18th Century

Reference 1

Source: Printed

Title: The Gentleman's Magazine xiv 52  

January 1744

A LIST of MARRIAGES for the Year 1744.

[JAN.] 10. Mr Nathan Tillotson, an eminent Preacher among the People called Quakers, and a Relation of Archbishop Tillotson, - to Miss Sally Grey of Whitechapel, with 7000£.

Reference 2

Source: Printed

Title: The Gentleman's Magazine xv 333

June 1745

ECCLESIASTICAL PREFERMENTS

conferred on the-following Rev. Gentlemen.  

REV. Mr. Tillotson, great nephew of late archbishop Tillotson, chosen lecturer to the united parishes of St Austin and St Faith.

Reference 3

Source: Printed

Title: The Gentleman's Magazine xviii 380

August 1748

A LIST of PROMOTIONS for the Year 1748.

Mr Tillotson, under-master of Paul's school,   - sur-master, in room of [blank}

Reference 4

Source: Printed

Title: The Gentleman's Magazine xix 333

July 1749

B—NKR—PTSJWy 1749.

Nathan Tillotson of Whitechapel, hosier.

Reference 5

Source: Printed

Title: General Biography; or Lives, Critical and Historical, of the Most Eminent Persons of All Ages, Countries, Conditions, and Professions. Chiefly composed by John Aikin, M. D., and the late Rev. William Enfield, LL. D.  

London, 1799: i 167-9  

1705-9 January 1766

BIRCH, THOMAS, a writer distinguished for his industrious researches into history and biography, was born in London in 1705. His father, one of the fraternity of quakers, was a coffee-mill maker by trade, and destined his son to the same employment; but the youth's early love for reading led him to request to be indulged in a literary life, on the condition of providing for himself. He was accordingly sent to a quaker's school at Hemel-Hempsted, where in time he became the master's assistant. He acted in the same capacity in two other schools, and also visited Ireland in some employment under dean Smedley. His indefatigable application at length qualified him, though he had never enjoyed the benefit of a university education, to take orders in the church of England. Somewhat before this happened, he married the daughter of a clergyman; but, to his great grief, she died in less than a twelvemonth. He was ordained deacon in 1730, and priest in 1731; and in 1732 he obtained the living of Ulteny in the county of Essex, through the patronage of lord chancellor Hardwicke, then attorney-general. His literary reputation procured him admission into the royal society in 1735, and into the society of antiquaries at the close of the same year. In the preceding year he had engaged in that great work, "The General Dictionary, Historical and Critical," in conjunction with the reverend John Peter Bernard, Mr. John Lockman, and Mr. George Sale, which was completed in ten volumes folio in 1741. His literary history will be continued hereafter, when we have finished the detail of the principal circumstances of his life. By means of his connexions, he obtained various church-preferments in quick succession, the last of which was the rectory of Depden in Essex, which he held, together with the united rectories of St. Margaret Pattens, and St. Gabriel, Fenchurch-street, in London, till his death. A residence in the metropolis was, indeed, indispensable to him, on account of his literary pursuits, the peculiar nature of which required continued access to the public libraries and collections of papers and records. In 1752 he was elected one of the secretaries of the royal society; and in 1753 he was honoured with the degree of doctor of divinity, both by the Marischal college of Aberdeen, and by Dr. Herring, archbishop of Canterbury. He was also appointed a trustee of the British Museum. His state of health obliged him in 1765 to resign he office of secretary to the royal society; and an accident soon after terminated his life. He was thrown from his horse on a frosty day, Jan. 9th, 1766, betwixt London and Hampstead, and killed on the spot. He bequeathed his library of books and manuscripts to the British Museum; and directed the residue of his property to be applied to the augmentation of the salaries of the assistant librarians. Dr. Birch was a man of a cheerful and social temper, simple in his manners, and truly benevolent and friendly. Notwithstanding the multiplicity of his literary concerns, he entered much into life, and was personally acquainted with most of the men of eminence in letters and science, in his time. A habit of rising very early in the morning gave him this command of leisure, which was equally serviceable to his enquiries and  conducive to his happiness.  

