James Henthorn Todd (23 April 1805 – 28 June 1869) was a biblical scholar, educator, and Irish historian. He is noted for his efforts to place religious disagreements on a rational historical footing, for his advocacy of a liberal form of

Protestantism Protestantism is a branch of Christianity that follows the theological tenets of the Protestant Reformation, a movement that began seeking to reform the Catholic Church from within in the 16th century against what its followers perceived to b ...

, and for his endeavors as an educator, librarian, and scholar in Irish history.Elizabeth Marion Todd (1898). " Todd, James Henthorn". In ''Dictionary of National Biography''. 56. London. pp. 230-232.

Early life

He was the son of

Charles Hawkes Todd Charles Hawkes Todd (6 November 1784 – 19 March 1826) Cameron, Sir Charles A. (1886''History of the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, and of the Irish Schools of Medicine &c''Dublin: Fannin & Co. pp. 375-377. was a medical doctor and the pre ...

, a professor of surgery, and Eliza Bentley, and was the oldest of fifteen children. Noted physician Robert Bentley Todd, William Gowan Todd, and Armstrong Todd were among his younger brothers. His father died a year after he received a B.A. from Trinity College in 1825, diminishing his prospects for success. However, he was able to remain at the college by tutoring and editing a church periodical.

Professional life

He obtained a premium in 1829, and two years later was elected Fellow, taking deacon's orders in the same year. From that time until 1850, when he became a Senior Fellow, he was among the most popular tutors in Trinity College. Todd took priest's orders in 1832. He began publishing in earnest, including papers on

John Wycliffe John Wycliffe (; also spelled Wyclif, Wickliffe, and other variants; 1328 – 31 December 1384) was an English scholastic philosopher, theologian, biblical translator, reformer, Catholic priest, and a seminary professor at the University of ...

, church history, and the religious questions of his day. He was Donnellan Lecturer in 1838 and 1839, publishing works related to the Antichrist in which he opposed the views of the more extreme of his co-religionists who applied this term to the Roman Catholicism and the Pope. In 1840 he graduated Doctor of Divinity. In 1837 he had been installed Treasurer at St. Patrick's Cathedral in Dublin, and would become

Precentor A precentor is a person who helps facilitate worship. The details vary depending on the religion, denomination, and era in question. The Latin derivation is ''præcentor'', from cantor, meaning "the one who sings before" (or alternatively, "first ...

in 1864. His style of preaching was described as simple and lucid, and his sermons interesting. He co-founded Saint Columba's College in 1843, a school which promoted the

Irish language Irish ( Standard Irish: ), also known as Gaelic, is a Goidelic language of the Insular Celtic branch of the Celtic language family, which is a part of the Indo-European language family. Irish is indigenous to the island of Ireland and was ...

for those who intended to take orders, as well as promoting the principles of the

Church of Ireland The Church of Ireland ( ga, Eaglais na hÉireann, ; sco, label= Ulster-Scots, Kirk o Airlann, ) is a Christian church in Ireland and an autonomous province of the Anglican Communion. It is organised on an all-Ireland basis and is the secon ...

. In 1840 Todd co-founded the

Irish Archaeological Society The Irish Archaeological Society (sometimes spelled as "Irish Archæological Society") was a learned society, founded in 1840. Among the founders was the Rev. Dr. Todd, who acted as secretary. The Irish Archaeological Society was one of the fir ...

and acted as its honorary secretary. He was elected a member of the Royal Irish Academy, and strove actively to acquire transcripts and accurate accounts of Irish manuscripts from foreign libraries. He was honorary secretary from 1847 to 1855, and president from 1856 to 1861. In 1860 he was given an ''ad eundem'' degree at

Oxford Oxford () is a city in England. It is the county town and only city of Oxfordshire. In 2020, its population was estimated at 151,584. It is north-west of London, south-east of Birmingham and north-east of Bristol. The city is home to the ...

