond of money, he was hearty, sincere, and warm in his friendship, an affectionate husband, and a most indulgent father. He loved hospitality and respect; maintained the dignity and munificence of the ancient abots in house-keeping at his lodge, which he beautified; and, in conversation, tempered the severity of the critic with such a peculiar strain of vivacity and pleasantry, as was very entertaining. He died at his lodge in Trinity college, on the 14th of July, 1742, at 80 years of age. The Doctor's principal works, besides those already mentioned, were, 1. His animadversions and remarks on the poet Callimachus. 2. Remarks upon Collins's discourse of free-thinking. 3. Beautiful and correct editions of Horace, Terence, Phaedrus, and Milton, with notes; but as the Doctor had not a poetic genius, many of his notes on our British poet, in which he has endeavoured to make emendations of the original, have been greatly and justly censured.