John Watkins ('' fl.'' 1792–1831) was an English miscellaneous writer, known as a biographer. He is most famous for being the author of '' An Universal Biographical and Historical Dictionary''.

Life

Born in

Devon Devon ( , historically known as Devonshire , ) is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in South West England. The most populous settlement in Devon is the city of Plymouth, followed by Devon's county town, the city of Exeter. Devon is ...

, he was educated at

Bristol Bristol () is a city, ceremonial county and unitary authority in England. Situated on the River Avon, it is bordered by the ceremonial counties of Gloucestershire to the north and Somerset to the south. Bristol is the most populous city in ...

for the nonconformist ministry. Becoming dissatisfied, he conformed to the

Church of England The Church of England (C of E) is the established Christian church in England and the mother church of the international Anglican Communion. It traces its history to the Christian church recorded as existing in the Roman province of Britain ...

around 1786, with his friend

Samuel Badcock Samuel Badcock (1747–1788) was an English nonconformist minister, theological writer and literary critic. Life He was born at South Molton, Devon on 23 February 1747. His parents were dissenters, and he was educated in a school at Ottery St. Ma ...

, and for some years kept an academy in Devon. Watkins moved to London soon after beginning to write, probably about 1794. He became editor of the ''

Orthodox Churchman's Magazine ''The Orthodox Churchman's Magazine'' was an English High Church monthly, appearing from 1801 to 1808. It was launched in March 1801, as William Pitt the younger resigned from government over Catholic emancipation, and took an anti-Catholic editor ...

''. His latest preface is dated 30 May 1831.

Works

His first independent publication appeared in 1792, entitled ''An Essay towards the History of

Bideford Bideford ( ) is a historic port town on the estuary of the River Torridge in north Devon, south-west England. It is the main town of the Torridge local government district. Toponymy In ancient records Bideford is recorded as ''Bedeford'', ''By ...

'', 1792. Chapter x. consists of the depositions in a trial for

witchcraft Witchcraft traditionally means the use of magic or supernatural powers to harm others. A practitioner is a witch. In medieval and early modern Europe, where the term originated, accused witches were usually women who were believed to have us ...

held at

Exeter Exeter () is a city in Devon, South West England. It is situated on the River Exe, approximately northeast of Plymouth and southwest of Bristol. In Roman Britain, Exeter was established as the base of Legio II Augusta under the personal comm ...

on 14 August 1682. The work was reprinted and published at Bideford in 1883. In 1796 appeared ''The Peeper: a collection of Essays, Moral, Biographical, and Literary'' (London, 1796; 2nd edit. London, 1811), dedicated to

Hannah More Hannah More (2 February 1745 – 7 September 1833) was an English religious writer, philanthropist, poet and playwright in the circle of Johnson, Reynolds and Garrick, who wrote on moral and religious subjects. Born in Bristol, she taught at a s ...

. These were followed by a number of publications, some anonymous and some under his name. The most important of them was perhaps his ''Universal Biographical and Historical Dictionary'', which appeared in 1800, London. It went through several editions, the last in 1827, and was translated into French, with additions, in 1803 by Jean Baptiste L'Écuy ( fr). Watkins also was the author of: * ''A Letter to Earl Stanhope, in which … the Conduct of Great Britain and her Allies is Vindicated'', 1794. * ''A Word of Admonition to

Gilbert Wakefield Gilbert Wakefield (1756–1801) was an English scholar and controversialist. He moved from being a cleric and academic, into tutoring at dissenting academies, and finally became a professional writer and publicist. In a celebrated state trial ...

, occasioned by his Letter to

William Wilberforce William Wilberforce (24 August 175929 July 1833) was a British politician, philanthropist and leader of the movement to abolish the slave trade. A native of Kingston upon Hull, Yorkshire, he began his political career in 1780, eventually becom ...

'', 1797. * ''Scripture Biography'', 1801; several editions, latest 1830. * ''Characteristic Anecdotes of Men of Learning and Genius'', London, 1808. * ''History of our Lord Jesus Christ Harmonised'', 1810. * ''Boydell's Heads of Illustrious and Celebrated Persons, with Memoirs'', London, 1811. * ''The Family Instructor'', 1814, 3 vols. * ''The Important Results of an Elaborate Investigation into the Case of

Elizabeth Fenning Elizabeth Fenning, also known as Eliza Fenning, (1792–1815) was a domestic servant whose controversial conviction for attempted murder and execution became a ''cause célèbre'', or issue of widespread controversy and debate. Background Fenning, ...

'', London, 1815. * ''Memoirs of Sheridan'', London, 1816; 3rd edit. 1818. This was the first life of

Richard Brinsley Sheridan Richard Brinsley Butler Sheridan (30 October 17517 July 1816) was an Irish satirist, a politician, a playwright, poet, and long-term owner of the London Theatre Royal, Drury Lane. He is known for his plays such as ''The Rivals'', ''The Sc ...

to appear. It seems to have been put together immediately after his death. It was in two volumes, and professed to describe Sheridan's private as well as his public life. Croker censured it in an article in the ''

Quarterly Review The ''Quarterly Review'' was a literary and political periodical founded in March 1809 by London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River ...

''. * ''Memoirs of Queen Sophia Charlotte'', London, 1819. * ''Memoirs of the Life and Writings of Lord Byron'', London, 1822; German translation, Leipzig, 1825. * ''A Biographical Memoir of … Frederick, Duke of York and Albany'', London, 1827. * ''The Life and Times of “England's Patriot King,” William IV'', London, 1831. He translated from the Latin

George Buchanan George Buchanan ( gd, Seòras Bochanan; February 1506 – 28 September 1582) was a Scottish historian and humanist scholar. According to historian Keith Brown, Buchanan was "the most profound intellectual sixteenth century Scotland produced." ...

's ''History of Scotland'', with a continuation, London, 1827, and wrote a memoir of

Hugh Latimer Hugh Latimer ( – 16 October 1555) was a Fellow of Clare College, Cambridge, and Bishop of Worcester during the Reformation, and later Church of England chaplain to King Edward VI. In 1555 under the Catholic Queen Mary I he was burned at the s ...

, prefixed to his ''Sermons'', London, 1824.

References

;Attribution {{DEFAULTSORT:Watkins, John English biographers Clergy from Devon 18th-century English writers 18th-century English male writers 19th-century English writers English male non-fiction writers 19th-century English male writers