Mudge, Zachary

Mudge, Zachary an eminent clergyman and educator of the Anglican communion, was born near the close of the 17th century. About 1716 he became master of a free- school at Bideford, and about 1736 rector of St. Andrew's, in Plymouth. He was after this prebend of Exeter. He died in 1769. Mr. Mudge was an intimate friend of Dr. Johnson, and is highly spoken of as a scholar and clergyman. He published A Specimen of a new Translation (of the Book of Psalms (1733, 4to): — Essay towards a new English Version of the Book of Psalms (1744, 4to); of these, Home says, "Some of his notes are more ingenious than solid:" — Church Authority (a sermon, 1748, 4to), answered in The Claims of Church Authority considered (1749, 8vo): — and several others of his sermons (Lond. 1731, 8vo; 1739, 8vo). See Boswell, Life of Johnson (ed. 1848), page 679, 686; Allibone, Dict. of Brit. and Amer. Authors, s.v.