Bower, Archibald

Bower, Archibald was born at Dundee 1686. and educated at Douay. In early life he went to Rome and became a Jesuit; came to England 1726, and soon after joined the Established Church; became a Jesuit again in 1744, and again turned Protestant. He died in 1766. He wrote the most copious History of the Popes that has ever appeared in English, but, unfortunately, his vacillating character has deprived it of even its just reputation (Lond. 1750, 7 vols. 4to). Bishop Douglas, of Salisbury, wrote a very severe review of Bower, showing that he had borrowed largely from Tillemont without acknowledgment (Bower and Tillemont compared, Lond. 1757, 8vo).