Edward Hayes Plumptre (6 August 1821 – 1 February 1891) was an English
divine
Divinity or the divine are things that are either related to, devoted to, or proceeding from a deity.[divine ...](_blank)
and scholar born in London.
Life
He was born on 6 August 1821, being the son of Edward Hallows Plumptre, a London solicitor.
Charles John Plumptre was his brother.
He was educated at home, and after a brief stay at
King's College, London
King's College London (informally King's or KCL) is a public research university located in London, England. King's was established by royal charter in 1829 under the patronage of King George IV and the Duke of Wellington. In 1836, King's ...
, entered Oxford as a scholar of
University College, Oxford
University College (in full The College of the Great Hall of the University of Oxford, colloquially referred to as "Univ") is a constituent college of the University of Oxford in England. It has a claim to being the oldest college of the univer ...
, of which his uncle,
Frederick Charles Plumptre (1796–1870), was master from 1836 till his death. In 1844, he took a double
first-class, alone in mathematics, and in classics with Sir
George Bowen
Sir George Ferguson Bowen (; 2 November 1821 – 21 February 1899), was an Irish author and colonial administrator whose appointments included postings to the Ionian Islands, Queensland, New Zealand, Victoria, Mauritius and Hong Kong.R. B. Joy ...
,
Dean Bradley, and
E. Poste.
He was elected to a fellowship at
Brasenose College
Brasenose College (BNC) is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. It began as Brasenose Hall in the 13th century, before being founded as a college in 1509. The library and chapel were added in the m ...
, which he resigned three years afterwards, on his marriage with Harriet Theodosia, sister of
Frederick Denison Maurice
John Frederick Denison Maurice (29 August 1805 – 1 April 1872), known as F. D. Maurice, was an English Anglican theologian, a prolific author, and one of the founders of Christian socialism. Since World War II, interest in Maurice has exp ...
. For some years the influence of his brother-in-law was apparent in his religious views, but as he advanced in life he identified himself with no party.
Service
He was ordained in 1847, by
Bishop Wilberforce
A bishop is an ordained clergy member who is entrusted with a position of authority and oversight in a religious institution.
In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance of dioceses. The role or office of bishop is ca ...
, he proceeded M.A. in 1847, and joined the staff of
King's College London
King's College London (informally King's or KCL) is a public research university located in London, England. King's was established by royal charter in 1829 under the patronage of King George IV and the Duke of Wellington. In 1836, King's ...
.
There his work mainly lay for twenty-one years, and he enlarged the scope of the institution by introducing evening classes. From 1847 to 1868, he was chaplain there, from 1853 to 1863 professor of pastoral theology, and from 1864 to 1881 professor of exegesis. He proved a most sympathetic teacher, and took a genuine interest in the future welfare of his pupils.
Plumptre also took a leading part in promoting the higher education of women as a professor of
Queen's College, Harley Street, where he held the office of principal during the last two years of his work there (1875–77).
Throughout this period he was also occupied in clerical work.
From 1851 to 1858, he was assistant preacher at
Lincoln's Inn
The Honourable Society of Lincoln's Inn is one of the four Inns of Court in London to which barristers of England and Wales belong and where they are called to the Bar. (The other three are Middle Temple, Inner Temple and Gray's Inn.) Lincoln ...
, and in 1863
prebendary
A prebendary is a member of the Roman Catholic or Anglican clergy, a form of canon with a role in the administration of a cathedral or collegiate church. When attending services, prebendaries sit in particular seats, usually at the back of the ...
of
St. Paul's.
He was rector of Pluckley from 1869 and of Bickley from 1873.
He was
Boyle lecturer
The Boyle Lectures are named after Robert Boyle, a prominent natural philosopher of the 17th century and son of Richard Boyle, 1st Earl of Cork. Under the terms of his Will, Robert Boyle endowed a series of lectures or sermons (originally eight e ...
in 1866, and the lectures were afterwards published under the title of 'Christ and Christendom.'
From 1869 to 1874, he was a member of the Old Testament revision committee, and from 1872 to 1874 Grinfield lecturer and examiner at Oxford.
In 1881, he resigned his work in London on becoming
dean of Wells
The Dean of Wells is the head of the Chapter of Wells Cathedral in the Mendip district of Somerset, England. The dean's residence is The Dean's Lodging, 25 The Liberty, Wells.
List of deans
High Medieval
*1140–1164: Ivo
*1164–1189: Rich ...
.
