Jonathan Toup
Encyclopedia
Jonathan Oannes Toup was an English
philologist, classical scholar and critic
.
, Cornwall
in December 1713 and baptized on January 5, 1714. After the death of his father in 1721, Toup's mother Prudence (née Busvargus) remarried, and Toup was adopted by her brother, William, the last male of the Busvargus family. Toup had one full sister, Mary, and two half-sisters, Prudence and Ann. After the death of Toup's stepfather in 1763, Toup's mother and all three of her daughters lived with him.
Toup was educated at St. Ives grammar school, and afterwards by the Rev. John Gurney, who kept a private school
at St. Merryn in Cornwall. From March 15, 1733 to November 13, 1739, Toup was battellar of Exeter College, Oxford
, where John Upton was his tutor. He graduated B.A. on October 14, 1736, and later received his M.A. from Cambridge in 1756. He never married.
of St. Martin's-by-Looe, which position he held until his death.
, the first part of which was published in 1760, the second part in 1764, and the third part in 1766. The Emendationes were followed by an Epistola Critica to Bishop Warburton in 1767, in which Toup made some derisive comments about Bishop Lowth, while flattering Warburton for his learning. A volume of Curae novissimae sive appendicula notarum et emendationum in Suidam was published in 1775.
Although the critical power and skill of these works earned Toup an immense reputation at home and abroad, he was also criticized for his "immoderate language" and "boorish conduct." One scholar called Toup "a piece of a coxcomb" having "superior airs"; another called him a "homo truculentus et maledicus" ("aggressive and slanderous man"). Although Toup was reviled by some, others allowed that he was very charitable to the poor of his parish, and that his excessive self-confidence could be attributed to the fact that he lived apart, without sufficient personal intercourse with other scholars. He was said to have possessed an "uncompromising independence of mind and a hatred of servility," and censure of others was with him more frequent than praise.
After a preparation of thirty-five years, Toup's edition of Longinus
, in Greek and Latin, was published in 1778. This edition included notes and emendations by David Ruhnken
, whose assistance was mentioned on the title page. However, Ruhnken later regretted providing assistance to Toup, feeling that Toup had taken credit for his work and had not even sent him a presentation copy of the work when it was completed.
For some years before his death, Toup's mental capacity was diminished, and he was cared for by his half-sister Ann and her three daughters. He died at St. Martin's rectory on January 19, 1785 and was buried under the communion table of the church. His property was left to his nephew John Toup Nicolas.
A small marble tablet was erected to his memory on the south wall of the church by his niece Phillis Blake. The tablet states that the excellence of Toup's scholarship was "known to the learned throughout Europe." The inscription on a round brass plate beneath the tablet records that the cost was defrayed by the delegates of the Oxford University Press
.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
philologist, classical scholar and critic
Critic
A critic is anyone who expresses a value judgement. Informally, criticism is a common aspect of all human expression and need not necessarily imply skilled or accurate expressions of judgement. Critical judgements, good or bad, may be positive , negative , or balanced...
.
Early life and education
Toup was born at St IvesSt Ives, Cornwall
St Ives is a seaside town, civil parish and port in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. The town lies north of Penzance and west of Camborne on the coast of the Celtic Sea. In former times it was commercially dependent on fishing. The decline in fishing, however, caused a shift in commercial...
, Cornwall
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
in December 1713 and baptized on January 5, 1714. After the death of his father in 1721, Toup's mother Prudence (née Busvargus) remarried, and Toup was adopted by her brother, William, the last male of the Busvargus family. Toup had one full sister, Mary, and two half-sisters, Prudence and Ann. After the death of Toup's stepfather in 1763, Toup's mother and all three of her daughters lived with him.
Toup was educated at St. Ives grammar school, and afterwards by the Rev. John Gurney, who kept a private school
Private school
Private schools, also known as independent schools or nonstate schools, are not administered by local, state or national governments; thus, they retain the right to select their students and are funded in whole or in part by charging their students' tuition, rather than relying on mandatory...
at St. Merryn in Cornwall. From March 15, 1733 to November 13, 1739, Toup was battellar of Exeter College, Oxford
Exeter College, Oxford
Exeter College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England and the fourth oldest college of the University. The main entrance is on the east side of Turl Street...
