Burton, John

Burton, John an English divine, was born at Wembworthy, Devonshire, in 1696, and studied at Corpus Christi College, Oxford, where he became tutor in 1713. In 1733 he became fellow of Eton, and soon after obtained the living of Mapledurham, in Oxfordshire. He became rector of Worplesdon in 1766, and died Feb. 11, 1771. His works include Sermons (2 vols. 8vo): — Dissertations on Samuel: — Opuscula Miscellanea Theologica: — Genuineness of Lord Clarendon's History, against Oldmixon (Lond. 1744): — Papists and Pharisees compared, in opposition to Philips's Life of Pole (Lond. 1766). His name is also given to an excellent edition of five Greek plays, called The Pentalogia (2 vols. 8vo); but it was really by Bingham, one of his pupils, who died early, and was brought out after his death by Burton. — Hook, Eccl. Biog., 2, 312.