He was an ideal dean, possessing a genuine talent for business, and being always ready to consider the suggestions of others; not only the cathedral and the Theological College, but the city of Wells, its hospital, its almshouse, and its workhouse, commanded his service.
Plumptre died on 1 February 1891 at the deanery of Wells, and was buried in the cathedral cemetery beside his wife, who had died him on 3 April 1889. The marriage was childless.
Published works
Meanwhile, his pen was never idle. He wrote much on the interpretation of scripture, endeavouring to combine and popularise, in no superficial fashion, the results attained by labourers in special sections of the subject. He contributed to the commentaries known respectively as the ''
Cambridge Bible'', the ''Speaker's Commentary,'' the commentary edited by
Charles Ellicott
Charles John Ellicott (1819–1905) was a distinguished English Christian theologian, academic and churchman. He briefly served as Dean of Exeter, then Bishop of the united see of Gloucester and Bristol.
Early life and family
Ellicott was bo ...
, and the ''Bible Educator'' (serial from 1873 to 1875). He also wrote ''Biblical Studies'' (1870, 3rd edit. 1885), ''St. Paul in Asia'' (1877), a ''Popular Exposition of the Epistles to the Seven Churches'' (1877 and 1879), ''Movements in Religious Thought: Romanism, Protestantism, Agnosticism'' (1879), and ''Theology and Life'' (1884). His most remarkable theological work was ''The Spirits in Prison, and other studies on Life after Death'' (1884 and 1885). The book comprises a review of previous teaching on the subject of
eschatology
Eschatology (; ) concerns expectations of the end of the present age, human history, or of the world itself. The end of the world or end times is predicted by several world religions (both Abrahamic and non-Abrahamic), which teach that negati ...
. His characteristic sympathy with 'the larger hope' is moderated throughout by a characteristic caution. He had passed beyond the influence of Maurice, and, though his loyal admiration for his earlier teacher remained unchanged, he had rejected his conclusions.
In 1888, he issued a little work on ''Wells Cathedral and its Deans'', and his ''Life of Bishop Ken'' appeared in the same year. Though diffuse, the book has something of the charm of Walton's ''Lives'', and breathes the still air of a cathedral. Its main defect is the occasional intrusion of conjectural or 'ideal' biography.
Plumptre published several volumes of verse. He had a keen perception of literary excellence, unappeasable ambition, and unwearied industry; but his gifts were hardly sufficient to insure him a place among the poets. ''Lazarus'' and other poems appeared in 1864, 8vo (3rd edit. 1868); ''Master and scholar,'' which was warmly praised in the ''Westminster Review,'' in 1866, 8vo; and ''Things New and Old'' in 1884, 8vo.
All his pieces are refined and earnest; few are really forcible.
Several of Plumptre's hymns have been admitted into popular collections, and satisfy their not very exacting requirements. He also translated with much success the plays of
Sophocles
Sophocles (; grc, Σοφοκλῆς, , Sophoklễs; 497/6 – winter 406/5 BC)Sommerstein (2002), p. 41. is one of three ancient Greek tragedians, at least one of whose plays has survived in full. His first plays were written later than, or co ...
(1865) and of
Æschylus
Aeschylus (, ; grc-gre, wikt:Αἰσχύλος, Αἰσχύλος ; c. 525/524 – c. 456/455 BC) was an ancient Greece, ancient Greek Greek tragedy, tragedian, and is often described as the father of tragedy. Academic knowledge of the genre be ...
(1868), and thus gave readers ignorant of Greek some adequate conception of the masterpieces of Attic drama. For twenty years he studied
Dante
Dante Alighieri (; – 14 September 1321), probably baptized Durante di Alighiero degli Alighieri and often referred to as Dante (, ), was an Italian poet, writer and philosopher. His ''Divine Comedy'', originally called (modern Italian: '' ...
, and his English version of Dante's work appeared as ''The Divina Commedia and Canzoniere of Dante Alighieri; with Biographical Introduction, Notes and Essays'' (vol. i. 1886, 8vo, vol. ii. 1887).
Notes
References
;Attribution
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Sources
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Plumptre, Edward Hayes
1821 births
1891 deaths
Alumni of University College, Oxford
Fellows of Brasenose College, Oxford
Academics of King's College London
Chaplains of King's College London
Deans of Wells
19th-century English Anglican priests
19th-century English writers
Translators of Ancient Greek texts
Translators of Dante Alighieri
Presidents of the Oxford Union
19th-century translators