, where John Upton was his tutor. He graduated B.A. on October 14, 1736, and later received his M.A. from Cambridge in 1756. He never married.
Church positions
Toup was ordained a deacon on March 6, 1736, and three days later was licensed to the curacy of Philleigh in his native county. After two years, on May 29, 1738, he was licensed as curate of Buryan, also in Cornwall, having proceeded to priest's orders on the previous day. Through the influence of his uncle Busvargus, he was presented on July 28, 1750 to the rectoryRector
The word rector has a number of different meanings; it is widely used to refer to an academic, religious or political administrator...
of St. Martin's-by-Looe, which position he held until his death.
Achievements
Toup's reputation was established by his Emendationes in SuidamSuda
The Suda or Souda is a massive 10th century Byzantine encyclopedia of the ancient Mediterranean world, formerly attributed to an author called Suidas. It is an encyclopedic lexicon, written in Greek, with 30,000 entries, many drawing from ancient sources that have since been lost, and often...
, the first part of which was published in 1760, the second part in 1764, and the third part in 1766. The Emendationes were followed by an Epistola Critica to Bishop Warburton in 1767, in which Toup made some derisive comments about Bishop Lowth, while flattering Warburton for his learning. A volume of Curae novissimae sive appendicula notarum et emendationum in Suidam was published in 1775.
Although the critical power and skill of these works earned Toup an immense reputation at home and abroad, he was also criticized for his "immoderate language" and "boorish conduct." One scholar called Toup "a piece of a coxcomb" having "superior airs"; another called him a "homo truculentus et maledicus" ("aggressive and slanderous man"). Although Toup was reviled by some, others allowed that he was very charitable to the poor of his parish, and that his excessive self-confidence could be attributed to the fact that he lived apart, without sufficient personal intercourse with other scholars. He was said to have possessed an "uncompromising independence of mind and a hatred of servility," and censure of others was with him more frequent than praise.
After a preparation of thirty-five years, Toup's edition of Longinus
Longinus (literature)
Longinus is the conventional name of the author of the treatise, On the Sublime , a work which focuses on the effect of good writing. Longinus, sometimes referred to as Pseudo-Longinus because his real name is unknown, was a Greek teacher of rhetoric or a literary critic who may have lived in the...
, in Greek and Latin, was published in 1778. This edition included notes and emendations by David Ruhnken
David Ruhnken
David Ruhnken was a Dutch classical scholar of German origin.-Origins:Ruhnken was born in Bedlin near Stolp, Pomerania Province,...
, whose assistance was mentioned on the title page. However, Ruhnken later regretted providing assistance to Toup, feeling that Toup had taken credit for his work and had not even sent him a presentation copy of the work when it was completed.
Later years
On May 14, 1774, when Toup was more than sixty years old, he was appointed by Bishop Keppel to a prebendal stall at Exeter and was admitted on July 29, 1776 to the vicarage of St. Merryn, the parish in which he had been partly educated. These preferments he held, with his rectory, to his death.For some years before his death, Toup's mental capacity was diminished, and he was cared for by his half-sister Ann and her three daughters. He died at St. Martin's rectory on January 19, 1785 and was buried under the communion table of the church. His property was left to his nephew John Toup Nicolas.
A small marble tablet was erected to his memory on the south wall of the church by his niece Phillis Blake. The tablet states that the excellence of Toup's scholarship was "known to the learned throughout Europe." The inscription on a round brass plate beneath the tablet records that the cost was defrayed by the delegates of the Oxford University Press
Oxford University Press
Oxford University Press is the largest university press in the world. It is a department of the University of Oxford and is governed by a group of 15 academics appointed by the Vice-Chancellor known as the Delegates of the Press. They are headed by the Secretary to the Delegates, who serves as...
.