John Walker (scholar)
Encyclopedia
John Walker was an English classical scholar, a collaborator of Richard Bentley
.
, and was educated, like Richard Bentley, at Wakefield School
, where he was under Edward Clarke. He entered Trinity College, Cambridge
, as a pensioner on 24 May 1710, at the age of seventeen. He was Craven scholar in 1712. He graduated B.A. in 1713, and was elected minor fellow on 28 September 1716. He took his M.A., and was elected socius major and sublector tertius in 1717.
In 1719 he went to Paris, as Bentley's emissary, to collect readings for a proposed Græco-Latin New Testament, which had been projected by Bentley about 1716. J. J. Wetstein had been employed on the project, but had returned to Switzerland. Walker was well received at Paris, especially by the Maurists
; after some suspicion of a clash of literary interests between their project for an edition of the Versio Itala and Bentley's undertaking, Walker received co-operation, especially from Vincent Thuillier, Pierre Sabatier, Simon Mopinot, and Bernard de Montfaucon
. He remained in Paris for nearly a year. Walker collated the whole New Testament in five Latin manuscripts at Paris, and part of it in nine others, besides noting the readings of four Tours manuscripts collated by Léon Chevallier, which were given him by Sabatier. Next year (1721) he returned to Paris, this time to collate Greek texts. The winter of 1721-2 was, however, spent in Brussels
in the company of Charles Graham, 3rd Viscount Preston (d. 1739). Here Walker collated the manuscript of Arnobius
and Minucius Felix, and the Corsendonk Greek Testament, and succeeded in identifying many of the manuscripts used by Lucas Brugensis. When the fear of the plague
had abated, Walker returned to Paris, and seems to have remained there till 1723.
Walker also collated a number of manuscripts of Archbishop William Wake
. Altogether Walker seems to have collated some seventy-eight Greek manuscripts, containing the whole or parts of the New Testament.
Subsequently he became dean and rector of Bocking
, Essex
, in the archbishop's patronage, 15 November 1725. He became chancellor of the diocese of St David's on 17 July 1727. His marriage followed six months later, 26 January 1728. He was made D.D. under royal commission (together with Richard Walker
the vice-master) on 25 April 1728. Wake appointed him archdeacon of Hereford on 3 February 1729, and on 12 December 1730 rector of St. Mary Aldermary; he also became incumbent of St Thomas the Apostle in the same year.
Walker was also chaplain to King George II. He died on 9 November 1741, at the age of 48.
, printed at the end of the edition of John Davies, President of Queens' College, Cambridge
in 1718, and mentioned in the preface. Zachary Pearce
also incorporated some notes of Walker's in his edition of the De Officiis in 1745. While working for the New Testament he also helped Bentley with various readings of manuscripts of Suetonius
and Cicero's Tusculans. For his own part he was preparing an edition of Arnobius, and left his materials to Richard Mead
.
The collapse of his major literary project with Bentley was for reasons that are unclear. In any case Walker's death was followed shortly by Bentley's.
(died 1721), by Frances Stewart, who later married Hon. Oliver Lambart; these daughters (and their brother) took the name of Sheffield under their father's will. Charlotte Walker had a fortune of some £6,000, and bore her husband six sons and four daughters. One of their sons, Henry, became fellow of King's College, Cambridge
(B.A. 1757, M.A. 1760).
Richard Bentley
Richard Bentley was an English classical scholar, critic, and theologian. He was Master of Trinity College, Cambridge....
.
Life
He was son of Thomas Walker of HuddersfieldHuddersfield
Huddersfield is a large market town within the Metropolitan Borough of Kirklees, in West Yorkshire, England, situated halfway between Leeds and Manchester. It lies north of London, and south of Bradford, the nearest city....
, and was educated, like Richard Bentley, at Wakefield School
Wakefield School
Wakefield School is an independent day school located in The Plains, Virginia, with classes ranging from pre-kindergarten to 12th grade. It was founded in Huntly, Virginia in 1972 as Wakefield Country Day School, and changed its name to Wakefield School in the early 1980s when it established a...
, where he was under Edward Clarke. He entered Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Trinity has more members than any other college in Cambridge or Oxford, with around 700 undergraduates, 430 graduates, and over 170 Fellows...
, as a pensioner on 24 May 1710, at the age of seventeen. He was Craven scholar in 1712. He graduated B.A. in 1713, and was elected minor fellow on 28 September 1716. He took his M.A., and was elected socius major and sublector tertius in 1717.
In 1719 he went to Paris, as Bentley's emissary, to collect readings for a proposed Græco-Latin New Testament, which had been projected by Bentley about 1716. J. J. Wetstein had been employed on the project, but had returned to Switzerland. Walker was well received at Paris, especially by the Maurists
Maurists
The Congregation of St. Maur, often known as the Maurists, were a congregation of French Benedictines, established in 1621, and known for their high level of scholarship...
; after some suspicion of a clash of literary interests between their project for an edition of the Versio Itala and Bentley's undertaking, Walker received co-operation, especially from Vincent Thuillier, Pierre Sabatier, Simon Mopinot, and Bernard de Montfaucon
Bernard de Montfaucon
Bernard de Montfaucon was a French Benedictine monk, a scholar who founded a new discipline, palaeography; an editor of works of the Fathers of the Church; he is also regarded to be one of the founders of modern archaeology.-Early life:Montfaucon was born January 13, 1655 in the castle of...