We now resume the account of his publications. Next to the "General Dictionary," he engaged in editing "Professor Greaves's Miscellaneous Works," 2 vols. 8vo. 1737; and "Thurloe's State Papers," a vast collection in seven volumes folio, which appeared in 1742, dedicated to lord chancellor Hardwicke. In 1743 he edited "Cudworth's Intellectual System," his "Discourse on the Lord's Supper," and "Two Sermons," with a life of the writer, 2 vols. 4to. In 1744 he published a "Life of the Hon. Robert Boyle," in an octavo volume; this has since been prefixed to the quarto edition of that philosopher's works. About that time he began a set of biographical sketches of distinguished persons, to accompany their engraved portraits, published by Vertue and Howbraken. The whole set, comprising two volumes, was completed in 1752. The subjects are numerous, but Dr. Birch's account of each is very short, none exceeding two pages folio. In 1747 he published in octavo, "An Inquiry into the Share which King Charles I. had in the Transactions of the Earl of Glamorgan." This excited considerable attention, and is looked upon as containing full evidence of the king's privity to the earl's negociations with the Irish rebels, a fact further corroborated by the Clarendon state papers. In 1748 Dr. Birch was the editor of the "Miscellaneous Works of Sir Walter Raleigh," two volumes octavo; to which was prefixed the life of the author. He next published, "An Historical View of the Negociations between the Courts of England, France, and Brussels, from the Year 1592 to 1617, extracted from the State Papers of Sir Thomas Edmondes, and of Anthony Bacon, Esq.; to which is added, a Relation of the State of France, with the Character of Henry IV. and the principal Persons of his Court, by Sir George Carew," 8vo. 1749. To this volume Dr. Birch prefixed a discourse on the utility of deducing history from the original letters and papers of the persons who were the principal actors in public affairs; followed by a biographical account of the three negociations above mentioned. There can be no doubt of the value of such papers in the composition of history; yet, considering that the writers have generally some particular purposes to serve by their statements, they ought to be consulted with some degree of suspicion; and the implicit confidence placed in documents of this kind might easily be shewn to have been in various instances a source of erroneous or exaggerated representations. In 1751 Dr. Birch was the editor of the theological, moral, dramatic, and poetical works of the ingenious Mrs. Cockbum, in two volumes octavo, to which he prefixed an account of the authoress; and he also published an edition of "Spenser's Fairy Queen," in three volumes quarto. In the next year appeared one of his most popular works, "The Life of Archbishop Tillotson, compiled chiefly from his original Papers and Letters," one volume octavo. In 1753 he revised an edition of Milton's prose works, in two volumes, quarto, and added to it a new life of that great writer. In 1754 he published, in two volumes quarto, "Memoirs of the Reign of Queen Elizabeth from the Year 1781 [sic] till her Death; from the Papers of Anthony Bacon, Esq. and other MSS. never before published." This curious and valuable collection contains many new particulars relative to the character and designs of the earl of Essex, as well as many anecdotes of the Cecils, Bacons, and other eminent men of that time. He next undertook an elaborate work, "The History of the Royal Society of London, from its first Rise; in which the most considerable of those papers communicated to the society, which have hitherto not been published, are inserted in their proper order, as a Supplement to the Philosophical Transactions." Two volumes of this work appeared in 1756, and two more in 1757, bringing down the history to the year 1687. Its great minuteness renders it somewhat tedious, and the judiciousness may be questioned of publishing rejected papers; but Dr. Birch's talent, perhaps, did not lie in selection. The work, however, is valuable, and is frequently consulted for reference. In 1760 he published "The Life of Henry Prince of Wales, eldest Son of King James I. compiled chiefly from his own Papers, and other Manuscripts never before published." In this piece there is much trifling matter. In 1764 he published "Letters between Colonel Robert Hammond, Governor of the Isle of Wight, and the Committee of Lords and Commons at Derby-house; with a Letter from John Ashbumham, Esq. concerning the King's Deportment at Hampton-court, and in the Isle of Wight," octavo. The publication with which he concluded his voluminous labours, was, "Letters, Speeches, Charges, Advices, &c. of Francis Bacon, Lord Viscount St. Albans, &c." one volume octavo. They are derived from papers in the library in Lambeth, and were deemed of high value by the editor. Soon after his death, "The Life of Dr. Ward," which he just lived to finish, was published by Dr. Maty. He had also prepared for the press, "Historical Letters, written in the Reigns of James U. and Charles I." which Mr. Ayscough proposed to publish. A sermon preached before the college of physicians, some communications to the royal society, and some accounts of books in the works of the learned, complete the list of Dr. Birch's printed works; but such was his assiduity and fondness for employment, that he left behind him twenty-four volumes, quarto, of papers copied with his own hand from the Lambeth library. His literary character may easily be estimated from the view of what he performed. He was laborious, exact, faithful, and minute; attached to matter of fact, without exerting much distinction in choice, or sagacity in inference. He [sic] style was plain, dry, and without pretension either to elegance or animation. In his sentiments he was attached to civil liberty and rational religion, and followed the steps of Hoadly. On the whole, he was an useful servant to literature, and has brought together much valuable information, of which superior writers may make their advantage. Biogr. Briton. - A.