Townsend, Joseph

Townsend, Joseph an English clergyman, was a fellow of Caius College, Cambridge, and studied medicine at Edinburgh. He afterwards entered holy orders, and became rector of Pewsy, Wiltshire, anti chaplain to Lady Huntingdon, preaching in her chapel at Bath. He died in 1816. He published, Every True Christian a New Creature (Lond. 1765, 12mo): — Thoughts on Despotic and Free Governments (1781-91, 8vo. -Dissertation on the Poor-laws, by a Well-wisher to Mankind (1786, 8vo): — Observations on Various Plans for the Relief of the Poor (1788, 8vo): — The Character of Moses - Established for Veracity as. a Historian, etc. (Bath, 1813-15, 2 vols. 4to): — besides medical and scientific works, sermons, etc. See Allibone, Dict. of Brit. and Amer. Authors, s.v.; Darling, Cyclop. Bibliog. s.v.