JOHN, was born at Manchester on the 27th of April 1735. His father, James Whitaker, does not appear to have been in affluent circumstances. At the age of ten, the son was sent to the free-school, and in 1752 was removed to Oxford upon an exhibition of ten pounds a year. He was entered of Brasenose College, but on the 2d of March 1753 was elected scholar of Corpus Christi. He proceeded A.M. in 1759, and in the following year was ordained deacon and priest. On the 21st of January 1763 he was elected fellow of his college, and on the 1st of July 1767 took the degree of B.D. For many years he served the curacy of Bray in Berkshire for Dr Berkeley, a son of the famous Bishop of Cloyne; and was subsequently curate of Newton in Lancashire. He gave the first conspicuous proof of his abilities by the publication of The History of Manchester, Lond. 1771, 4to. The second volume followed in the year 1775; but although four books were originally promised, only two are thus completed; they embrace the Roman, British, and Saxon periods of the history. This work, which is perhaps the most remarkable of his publications, was immediately regarded as the production of no ordinary writer, but as more conspicuous for bold and ingenious speculation than for cool and judicious dis-
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1 Bishop Berkeley was present at these conversations, and from his son we received the account which we have given of them. They are likewise mentioned, but not so accurately, by Bishop Newton in his own Life. Whitaker. cussion. Like the other works of the same author, it is written in a lively and rambling manner. His impatience and vivacity rendered him incapable of selecting his topics, and condensing his thoughts; and by adhering to his usual method of writing, a large book may be produced on almost any subject. Before he had brought this work to a close, he published *The Genuine History of the Britons asserted*, Lond. 1772, 8vo. This volume is chiefly directed against the historical work of Macpherson, better known as the foster-father of Ossian; and both publications have been considered by competent judges as adding very little to the real stock of information. In the course of the following year we find him residing in the metropolis, and officiating as the morning preacher of Berkeley chapel. For this appointment he was indebted to a Mr Hughes; but their connection was of a very short duration, for he was removed from his situation in less than two months. He thought proper to communicate his grievances to the public, in *The State of the Case between Mr Whitaker and Mr Hughes, relative to the Morning Preachership of Berkeley Chapel*, Lond. 1774, 4to. His resentment was so strong, and his discretion so weak, that he thus subjected himself to the vexation of a lawsuit, and the Court of King's Bench held his printed Case to be a libel. On the 23rd of August 1777, he succeeded to the rectory Ruan-Lanyhorne, one of the most valuable livings in the gift of his college. He now withdrew into Cornwall, and took possession of his benefice; and he afterwards married Jane Tregenna, a lady of an ancient Cornish family. Her great-grandfather, grandfather, and father, were successively rectors of Mawgan in Pydar.
His next publication was of a professional kind, namely, *Sermons upon Death, Judgment, Heaven, and Hell*, Lond. 1783, 12mo. He afterwards engaged in the famous controversy respecting the character of Queen Mary, and produced an immense work under the title of *Mary Queen of Scots vindicated*, Lond. 1787, 3 vols. 8vo. He published an enlarged edition in the year 1790; and he seems to have been not a little mortified that neither Lord Hailes nor Dr Robertson could be induced to print a single page against him. This production, which is by no means eminent for coolness of reasoning, or sobriety of manner, has probably convinced very few competent judges of historical evidence, who have submitted to the labour of a patient investigation. Having again recurred to his theological studies, Whitaker published a large volume, entitled *The Origin of Arianism disclosed*, Lond. 1791, 8vo. Whatever might be the opinion of others, it is clear that the author himself entertained a favourable enough opinion of this production; which he represents as "a train of historical argumentation, at once novel in its direction, comprehensive in its scope, and decisive in its efficacy." If he could not discuss a point of history without heat and violence, it is easy to conceive how he would be disposed to discuss a point of heresy. Whitaker had contributed to the *English Review* a series of articles on Gibbon's history, which were now reprinted in a separate form, under the title of *Gibbon's History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire*, in vols. iv., v., and vi., 4to, reviewed, Lond. 1791, 8vo. This work, which extends to a considerable volume, is written in his usual vein, with sufficient acuteness and animation, but with little suavity of manner or elegance of style. Whitaker is always an intrepid writer; he is never afraid to deliver a decided opinion; and whether the subject is very familiar or quite new to him, his tone of decision is commonly the same. Thus, for example, in his animadversions on Gibbon's admirable chapter relating to the Roman jurisprudence, he is pleased to declare, that "nothing can subdue the native barrenness of such a field as this." His censure refers to a subject of which he may be considered as in a state of almost total ignorance: he seems to have been alike unacquainted with this science, and incapable of appreciating the masterly manner in which it is here discussed. It may indeed be affirmed that there is no portion of Gibbon's work more remarkable than this very chapter: although his early studies had not prepared him for such a task, he has yet exhibited a rapid and powerful sketch of the Roman jurisprudence, to which it might be difficult to find a parallel in the writings of the professed civilians. And it has accordingly been stamped with the approbation of some of the most distinguished civilians of the present age. It has been illustrated by Hugo and Warnkönig, the former having published it in German, and the latter in French. After an interval of three years, Whitaker produced a copious