WILLIAM, D.D., an English divine and natural philosopher of considerable eminence, was born at Stoughton near Worcester, in 1657. He received the rudiments of his education at Blockley in his native county, and was afterwards entered of Trinity College, Oxford, where he graduated with much distinction in 1679. Three years later he became vicar of Margrave in Berkshire; and in 1689 was preferred to the valuable living of Upminster in Essex. He had now leisure to devote himself to his favourite pursuits, and published his Artificial Clockmaker, a work which rapidly went through several editions. The best known of his subsequent works are his Physico-Theology, published in 1711-12; his Astro-Theology, 1714; and his Christo-Theology, 1730. For these services to science and theology he was first made a canon of Windsor, and ultimately received the degree of D.D. from Oxford. His last work, entitled A Defence of the Church's right in Leasehold Estates, was published a short time before his death, which happened in 1735. Besides the works published in his own name, Derham contributed largely to the periodical literature of his day; revised the Miscellanea Curiosa; wrote the notes for Albin's Natural History; and published some of the MSS. of Ray the botanist and Hooke the natural philosopher.