Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 25.djvu/71

 Harte to Dr. John Tillotson). Besides this he translated part of Plutarch's 'Morals' ('How a Man may receive Advantage and Profit from his Enemies,' 1691); but his chief work was 'A Treatise of Moral and Intellectual Virtues,' London, 8vo, 1691; 2nd edition, 1722.

[Harwood's Alumni Eton. p. 258; Wood's Athenæ Oxon. (Bliss), iv. 790; Wilmot's Life of Hough, p. 50; Nichols's Anecd, i. 63; Lyte's Hist. Eton College, 251-2; Bloxam's Magd.Coll. and James II (Oxf. Hist. Soc. Publ.) 272.]  HARTE, HENRY HICKMAN (1790–1848), mathematician, son of a solicitor, was born in the county of Limerick, Ireland, in 1790. He obtained a scholarship in 1809, and a fellowship ten years later at Trinity College, Dublin. In 1831 Harte accepted the college living of Cappagh, diocese of Derry, co. Tyrone; and died on Sunday, 5 April 1848, having preached on the same day in his church, where he was also buried. Harte was author of a translation of La Place's 'Système du Monde,' to which work he added 'Mathematical Proofs and Explanatory Remarks,' Dublin, 1830. He also published a translation of Poisson's ' Mécanique, with Notes,' 2 vols. London, 1842, 8vo, and commenced another of La Place's 'Mécanique Céleste.'

[Matriculation Book, Trin. Coll., Dublin; Derry Dioc. Reg.; information from Dean Byrne, his successor at Cappagh.]  HARTE, WALTER (1709–1774), miscellaneous writer, was son of Walter Harte, who, a former fellow of Pembroke College, Oxford, was, at the time of the revolution, vicar of St. Mary's, Taunton, prebendary of Wells, and canon of Bristol, but as a nonjuror lost all preferments, and died at Kintbury in Berkshire on 10 Feb. 1736. The son was born in 1709, and was educated at Marlborough grammar school and St. Mary Hall, Oxford, where he matriculated, as 'son of Walter Harte of Chipping Norton, Oxon., clerk,' on 22 July 1724, aged 15. He proceeded B.A. in 1728, and M.A. on 21 Jan. 1731. He published by subscription 'Poems on several Occasions,' London, printed for Bernard Lintot, 8vo, 1727. The volume is dedicated to the Earl of Peterborough, and several pieces in it to different persons. Copies are occasionally found with the date of 1739, and the name of John Cecil instead of Lintot on the title; but this probably was a remainder bought at Lintot's sale (Lintot died in 1737), and reissued with a new title-page. At p. 99 are some eulogistic lines to Pope, which are found prefixed to many editions of the poet's works, and a quotation from them among the testimonies of authors before the 'Dunciad.' Whether or not Pope knew Harte before the publication of the poems (from his subscribing for four copies it is presumed he did), it is certain that they subsequently became great friends. In 1730 appeared Harte's 'Essay on Satire, particularly the Dunciad' (inverse), 8vo. Pope, writing of it to Caryll, 6 Feb. 1731, says that it is 'writ by Mr. Harte of Oxford, a very valuable young man, but it compliments me too much.' Mr. Elwin observes, 'the praise amounts to adulation.'

In 1735 Harte published, without his name, an 'Essay on Reason,' in folio. Pope writes to Caryll, 8 Feb. 1735: 'There is another piece which I may venture to send you in a post or two, an Essay on Reason, of a serious kind, and the intention of which I think you will not disapprove.' Elwin says: 'It is said Pope revised it. It is a close but tame imitation of the Essay on Man.' Harte in conversation said he had often pressed Pope to write something on the side of revelation, but he used to answer, 'No, no, you have already done it.' On 27 Feb. 1737 he preached a sermon before the university of Oxford on 'The Union and Harmony of Reason, Morality, and Revealed Religion,' which excited great attention, and rapidly ran through five editions. Objection was raised to two passages as savouring of Socinianism, and Harte withdrew them. According to Elwin, Harte was at this time vicar of Gosfield in Essex. In December 1737 Pope writes to Holdsworth (author of the Latin poem 'Muscipula') that Harte had condescended to stand for the poetry professorship in Oxford, and begs Holdsworth's interest in Harte's behalf. Whether Harte stood for the vacancy does not appear. At all events he was not elected. On 9 Jan. 1740 he again preached a sermon before the university on the general fast upon the approach of war. He was now appointed vice-principal of St. Mary Hall, and attained great reputation as a tutor. In 1745, upon the recommendation of Mr. (afterwards Lord) Lyttelton, he was appointed travelling tutor to Mr. Stanhope, the natural son of the Earl of Chesterfield, to whom that nobleman addressed his well-known letters. Lord Chesterfield constantly writes in high terms of Harte. Lord Mahon (afterwards Earl Stanhope) says 'the choice [of Harte as tutor] was not judicious, or at least not successful.' ' Mr. Harte's partiality to Greek and Latin, German law, and Gothic erudition rendered him rather remiss in other points. . . . Harte, long accustomed to college life, was too awkward both in his person and address to he able to familiarise the graces with his young pupil' (, Life of Chesterfield).