. In 1849 Todd was made Regius Professor of

Hebrew Hebrew (; ; ) is a Northwest Semitic language of the Afroasiatic language family. Historically, it is one of the spoken languages of the Israelites and their longest-surviving descendants, the Jews and Samaritans. It was largely preserved ...

at Trinity, and a Senior Fellow the following year. In 1852 he was appointed Librarian, and working alongside John O'Donovan and Eugene O'Curry, he classified and arranged the collection of manuscripts. When his office received money, he spent it on the acquisition of manuscripts and rare books, and he deserves much credit for the library's high ranking as one of the chief libraries of Europe. Alongside Charles Graves he presented a proposal to the British government which led to the formation of the Brehon Law Commission in December 1852. Roman Catholic convert Edwin Wyndham-Quin and artist artist Sir George Petrie joined Todd and Graves on the Commission board, which employed both O'Donovan and O'Curry. When his office received money, he spent it on the acquisition of manuscripts and rare books, and he deserves much credit for the library's high ranking as one of the chief libraries of Europe. His work was widely respected and cited. Among his friends and acquaintances were lawyer and poet Sir

Samuel Ferguson Sir Samuel Ferguson (10 March 1810 – 9 August 1886) was an Irish poet, barrister, antiquarian, artist and public servant. He was an acclaimed 19th-century Irish poet, and his interest in Irish mythology and early Irish history can be seen ...

, Conservative MP, fellow historian William Reeves, and the Stokes family (physician father

William William is a male given name of Germanic origin.Hanks, Hardcastle and Hodges, ''Oxford Dictionary of First Names'', Oxford University Press, 2nd edition, , p. 276. It became very popular in the English language after the Norman conquest of Engl ...

, future lawyer and Celticist son, Whitley, and future antiquarian daughter Margaret). James Henthorn Todd died at his house in Rathfarnham on 28 June 1869 and was buried in the churchyard of St. Patrick's Cathedral.

Partial bibliography

''The Last Age of the Church, Attributed to John Wycliff'' (1840)

''An Apology for Lollard Doctrines, by John Wycliffe'' (1842)

''The Book of Obits and Martyrology of the Catholic Church of the Holy Trinity: Commonly Called Christ Church, Dublin'' (1844)
– with John Clarke Crosthwaite
''Six Discourses on the Prophecies Relating to Antichrist in The Apocalypse of St. John'' (1846)

''The Search After Infallibility: Remarks on the Testimony of the Fathers to the Roman Dogma of Infallibility'' (1848)

''Leabhar Breathnach Annso Sis: The Irish Version of the Historia Britonum of Nennius'' (1848, with Herbert Algernon)

''Three Treatises by John Wycklyffe, D. D.'' (1851)

''A Catalogue of the Collection of Tracts for and against Popery'' (1859)

''The Martyrology of Donegal: A Calendar of the Saints of Ireland'' (1864)
– with William Reeves
''St. Patrick, Apostle of Ireland, A Memoir of his Life and Mission'' (1864)

''The Books of the Vaudois: The Waldensian Manuscripts Preserved in the Library of Trinity College, Dublin'' (1865)

''Some Account of the Irish Manuscript Deposited by The President De Robien in the Public Library of Rennes'' (1867)

''Cogadh Gaedhel Re Gallaibh, or The War of the Gaedhil With the Gaill'' (1867)
– Todd's use and translation of Scandinavian sources brought personal descriptions of the Norsemen into light, such as that of Brodir, who is reputed to have killed

Brian Boru Brian Boru ( mga, Brian Bóruma mac Cennétig; modern ga, Brian Bóramha; 23 April 1014) was an Irish king who ended the domination of the High Kingship of Ireland by the Uí Néill and probably ended Viking invasion/domination of Ireland. Br ...

at the

Battle of Clontarf The Battle of Clontarf ( ga, Cath Chluain Tarbh) took place on 23 April 1014 at Clontarf, near Dublin, on the east coast of Ireland. It pitted an army led by Brian Boru, High King of Ireland, against a Norse-Irish alliance comprising the for ...

''A Descriptive Catalogue of the Contents of the Irish Manuscript Commonly Called The Book of Fermoy'' (1868)

''Leabhar Imuinn: The Book of Hymns of the Ancient Church of Ireland'' (1869)

References

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Works

Several of his works * * * * * * * * * * * * * About his works * *

External links