Page:Dictionary of National Biography, Second Supplement, volume 3.djvu/176

 interest in Rawlinson may be dated from this interview. In the newly organised examination of classical moderations Rawlinson was a moderator from 1852 to 1854, with Scott, Conington, Mansel, and others. He was an examiner in the final classical school in 1854, 1856, 1867 ; and in theology in 1874. In 1859 Rawlinson succeeded Mansel as Bampton lecturer, his subject being 'The Historical Evidences of the truth of the Scripture Records stated anew, with special reference to the doubts and discoveries of modern times' (1859 ; 2nd edit. 1860). In 1861 he was appointed Camden professor of ancient history. He held that post till 1889, and it left him leisure for writing and research. His interests in Oxford were not wholly academic. He was a pioneer in the attempt to establish friendly and useful connections between the university and the town. From 1860 to 1863 he was a guardian of the poor ; he was a perpetual curator of the University Galleries, and an original member and first treasurer of the Oxford Political Economy Club. From 1859 to 1870 he held the office of classical examiner Tinder the council of military education.

In 1872 the crown appointed him canon of Canterbury. Indistinctness of speech interfered with his efficiency as a speaker and preacher, so that Gladstone's choice must be taken as a recognition of his learning, broadmindedness, and administrative capacity. His interest in Canterbury Cathedral was shown by valuable gifts and more particularly on the occasion of his golden wedding in 1896 by the presentation of a gold and jewelled paten and chalice. He was proctor in convocation for Canterbury from 1873 to 1898. In 1888, the year before he resigned the Camden professorship, he was preferred by the chapter of his cathedral to the rich rectory of All Hallows, Lombard Street.

Early in his career Rawlinson devoted himself to the preparation of an elaborate English edition of Herodotus. He arranged that his brother. Sir Henry Rawlinson, and Sir J. Gardner Wilkinson, should contribute special articles on historical, archaeological and racial questions, while he himself prepared the translation with short notes and other adjuncts of scholarship. The edition was dedicated to Gladstone and superseded all other editions at Oxford for many years ; it was entitled 'The History of Herodotus. A new English version, edited with copious notes and appendices. Embodying the chief results, historical and ethnographical, which have been obtained in the progress of Cuneiform and Hieroglyphical discovery. By G. Rawlinson. . . assisted by Sir H. Rawlinson and Sir J. G. Wilkinson' (4 vols. 1858-60; 2nd edit. 1862; 3rd edit. 1875). An abridgement in two volumes by A. T. Grant appeared in 1897, and the translation, edited by G. H. Blakeney, was reprinted in 'Everyman's Library' (2 vols.) in 1910. Pursuing his researches in this field, Rawlinson summarised for his generation in scholarly form the results of research and excavation in the East, in a series of works of considerable constructive ability which have hardly yet been superseded in English. The first was 'The Five Great Monarchies of the ancient Eastern World ; or the history, geography, and antiquities of Chaldsea, Assyria, Babylonia, Media, and Persia. . . .' (4 vols. 1862-7 ; 2nd edit., 3 vols. 1871). This was followed by 'The Sixth Great Oriental Monarchy ; or the geography, history, and antiquities of Parthia' (1873) ; to which was added 'The Seventh Great Oriental Monarchy ; or the geography, history, and antiquities of the Sassanian or New Persian Empire' (1876). Supplementary to this series were 'The History of Ancient Egypt' (2 vols. 1881) ; and 'The History of Phoenicia' (1889).

Rawlinson was the champion of a learned orthodoxy which opposed the extremes of the literary higher critics by an appeal to the monuments and the evidence of archæology. In 1861 he contributed to 'Aids to Faith,' the volume of essays written to counteract 'Essays and Reviews,' a paper 'On the genuineness and authenticity of the Pentateuch,' and he published in the same year 'The Contrasts of Christianity with Heathen and Jewish Systems, or nine sermons preached before the University of Oxford.' In 1871, at the request of the Christian Evidence Society, he delivered a lecture on 'The Alleged Historical Difficulties of the Old and New Testaments,' which appeared in the volume entitled 'Modern Scepticism.' As a commentator and expositor Rawlinson wrote for the 'Speaker's Commentary' on Kings, Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, and the two Books of the Maccabees ; and for Ellicott's 'Old Testament Commentary for English Readers' on Exodus. His last work was the life of his brother, entitled ' A Memoir of Major-general Sir H. C. Rawlinson. . . . with an introduction by Field-Marshal Lord Roberts of Kandahar' (1898).

Rawlinson was a fellow of the Royal Geographical Society, a corresponding member of the Royal Academy of Turin and