JOHN SHUTE, Lord Viscount Barrington, a nobleman distinguished for theological learning, was the youngest son of Benjamin Shute, merchant, and was born in 1678. He received part of his education at the university of Utrecht; and, after returning to England, studied law in the Inner Temple. In 1701 he commenced writer in favour of the civil rights of Protestant dissenters, to which body he belonged. At the recommendation of Lord Somers he was employed to engage the Presbyterians in Scotland to favour the union of the two kingdoms; and in 1708, for this service, was appointed to the place of commissioner of the customs. From this he was removed by the Tory ministry of Queen Anne; but his fortune was, in the mean time, improved by the bequest of two considerable estates; one of them left him by Francis Barrington of Tofts, Esq., whose name he assumed by act of parliament. Mr. Barrington now stood at the head of the Dissenters. On the accession of George I. he was returned member of parliament. Barrington, parliament for Berwick-upon-Tweed; and in 1720 the king raised him to the Irish peerage, by the style of Viscount Barrington of Ardglais. He was unfortunately engaged as sub-governor in one of the bubbles of the time, the Harburgh lottery, and underwent the dilgrace of expulsion from the house of commons, in 1723; a censure which was thought greatly too severe, and altogether unmerited on his part. In 1725 he published his principal work, entitled Miscellanea Sacra, or a new Method of considering so much of the History of the Apotheis as is contained in Scripture, in an abstract of their history, an abstract of that abstract, and four critical essays; 2 vols. 8vo. This work traces the methods taken by the first preachers of the gospel for propagating Christianity, and explains the several gifts of the Spirit, by which they were enabled to discharge their office. It has always been reckoned a valuable and judicious defence of the Christian cause; and was reprinted with additions and corrections, in 3 vols. 8vo, 1770, by his son, afterwards bishop of Durham. In the same year he published "An Essay on the several Dispensations of God to Mankind, in the Order in which they lie in the Bible, &c." 8vo, 1725. He wrote various other tracts, chiefly on subjects relative to toleration in matters of religion. He died in 1734, in his 56th year, leaving several children, of whom five sons had the uncommon fortune of rising to high stations in the church, the law, the army, and the navy. Lord Barrington was a friend and disciple of Locke, and adopted his sentiments as to the right and advantage of free enquiry, and the value of civil and religious liberty. He contributed greatly to the rising spirit of liberal scriptural criticism among those who wished to render religion rational. He was a man of great moderation, and, though chiefly connected with the Dissenters, he occasionally frequented and communicated with the established church. Gen. Biog.

Daines, fourth son of Lord Viscount Barrington, distinguished as an antiquarian and naturalist, was educated for the profession of the law; and, after professing various posts, was appointed a Welsh judge in 1757, and afterwards second justice of Chester. He never rose to much eminence at the bar, but he showed his knowledge of the law as an object of liberal study, by a valuable publication entitled "Observations on the Statutes, chiefly the more ancient, from Magna Charta to 21 James I. c. 27; with an Appendix, being a Proposal for new-modelling the Statutes," 4to, 1766. This work has been quoted with great respect by many of our historians and constitutional antiquaries. In 1773 he published an edition of Orosius, with Alfred's Saxon version, and an English translation and notes of his own, which met with some severe animadversion from the critics. His "Tracts on the Probability of reaching the North Pole," 1775, 4to, were written in consequence of the northern voyage of discovery undertaken by Captain Phipps (now Lord Mulgrave). He accumulates in them a variety of evidence favourable to his own opinion of the practicability of attaining the object in which that voyage failed; but there is little probability that the attempt will be renewed. Mr Barrington's other writings, which are numerous, are chiefly to be found in the publications of the Royal and Antiquarian Societies, of both of which he was long an affidavit member, and of the latter, vice president. They relate to a variety of topics in natural history and antiquities, and show great industry and extent of research, though with an occasional leaning to singularity and paradox. Many of his tracts were collected by him in a 4to volume entitled "Miscellanies on various Subjects," 1781. His "Experiments and Observations on the Singing of Birds," and his "Essay on the Language of Birds, are among the most curious and ingenious of his papers. There, and many others, prove that he was not only deeply conversant in books, but was a very attentive and sagacious observer of nature. In private life he was a man of worth and integrity, unambitious, and devoted to study and literary conversation. He resigned his office of justice of Chester in 1785, and afterwards lived in retirement in his chambers in King's-bench-walks, Inner-temple, associating chiefly with his brother benchers, and amusing himself with superintending the improvements of the gardens. He died March 14, 1800, and was buried in the Temple church.

BARRINGTONIA: See Botany Index.