Page:Dictionary of National Biography, Second Supplement, volume 1.djvu/639

 was made registrar, and was the only English prelate who attended the four conferences. In 1867 he was a member of the royal commission on ritual and the rubrics (1867–70). Samuel Wilberforce (Life, iii. 216) described Ellicott as ‘hot and intemperate in trying to force on condemnation of chasuble.’ As a result of the fourth report of the commission, Ellicott formed one of a committee of bishops to consider the question of retranslation of the Athanasian creed, and in February 1872 read a proposed revision in Convocation, delivering one of the ‘four great speeches’ (Life of Tait, ii. 140) on the subject. In 1873 a committee of the upper house of Convocation drew up a report on confession. Magee, Ellicott's friend and ally, tells us that ‘it was mine and Gloucester and Bristol's’ (Life of Magee, 296). This declaration was in the main adopted by the Lambeth conference of 1878.

Among all Ellicott's activities he was proudest of his share in the revision of the Bible. As early as 1856, in the preface to his edition of ‘St. Paul's Pastoral Epistles,’ he had advocated revision, as against a new translation; and he was one of the ‘five clergymen’ who in 1857 published a revision of the Gospel of St. John (3rd edit., with notes, 1862), which was followed by revisions of Romans and Corinthians in 1858 and other epistles in 1861. In 1870 he brought the whole subject before the public in a volume of ‘Considerations.’ He was the chairman of the company which revised the New Testament, missing only two out of the 407 sittings, and in 1881 he presented the completed work to Convocation. He then attached himself to the company revising the Apocrypha, and presented the result of their labours to Convocation in 1896. Finally, in 1899, he presented the marginal references. A sharp controversy arose on the publication of the revised New Testament with regard to Ellicott's conduct as chairman. He was accused of allowing more changes in the text than his instructions permitted, but he defended himself with learning and good temper, and his ‘Addresses on the Revised Version’ of Holy Scripture (1901) remains the best popular account of the undertaking. His most important literary labour in the later part of his life was ‘The Old and New Testaments for English Readers,’ which he began to edit in 1878. He collected a strong band of collaborators, including Plumptre and Dr. Sanday. In scholarship and breadth of view the work was much in advance of any previous commentary for general use. ‘A New Testament Commentary for English Readers’ appeared in 3 vols. 1878–9; 3rd edit. 2 vols. 1892–6. ‘An Old Testament Commentary’ in 5 vols. 1882–4; reissued 1884–92. An abridgement of the ‘New Testament Commentary,’ ‘for the use of schools,’ followed in 14 vols. (1878–83), and was succeeded by ‘The Complete Bible Commentary for English Readers,’ 7 vols. 1897 (new edit. 1905, with 48 plates).

In 1891 the publication of ‘Lux Mundi’ stirred Ellicott to challenge the soundness of ‘the analytical view’ of the Old Testament. In his ‘Christus Comprobator’ (1891) he insisted that fresh views of doctrine as well as of history were involved in the new views. Although in his most popular volumes he might seem to stem the tide of modern thought, Ellicott's influence was not reactionary. His courage and honesty forced him continually to the task of correlating old and new views, and his conspicuous candour and courtesy always raised the tone of controversy. His last charge (1903) was a final proof that his mind to the end was open to new truth.

In 1897, with Ellicott's concurrence, the united sees of Gloucester and Bristol were divided. He remained bishop of Gloucester, surrendering 900l. of his income. As a memorial of his thirty-four years' connection with Bristol, a reredos from the designs of J. L. Pearson was dedicated in the cathedral on 19 Oct. 1899. In 1903 the fortieth anniversary of his consecration was celebrated in the chapter house of Gloucester Cathedral. He resigned on Lady day 1905, and died on 15 Oct. 1905 at Birchington-on-Sea, where he was buried. A recumbent effigy was erected to his memory in Gloucester Cathedral. A portrait in oils by Holl, which was presented to the see, is in the Palace, Gloucester. A replica belongs to the widow. A cartoon portrait by ‘Spy’ appeared in ‘Vanity Fair’ in 1885.

On 13 Aug. 1848 he married Constantia Annie, daughter of Admiral Alexander Becher, and had by her a son and two daughters. In addition to the works mentioned above, he published numerous annual reviews of ‘diocesan progress,’ charges, collections of addresses, and sermons and prefaces to books.

 ELLIOT, GEORGE AUGUSTUS (1813–1901), admiral, born at Calcutta on 25 Sept. 1813, was the eldest son of Admiral Sir George Elliot [q. v.] by his wife 