Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 04.djvu/234

Bennet he reviewed from time to time the works of some of the most celebrated English divines, and he became at an early period of his life acquainted with many eminent theologians of his day. He corresponded on intimate terms with Milner, Dean of Carlisle, and his brother the historian, with Archdeacons Paley, Markham, and Nares, and with Bishops Porteus and Horsley. It was the learning and power of writing displayed in his criticisms of their works which induced Horsley and others to inquire of Archdeacon Nares, then editor of the 'British Critic,' the name of the reviewer to whom they were indebted for such able and luminous articles. In 1802 Harvard College in Boston, Mass., U.S., conferred the honorary degree of D.D. upon Bennet. In the preceding year Horsley, seldom liberal of his praise, had recorded in his 'Hosea' the strongest testimony to the merits of Bennet's work 'Olam Hanashamoth.' Before this Bennet had published another book, attacking sympathisers with the French revolution. His friends desired that he should take Anglican orders, but he preferred a settlement among his own countrymen, and Archdeacon Markham applied to his brother-in-law, the Earl of Mansfield, who appointed him to the parish of Strathmiglo in Fife, where he died, aged 84.

The full titles of Bennet's works, in their chronological order, are: 1. 'A Display of the Spirit and Designs of those who, under pretence of a Reform, aim at the Subversion of the Constitution and Government of this Kingdom. With a Defence of Ecclesiastical Establishments,' Carlisle, 1796. 2. 'Olam Hanashamoth, or a View of the Intermediate State, as it appears in the records of the Old and New Testament, the Apocraphal (sic) Books in heathen authors, and the Greek and Latin Fathers; with Notes,' Carlisle, 1800.

 BENNET, HENRY (fl. 1561), of Calais, published in 1561, at the press of John Awdelay, a volume of translations from the German reformers. The book is divided into two parts; the first contains Philip Melanchthon's life of Luther, Luther's declaration of his doctrine before the Emperor Charles at Worms, and an oration of Melanchthon's at Wittenberg, given in place of his usual 'grammatical' exposition of the Epistle to the Romans, after a short 'intimation' of the news of Luther's death. This part is prefaced by a dedication to Thomas, Lord Wentworth, dated 18 Nov. 1561. The second part has a similar dedication to Lord Mountjoy, dated 'the last of November' 1561, and consists of a life of John Œcolampadius by Wolfangus Faber Capito, an account of his death by Simon Grineus, and a life of Hulderick Zuinglius by Oswald Miconius; the last two are in the form of letters. The two parts were published together. The translations are careful and idiomatic, and the quotations of Œcolampadius from Homer and Euripides are turned into English verse.

 BENNET, HENRY, (1618–1685), member of the Cabal ministry, was the second son of Sir John Bennet, doctor of laws (, Diary, 10 Sept. 1678), and Dorothy Crofts, and grandson of, the ecclesiastic and civilian [q. v.] He was baptised at Little Saxham, Suffolk, in 1618. After having been to school at Westminster, he was sent to Christ Church, and gained there a considerable reputation for scholarship, particularly for skill in English verse (, Athenæ). He was, according to Sheffield (Memoirs), educated for the church, and was to have been ‘parson of Harlington’. In 1643 we find him at Oxford in Lord Digby's employ, when he was sent on various messages from the queen to Ormond in Ireland (, Ormond, iv. 145, ed. 1851). He joined the royal forces as a volunteer, and fought in the skirmish of Andover, where he received a scar on his nose, which was visible throughout his life (, Register, p. 788; Public Intelligencer, No. 42; portrait to vol. i. of Letters). During the war he left England and travelled in France, and afterwards in Italy. Upon the death of the king he returned to France, and in 1654 became secretary to James on the earnest recommendation of Charles, to whom his ‘pleasant and agreeable humour’ (, 397) had made him acceptable. During their residence in Flanders Arlington was entirely in the confidence of the royal family, and in 1658 was sent as Charles's agent to Madrid, where he showed address, especially at the treaty of Fuentarabia, and where he gained both his intimate knowledge of foreign affairs and a formality of manner which was a common subject of ridicule (, p. 899; Mémoires de Grammont, p. 163, ed. 1812). In connection with this it is to be noticed that in his official correspondence he was always extremely nice in his phraseology (Lauderdale Papers, Brit. Mus. Add. MSS. 23119,