GEORGE, a learned divine of the Church of England, and the author of several critical and historical works, was born at Shrewsbury about 1710, and educated at Wadham College, Oxford. In 1747 he published, in 8vo, some observations tending to illustrate the Book of Job. In 1750 he published two dissertations; one on the meaning of the word Kesita (Job xlii. 11); and another on the signification of the word Hermes. These were followed in 1752 by Dissertations dua Cicro-sacra, quorum primâ explicatur, Ezek. xii. 18, alterâ vero 2 Rep. x. 22. In 1775 he wrote a letter to Dr Birch, which is preserved in the British Museum, respecting the meaning of the phrase sphaera barbarica. Some time after this he published a second edition of Dr Hyde's Historia Religiosis veterum Persarum, corumque Magorum. In 1764, through the influence of Lord Chancellor Northington, he obtained the vicarage of Twickenham, which he continued to hold till his death. In 1767 he published The History of Astronomy, with its application to Geography, History, and Chronology, (1 vol. 4to). This work was chiefly intended for the use of students, and contains a distinct view of the several improvements made in geography and astronomy. The last of his publications appeared in 1778, and consisted of A Letter to Nathaniel Brassey Halhed, Esq., containing some Remarks on his preface to the Code of Gentoo Laws. In this work he criticises the current opinion in regard to the great antiquity of the Gentoo laws; and adduces arguments in favour of the truth of the Hebrew chronology. Costard died Jan. 10, 1782.