Background
The son of a vicar, John Henley was born in Melton Mowbray.
( The 18th century was a wealth of knowledge, exploration...)
The 18th century was a wealth of knowledge, exploration and rapidly growing technology and expanding record-keeping made possible by advances in the printing press. In its determination to preserve the century of revolution, Gale initiated a revolution of its own: digitization of epic proportions to preserve these invaluable works in the largest archive of its kind. Now for the first time these high-quality digital copies of original 18th century manuscripts are available in print, making them highly accessible to libraries, undergraduate students, and independent scholars. Western literary study flows out of eighteenth-century works by Alexander Pope, Daniel Defoe, Henry Fielding, Frances Burney, Denis Diderot, Johann Gottfried Herder, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, and others. Experience the birth of the modern novel, or compare the development of language using dictionaries and grammar discourses. ++++ The below data was compiled from various identification fields in the bibliographic record of this title. This data is provided as an additional tool in helping to insure edition identification: ++++ Bodleian Library (Oxford) P002021 Each issue has separate title page and half title. Below title: "To be publish'd monthly, one distinct grammar each month, till the whole is perfected: with a preface to every grammar, relating to each tongue." Following imprint on no. 1: "Price 1s"; price varies with issue. A series of ten grammatical treatises, beginning with Spanish (Aug. 1719) and continuing through Italian, French, Greek, Latin, Hebrew, and other languages. The particular language treated is named in a title page note below the issue date. Although title page indicates that issues were intended to be published monthly, publication was irregular, and no. 10, the final issue, was not published until 1726 (cf. Wiles). London England : printed for James. Roberts, in Warwick-Lane; and J. Pemberton, at the Buck and Sun against St. Dunstan's Church in Fleetstreet, 1719-. v. ; 2°
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( The 18th century was a wealth of knowledge, exploration...)
The 18th century was a wealth of knowledge, exploration and rapidly growing technology and expanding record-keeping made possible by advances in the printing press. In its determination to preserve the century of revolution, Gale initiated a revolution of its own: digitization of epic proportions to preserve these invaluable works in the largest archive of its kind. Now for the first time these high-quality digital copies of original 18th century manuscripts are available in print, making them highly accessible to libraries, undergraduate students, and independent scholars. Western literary study flows out of eighteenth-century works by Alexander Pope, Daniel Defoe, Henry Fielding, Frances Burney, Denis Diderot, Johann Gottfried Herder, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, and others. Experience the birth of the modern novel, or compare the development of language using dictionaries and grammar discourses. ++++ The below data was compiled from various identification fields in the bibliographic record of this title. This data is provided as an additional tool in helping to insure edition identification: ++++ British Library T096390 London : printed for E. Curll, and J. Pemberton; and A. Bettesworth, 1714. 4,ix,1,xii,60,vip.,plate ; 8°
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(The 18th century was a wealth of knowledge, exploration a...)
The 18th century was a wealth of knowledge, exploration and rapidly growing technology and expanding record-keeping made possible by advances in the printing press. In its determination to preserve the century of revolution, Gale initiated a revolution of its own: digitization of epic proportions to preserve these invaluable works in the largest archive of its kind. Now for the first time these high-quality digital copies of original 18th century manuscripts are available in print, making them highly accessible to libraries, undergraduate students, and independent scholars. Western literary study flows out of eighteenth-century works by Alexander Pope, Daniel Defoe, Henry Fielding, Frances Burney, Denis Diderot, Johann Gottfried Herder, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, and others. Experience the birth of the modern novel, or compare the development of language using dictionaries and grammar discourses. ++++ The below data was compiled from various identification fields in the bibliographic record of this title. This data is provided as an additional tool in helping to insure edition identification: ++++ British Library T106053 In: 'The compleat linguist' by John Henley. London : printed for J. Roberts; and J. Pemberton, 1719. 4,vii,1,44p ; 8°
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The son of a vicar, John Henley was born in Melton Mowbray.
Street John"s College.
After attending the grammar schools of Melton and Oakham, Rutland, he entered Street John"s College, Cambridge, "Ye College where I had ye Stupidity to be educated," as he himself said. After having taken a Bachelor of Arts degree, he became assistant and, afterwards, director in the grammar school of Melton Mowbray. He was also assistant curate there.
In November 1721, after being promoted to an Master of Arts degree, he moved to London, where he obtained the appointment of assistant preacher and wrote several books
Quarrelling with the Bishop of London, he gave up his benefice, and began his lectures or "Orations" on theological subjects and mundane matters. In 1723 he became Rector of Chelmondiston, Suffolk.
On 3 July 1726 Henry opened his so-called "Oratory", a meeting room built over the shambles in Newport Market. In 1729, he transferred the scene of his operations to an old theater at Clare Market, near Lincoln"s Inn Fields, where he continued to preach "on the world as it is, serious or ridiculous." "The Truth of the Gospel is in its Spirit and Moral, its practical Graces," he said, " the rest is, in Comparison, as sounding Brass, or as a tinkling Cymbal." His discourses were popular and subject to rowdy disturbances.
Into his services he introduced many peculiarities.
He drew up a "Primitive Liturgy," in which he substituted for the Nicene and Athanasian creeds, two creeds taken from the Apostolical Constitutions. Foreign his "Primitive Eucharist" he made use of unleavened bread and mixed wine. And, most interestingly, he distributed medals of admission to his "Oratory" at the price of one shilling.
A visitor accused Henley that money was the god whom he worshipped: "we must give One Shilling to the Door-Keeper, for the Seats were personal Property.
A very fine Story indeed! And such a one, that is not to be paralleled, that we should pay a Shilling before we can worship GOD!"
Henley knew that the most original element in the services was he himself. In his Dunciad, Alexander Pope called him a
He possessed oratorical ability and adopted a theatrical style of elocution, tuning his voice and balancing his hands.
His addresses were a medley of solemnity and buffoonery. The Connoisseur, a critical weekly paper, wrote that
"the Clare-Market Orator, while he turns religion into farce, must be considered as exhibiting shews and interludes of an inferior nature, and himself regarded as a Jack-pudding in a gown and cassock."
Despite all criticism, the energetic and eccentric "Orator" was popular with most Londoners.
His services were much frequented by the Freethinkers, and he himself expressed his determination "to die a rational." He died in London on 13 October 1759.
Henley was the subject of contemporary caricatures, among them works by George Bickham the Younger and William Hogarth.
Henley was an English clergyman, known for his works.
( The 18th century was a wealth of knowledge, exploration...)
( The 18th century was a wealth of knowledge, exploration...)
(The 18th century was a wealth of knowledge, exploration a...)
Quotations: "Ye College where I had ye Stupidity to be educated,".
