# William Lowth

> Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/William_Lowth
> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/William_Lowth.md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Lowth
> Source revision: 1212629551
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)

{{Short description|English clergyman}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2019}}
'''William Lowth''' D.D. (1660–1732) was an English clergyman, known as a Biblical commentator.

==Life==
He was the son of William Lowth, an apothecary, who was burnt out in the [Great Fire of London](/source/Great_Fire_of_London), and was born in the parish of [St Martin, Ludgate](/source/St_Martin%2C_Ludgate) on 3 September 1660. He was educated by his grandfather, the Rev. Simon Lowth, rector of [Tilehurst](/source/Tilehurst), [Berkshire](/source/Berkshire), and was admitted to [Merchant Taylors' School](/source/Merchant_Taylors'_School%2C_Northwood)<ref name="Wilson1814">{{cite book|author=[Harry Bristow Wilson](/source/Harry_Bristow_Wilson)|title=The history of Merchant-Taylors School, from its foundation to the present time: In two parts. I. Of its founders, patrons, benefactors, and masters. II. Of its principal scholars|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=q6sgAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA1004|accessdate=27 October 2012|year=1814|publisher=Printed by Marchant and Galabin|pages=1004–}}</ref> on 11 September 1672. He was elected scholar of [St John's College, Oxford](/source/St_John's_College%2C_Oxford), on 11 June 1675, and in due course became Fellow. He graduated B.A. in 1679, M.A. 1683, and B.D. 1688.{{sfn|Venables|1893}}

Early work brought him to the notice of [Peter Mews](/source/Peter_Mews), [Bishop of Winchester](/source/Bishop_of_Winchester), who made him his chaplain, gave him a prebendal stall at Winchester on 8 October 1696, and presented him to the benefice of [Buriton with Petersfield](/source/Buriton_with_Petersfield), [Hampshire](/source/Hampshire), in 1699, which he held until his death. He died at Buriton on 17 May 1732, and was buried there.{{sfn|Venables|1893}}

==Works==
His first published work was a ‘Vindication of the Divine Authority of the Old and New Testaments,’ London, 1692, a defence of the inspiration of holy scripture against the attacks of [Jean Le Clerc](/source/Jean_Leclerc_(theologian)).  A second edition of the ‘Vindication,’ with a dissertation on the objections to the [Pentateuch](/source/Pentateuch) then current, was published in 1699. In 1708 he brought out ‘Directions for the profitable Study of Holy Scripture,’ a shortwork which went through many editions.{{sfn|Venables|1893}}

The work for which Lowth is best known is his ‘Commentary on the Prophets,’ originally published in separate portions between 1714 and 1725, and afterwards collected in a folio volume as a continuation of Bishop [Simon Patrick](/source/Simon_Patrick)'s ‘Commentary on the Earlier Books of the Old Testament;’ it was frequently reprinted, together with the commentaries of [Daniel Whitby](/source/Daniel_Whitby), [Richard Arnald](/source/Richard_Arnald), and [Moses Lowman](/source/Moses_Lowman) on the New Testament. Its tone is pious but cold; the exegesis is simple, direct, and brief. The commentary was praised by Bishop [Richard Watson](/source/Richard_Watson_(bishop_of_Llandaff)) and by [William Orme](/source/William_Orme_(minister)).{{sfn|Venables|1893}}

The editions of [Clemens Alexandrinus](/source/Clemens_Alexandrinus) by [John Potter](/source/John_Potter_(archbishop)), of Josephus by [John Hudson](/source/John_Hudson_(classicist)), and of the early ecclesiastical historians by [William Reading](/source/William_Reading), were enriched with notes by Lowth, and other scholars received help from him. He was a correspondent of [Edward Chandler](/source/Edward_Chandler_(bishop)) during his controversy with [Anthony Collins](/source/Anthony_Collins_(philosopher)) the deist.{{sfn|Venables|1893}}

==Family==
He married Margaret, daughter of Robert Pitt of [Blandford](/source/Blandford), [Dorset](/source/Dorset). They had two sons, of whom the younger was the [grammarian](/source/Wiktionary%3Agrammarian) [Robert Lowth](/source/Robert_Lowth), and three daughters.{{sfn|Venables|1893}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

;Attribution
{{DNB|first=Edmund|last=Venables|authorlink=Edmund Venables|wstitle=Lowth, William |volume=34}}

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lowth, William}}
Category:1660 births
Category:1732 deaths
Category:17th-century English Anglican priests
Category:18th-century English Anglican priests
Category:Bible commentators
Category:People from Buriton
Category:17th-century biblical scholars
Category:18th-century biblical scholars
Category:17th-century Anglican theologians
Category:18th-century Anglican theologians

---
Adapted from the Wikipedia article [William Lowth](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Lowth) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Lowth?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.