. He remained in Paris for nearly a year. Walker collated the whole New Testament in five Latin manuscripts at Paris, and part of it in nine others, besides noting the readings of four Tours manuscripts collated by Léon Chevallier, which were given him by Sabatier. Next year (1721) he returned to Paris, this time to collate Greek texts. The winter of 1721-2 was, however, spent in Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
in the company of Charles Graham, 3rd Viscount Preston (d. 1739). Here Walker collated the manuscript of Arnobius
Arnobius
Arnobius of Sicca was an Early Christian apologist, during the reign of Diocletian . According to Jerome's Chronicle, Arnobius, before his conversion, was a distinguished Numidian rhetorician at Sicca Veneria , a major Christian center in Proconsular Africa, and owed his conversion to a...
and Minucius Felix, and the Corsendonk Greek Testament, and succeeded in identifying many of the manuscripts used by Lucas Brugensis. When the fear of the plague
Bubonic plague
Plague is a deadly infectious disease that is caused by the enterobacteria Yersinia pestis, named after the French-Swiss bacteriologist Alexandre Yersin. Primarily carried by rodents and spread to humans via fleas, the disease is notorious throughout history, due to the unrivaled scale of death...
had abated, Walker returned to Paris, and seems to have remained there till 1723.
Walker also collated a number of manuscripts of Archbishop William Wake
William Wake
William Wake was a priest in the Church of England and Archbishop of Canterbury from 1716 until his death in 1737.-Life:...
. Altogether Walker seems to have collated some seventy-eight Greek manuscripts, containing the whole or parts of the New Testament.
Subsequently he became dean and rector of Bocking
Bocking
Bocking can refer to:*Bocking, a village near Braintree, Essex*Bocking 14, a cultivated strain of the plant Comfrey*Powerbocking, the use of powered stilts patented by Alexander Böck...
, Essex
Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
, in the archbishop's patronage, 15 November 1725. He became chancellor of the diocese of St David's on 17 July 1727. His marriage followed six months later, 26 January 1728. He was made D.D. under royal commission (together with Richard Walker
Richard Walker (philosopher)
Richard Walker was a professor of moral philosophy at the University of Cambridge, noted as a supporter of Richard Bentley in his long legal battle with the fellowship of Trinity College.-Life:...
the vice-master) on 25 April 1728. Wake appointed him archdeacon of Hereford on 3 February 1729, and on 12 December 1730 rector of St. Mary Aldermary; he also became incumbent of St Thomas the Apostle in the same year.
Walker was also chaplain to King George II. He died on 9 November 1741, at the age of 48.
Works
Walker made emendations of Cicero's De Natura DeorumDe Natura Deorum
De Natura Deorum is a philosophical dialogue by Roman orator Cicero written in 45 BC. It is laid out in three "books", each of which discuss the theology of different Roman and Greek philosophers...
, printed at the end of the edition of John Davies, President of Queens' College, Cambridge
Queens' College, Cambridge
Queens' College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England.The college was founded in 1448 by Margaret of Anjou , and refounded in 1465 by Elizabeth Woodville...
in 1718, and mentioned in the preface. Zachary Pearce
Zachary Pearce
Zachary Pearce, sometimes known as Zachariah , was an English Bishop of Bangor and Bishop of Rochester. He was a controversialist and a notable early critical writer defending John Milton, attacking Richard Bentley's 1732 edition of Paradise Lost the following year.-Life:Pearce was born the son of...
also incorporated some notes of Walker's in his edition of the De Officiis in 1745. While working for the New Testament he also helped Bentley with various readings of manuscripts of Suetonius
Suetonius
Gaius Suetonius Tranquillus, commonly known as Suetonius , was a Roman historian belonging to the equestrian order in the early Imperial era....
and Cicero's Tusculans. For his own part he was preparing an edition of Arnobius, and left his materials to Richard Mead
Richard Mead
Richard Mead was an English physician. His work, A Short Discourse concerning Pestilential Contagion, and the Method to be used to prevent it , was of historic importance in the understanding of transmissible diseases.-Life:The eleventh child of Matthew Mead , Independent divine, Richard was born...
.
The collapse of his major literary project with Bentley was for reasons that are unclear. In any case Walker's death was followed shortly by Bentley's.
Family
Walker married in 1728 Charlotte Sheffield, one of the three illegitimate daughters of John Sheffield, 1st Duke of Buckingham and NormanbyJohn Sheffield, 1st Duke of Buckingham and Normanby
John Sheffield, 1st Duke of Buckingham and Normanby, KG, PC , was a poet and notable Tory politician of the late Stuart period, who served as Lord Privy Seal and Lord President of the Council.-Career:...
(died 1721), by Frances Stewart, who later married Hon. Oliver Lambart; these daughters (and their brother) took the name of Sheffield under their father's will. Charlotte Walker had a fortune of some £6,000, and bore her husband six sons and four daughters. One of their sons, Henry, became fellow of King's College, Cambridge
King's College, Cambridge
King's College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England. The college's full name is "The King's College of our Lady and Saint Nicholas in Cambridge", but it is usually referred to simply as "King's" within the University....
(B.A. 1757, M.A. 1760).