work on a subject which is certainly curious and interesting. This work he entitles, in his usual form, *The Course of Hannibal over the Alps ascertained*, Lond. 1794, 2 vols. 8vo. Like some of his former publications, it attracted a considerable degree of attention, and, like them, was found to contain many hasty and erroneous opinions. On this ground he was encountered by the late Lord Woodhouselee, who published, but without his name, *A Critical Examination of Mr Whitaker's Course of Hannibal over the Alps ascertained*, Lond. 1795, 8vo. In the year 1795, he endeavoured to enlighten the public by an octavo tract on *The real Origin of Government*, which we have never had the pleasure of seeing, but which his friend, formerly quoted, describes as a very singular production. The last work which Whitaker lived to communicate to the public is *The Ancient Cathedral of Cornwall historically surveyed*, Lond. 1804, 2 vols. 4to. His vigour was still undiminished, and he had formed the plan of many other works, particularly a history of Oxford, and a history of London: the former he intended to comprise in an octavo volume, the latter he contemplated as "quite new and original, and fit to make a quarto." While he was prosecuting his ardent researches into the antiquities of the metropolis, his friends remarked the first indications of declining health. It was followed by a stroke of palsy, from which his recovery was never so complete as to allow him to resume his occupations with his former vigour. During the last year of his life, he lingered in a state of gradual decay; and he is said to have contemplated his approaching dissolution with the cheerful resignation of a Christian. On Sunday the 30th of October 1808, he sank as into a quiet slumber, without any indication of suffering, and with a smile on his countenance. He died at Ruan-Lanyhorne, in the seventy-fourth year of his age. Of his three daughters, two survived him. One of these, named Anne, was married in 1821 to Dr Taunton, a physician of Truro.
He had recently sent to the press an antiquarian volume, which, after his death, was published under the title of *The Life of Saint Neot, the oldest of all the Brothers of King Alfred*, Lond. 1809, 8vo. He had likewise made some progress in preparing a life of Queen Mary; and his materials were consigned by his widow to George Chalmers, who adopted them as the foundation of his own performance. He wrote, besides, an introduction to Flindell's Bible, and a supplement to Polwhele's *Antiquities of Cornwall*, and was a contributor to *The Cornwall and Devon Poets*. His connection with the *English Review* has already been mentioned; but he likewise appears to have lent his aid to the *British Critic* and the *Anti-Jacobin Review*.
"It is true," says a writer of the time, "to the same warmth of temper, together with a sense of good intentions, we must attribute an irritability at times destructive of so-
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1 "I confess this book has satisfied me how little erudition will gain a man now-a-days the reputation of vast learning, if it be only accompanied with dash and insolence. It seems to me impossible that Whitaker could have written well on the subject of Mary Queen of Scots, his powers of judgment being apparently so abject." (Coleridge's *Literary Remains*, vol. iv. p. 306.) Whitby, a parliamentary borough and seaport town of England, in the north riding of Yorkshire, on both sides of the Esk, at its mouth in the German Ocean, 45 miles N.E. of York, and 236 N.N.W. of London. The river is crossed by a handsome iron drawbridge, admitting vessels of 500 tons to the inner harbour. On both sides, especially on the E., the ground rises steeply from the river; and the best and largest part of the town is built on the W. bank, where the streets have been carried over the ridge of the hill. On the other side there is only a narrow stripe of houses along the bank. The streets in both parts are narrow, and many of the houses are old and indifferently built, partly of stone and partly of brick. Recently, however, several new and handsome streets have been added to the town, and some of the old ones improved and widened. The parish church is not very conveniently situated on a cliff on the E. side of the river, about 350 feet above the sea, and it is reached by a flight of steps from the town. It was originally a Norman building, but has been very much altered at various times since its first erection. Near it stand the ruins of the ancient abbey, which was originally founded by Oswy, king of Northumberland, in the seventh century; and after having been destroyed by the Danes, was restored on the Norman conquest. These ruins comprise parts of the cruciform church of the abbey, the beautiful tower of which fell in 1830. Whitby has also a chapel of ease, erected in 1778, two other churches in the early English style, and Presbyterian, Independent, Methodist, Quaker, Roman Catholic, and Unitarian places of worship. There are also a town-hall, custom-house, baths, library, museum, mechanics' institute, national, British, and infant schools, almshouses, and a sailors' hospital. Whitby rose into commercial importance in the reign of Queen Elizabeth, when the working of the alum-mines in the vicinity formed the most important branch of industry. During the last French war, seven dock-yards were kept in constant employment for ship-building; and sail-cloth, ropes, cordage, &c., were also made here; but since that time these manufactures have considerably declined, and some of the dock-yards are now entirely disused. Whitby is still, however, an important seaport. The harbour is formed by a pier projecting from each side of the river; that on the west being about 1000 feet long, and having a light-house at the end. Two inner piers protect the harbour from the waves of the German Ocean. There are commodious quays, and wet and dry docks. The number of sailing vessels belonging to Whitby, at the end of 1858, was 455, tonnage 74,887; of steamers 3, tonnage 60. In the same year there entered the port 842 sailing vessels, tonnage 42,835; and 2 steamers, tonnage 40; and there cleared 140 sailing vessels, tonnage 7601; and 19 steamers, tonnage 516. Whitby returns one member to Parliament. Pop. (1851) of the borough, 10,989.