Scott, Thomas, Dd

Scott, Thomas, D.D., a clergyman of the Church of England, was a native of Lincolnshire. He was born Feb. 16, 1747, at Braytoft, a small farm-house five miles from Spilsby. He was educated at Bennington from his eighth to his tenth year, and the following five years he studied at Scorton. At the age of sixteen he was bound apprentice to a medical practitioner at Alford, but at the end of two months the master was dissatisfied with his behavior, and sent him home. He was now employed about the farm for some time, and compelled W labor in the most servile occupations — some-times tending the sheep, and at others following the plough. In this menial situation he continued for more than nine years, yet continually cherishing the wish of becoming a clergyman. Thoughts of the university, of learning, and of study often presented themselves to his mind; and he at length consulted a clergyman at Boston, who encouraged his attempt at qualifying himself for the ministry.; and having acquired a competent knowledge of Greek as well as Latin, he eventually obtained ordination from Dr. Green, bishop of Lincoln, Sept. 20,1772. His first curacy was that of Stoke Gold-ington and Gayhurst, Buckinghamshire, from which he removed in 1775 to Ravenstone. In the spring of 1777 he settled in Weston Underwood, succeeding Mr. John Newton to the curacy of Olney in 1781. In 1785 he was removed from Olney to the chaplainship of the Lock Hospital, near Hyde Park Corner, and held, besides two lectureships in the city. In 1803 he obtained the living of Aston-Sandford, in Buckinghamshire, which he held to the period of his death, April 16,1821. It was an exceedingly small parish, but he could not be prevailed on to seek a larger, on account of the paucity of baptisms and burials which took place — a circumstance which, in some measure, relieved his scruples respecting the service as prescribed in the ritual. He first appeared as an author in a small volume entitled The Force of Truth (1779), in which he details the singular events which issued in his change of mind and character. This little piece has gone through not less than twenty editions. But his most important work, and that which has rendered him one of the most influential divines of the present day, is A Family Bible, with Original Notes, Practical Observations, and Marginal References (1796, 4 vols. 4to; 9th ed., with the author's last corrections and improvements, 1825, 6 vols. 4to). He was also the author of a great number of pieces, which have recently been collected and published uniformly (10 vols. 8vo), including Remarks on the Bishop of Lincoln's Refutation of Calvinism : — Essays on Important Subjects : — Sermons,

Tracts, etc. He left in MS, at the period of his decease, a copious account of his own life, replete with interest, which has been published by his son, and very extensively read. See Memoirs of Thomas Scott, by his son.