Thomas Gale
Encyclopedia
Thomas Gale was an English classical scholar, antiquarian and cleric.
and Trinity College, Cambridge
, of which he became a fellow.
In 1666 he was appointed Regius Professor of Greek
at Cambridge, in 1672 high master of St Paul's School, in 1676 prebendary
of St Paul's
, in 1677 a fellow of the Royal Society
, and in 1697 Dean of York
.
He was the father of two noted antiquarians, Roger Gale
and Samuel Gale
, and father-in-law of the Rev. Dr. William Stukeley
. To his collection of manuscripts belonged Minuscule 66
.
collection, Opuscula mythologica, ethica, et physica, and editions of several Greek and Latin authors, but his fame rests chiefly on his collection of old works bearing on early English history, entitled Historiae Anglicanae scriptores and Historiae Britannicae, Saxonicae, Anglo-Danicae scriptores XV. He was the author of the inscription on the London Monument
, later removed, in which the Roman Catholics were accused of having originated the great fire. In a history of philosophy (1670), he coined the term Neoplatonism
to denote late antique
Platonism
.
Life
He was born at Scruton, Yorkshire. He was educated at Westminster SchoolWestminster School
The Royal College of St. Peter in Westminster, almost always known as Westminster School, is one of Britain's leading independent schools, with the highest Oxford and Cambridge acceptance rate of any secondary school or college in Britain...
and 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...
, of which he became a fellow.
In 1666 he was appointed Regius Professor of Greek
Regius Professor of Greek (Cambridge)
The Regius Professorship of Greek is one of the oldest professorships at the University of Cambridge. The chair was founded by Henry VIII in 1540 with a stipend of £40 per year, subsequently increased in 1848 by a canonry of Ely Cathedral....
at Cambridge, in 1672 high master of St Paul's School, in 1676 prebendary
Prebendary
A prebendary is a post connected to an Anglican or Catholic cathedral or collegiate church and is a type of canon. Prebendaries have a role in the administration of the cathedral...
of St Paul's
St Paul's Cathedral
St Paul's Cathedral, London, is a Church of England cathedral and seat of the Bishop of London. Its dedication to Paul the Apostle dates back to the original church on this site, founded in AD 604. St Paul's sits at the top of Ludgate Hill, the highest point in the City of London, and is the mother...
, in 1677 a fellow of the Royal Society
Royal Society
The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, known simply as the Royal Society, is a learned society for science, and is possibly the oldest such society in existence. Founded in November 1660, it was granted a Royal Charter by King Charles II as the "Royal Society of London"...
, and in 1697 Dean of York
Dean of York
The Dean of York is the member of the clergy who is responsible for the running of the York Minster cathedral.-11th–12th centuries:* 1093–c.1135: Hugh* c.1138–1143: William of Sainte-Barbe...
.
He was the father of two noted antiquarians, Roger Gale
Roger Gale (antiquary)
Roger Gale was an English scholar and antiquary as well as a Member of Parliament for Northallerton. His father was an ecclesiastic and professor at Cambridge, which the younger Gale also attended. After his graduation, Gale briefly served as a diplomat in France, as well as holding a position as...
and Samuel Gale
Samuel Gale
Samuel Gale was an English antiquary, a founder of the Society of Antiquaries of London.-Life:The youngest son of Thomas Gale, dean of York, and brother of Roger Gale, he was born in the parish of St Faith's, London, on 17 December 1682. He was baptised on 20 December, Samuel Pepys being one of...
, and father-in-law of the Rev. Dr. William Stukeley
William Stukeley
William Stukeley FRS, FRCP, FSA was an English antiquarian who pioneered the archaeological investigation of the prehistoric monuments of Stonehenge and Avebury, work for which he has been remembered as "probably... the most important of the early forerunners of the discipline of archaeology"...
. To his collection of manuscripts belonged Minuscule 66
Minuscule 66
Minuscule 66 , ε 519 , known as Codex Galei Londinensis, is a Greek minuscule manuscript of the New Testament, on paper leaves. Palaeographically it has been assigned to the 14th century.- Description :...
.
Works
He published a mythographicalMythography
A mythographer, or a mythologist is a compiler of myths. The word derives from the Greek "μυθογραφία" , "writing of fables", from "μῦθος" , "speech, word, fact, story, narrative" + "γράφω" , "to write, to inscribe". Mythography is then the rendering of myths in the arts...
collection, Opuscula mythologica, ethica, et physica, and editions of several Greek and Latin authors, but his fame rests chiefly on his collection of old works bearing on early English history, entitled Historiae Anglicanae scriptores and Historiae Britannicae, Saxonicae, Anglo-Danicae scriptores XV. He was the author of the inscription on the London Monument
Monument to the Great Fire of London
The Monument to the Great Fire of London, more commonly known as The monument, is a 202 ft tall stone Roman Doric column in the City of London, England, near the northern end of London Bridge. It stands at the junction of Monument Street and Panda Bear Hill, 202 ft from where the Great...
, later removed, in which the Roman Catholics were accused of having originated the great fire. In a history of philosophy (1670), he coined the term Neoplatonism
Neoplatonism
Neoplatonism , is the modern term for a school of religious and mystical philosophy that took shape in the 3rd century AD, based on the teachings of Plato and earlier Platonists, with its earliest contributor believed to be Plotinus, and his teacher Ammonius Saccas...
to denote late antique
Late Antiquity
Late Antiquity is a periodization used by historians to describe the time of transition from Classical Antiquity to the Middle Ages, in both mainland Europe and the Mediterranean world. Precise boundaries for the period are a matter of debate, but noted historian of the period Peter Brown proposed...
Platonism
Platonism
Platonism is the philosophy of Plato or the name of other philosophical systems considered closely derived from it. In a narrower sense the term might indicate the doctrine of Platonic realism...
.
Books
- (ed.): Opuscula mythologica physica et ethica. Graece et latine. Seriem eorum sistit pagina praefationem proxime sequens (Amsterdam: H. Wetstein 1675, auch 1688)
- (ed.): Historiae poeticae Scriptores antiqui (Paris: Muguet-Scott 1675)
- (ed.): Iamblichi Liber de mysteriis Aegyptiorum (1678)
- (ed.): Ψαλτηριον. Psalterium. Juxta exemplar Alexandrinum editio nova, Græce & Latine (Oxford: Sheldon 1678)
- (ed.): Rerum Anglicarum Scriptorum Veterum Tom. ... (Oxford: Sheldon 1684)
- (ed.): Historiae Anglicanae Scriptores Quinque (Oxford: Sheldon, 1687) (Rerum Anglicarum scriptores veteres, 2)
- (ed.): Historiae Britannicae, Saxonicae, Anglo-Danicae Scriptores XV (Oxford: Sheldon, 1691) (Rerum Anglicarum scriptores veteres, 3)