Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 28.djvu/285

Rh suggested that 'the English clergy lick up the vomit of the Popish Priests,' a remark which evoked many indignant rejoinders. Roger L'Estrange attacked him in his 'Observators,' while Edward Pelling [q. v.], in his 'Apostate Protestant,' London, 1685, compared Hunt's views on the succession with those of Robert Parsons [q. v.], concluding that 'old Father Parsons can never die as long as he hath such an hopeful issue so like him in lineaments and spirits.' Hunt's 'Argument' in the first part of the pamphlet had pleased the king, who by way of reward nominated him lord chief baron of Ireland, but the patent was superseded at the instance of the Duke of York, and this disappointment may have caused the 'peevish postscript.'

In 1681 Hunt was called as a witness for the defence at the trial of Edward Fitzharris [q. v.] He denied any previous knowledge of the prisoner. In 1683 he issued 'A Defence of the Charter and Municipal Rights of the City of London, and the Rights of other Municipal Cities and Towns of England,' 1683, 4to. A long digression is devoted to an attack upon Dryden's play 'The Duke of Guise' and the poet replied in an elaborate 'Vindication,' in which he tauntingly spoke of Hunt as 'my lord chief-baron,' and of Hunt, Shadwell, and Settle together as the 'sputtering triumvirate.' L'Estrange answered Hunt's 'Defense' in a pamphlet entitled 'The Lawyer Outlawed,' alluding to the orders issued for Hunt's arrest upon the appearance of his book, and his consequent flight. Hunt escaped to Holland, where he settled in Utrecht, and died in 1688, just before William of Orange sailed for England. Hunt's other works are: 1. 'The Honours of the Lords Spiritual asserted,' 1679, fol. 2. 'Mr. Emerton's Marriage with Mrs. Bridget Hyde considered; wherein is discoursed the Rights and Nature of Marriage,' London, 1682, 4to. 3 (unprinted).'The Character of Popery. By Thomas Hunt, of Grays Inn, esquire,' a closely written folio, 'transcribed by Jn. Dowley, gent. 1695,' in Brit. Mus. Add. MS. 23619.

[Wood's Athenæ Oxon.ed. Bliss, ii. 73, iv. 82, 83; Luttrell's Diary, i. 247; Cobbett's State Trials, viii. 363; Remarks upon the most Eminent of our Anti-monarchical Authors and their Writings, London, 1699; Dryden's Works, ed. Scott, vii. 127-59; Foster's Admissions to Gray's Inn, p. 255.]  HUNT, THOMAS (1696–1774), orientalist, was born in 1696, and educated at Hart Hall, Oxford, where he graduated M.A. in 1721, B.D. 1743, and D.D. 1744. He was one of the four senior fellows of Hart Hall when it was incorporated as Hertford College. Soon after Sir Isaac Newton's death in 1726, he became tutor in Lord Macclesfield's family. In earlier life Hunt was chiefly occupied with the study of the Old Testament. In 1738 he was appointed Laudian professor of Arabic at Oxford, and in 1747 he became regius professor of Hebrew and canon of the sixth stall in Christ Church Cathedral. Hunt was elected fellow of the Society of Antiquaries in 1757, and a fellow of the Royal Society in 1740. He died at Oxford on 31 Oct. 1774. There is a tablet to his memory in the north aisle of the nave of Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford. He was the intimate friend of Dr. Richard Newton, Dr. Kennicott, and Doddridge. For some years he was also closely associated in his oriental studies with Dr. Gregory Sharpe, and with him prepared an edition of Thomas Hyde's 'Dissertations' [see Hyde, Thomas (1636-1703) (DNB00), D.D., 1636–1703], but a quarrel took place between Sharpe and Hunt before publication in 1767, and Sharpe's name alone appears on the title-page. Hunt was a sound oriental scholar; Duperron wrote slightingly of his abilities in 1762, but was answered in 1771 by William (afterwards Sir William) Jones, who stated that he knew Hunt, and claimed that respect should be paid him.

Hunt's chief works are: 1. 'A Fragment of Hippolytus from two Arabic MSS. in the Bodleian,' printed in vol. iv. of Parker's 'Bibliotheca Biblica,' 1728. 2. 'De Antiquitate, elegantia, utilitate, linguæ Arabicæ,' 1739; his inaugural address as Laudian professor. 3. 'A Dissertation on Proverbs, vii. 22 and 23,' 1743. 4. 'De usu dialectorum orientalium,' 1748; a prefatory discourse to his lectures as regius professor of Hebrew.

In 1746 Hunt issued proposals for publishing a Latin translation of the 'History of Egypt' by Abd Al Latif, and, from Dr. Sharpe's prolegomena to Hyde's works, it would seem that the translation was actually completed. It remained unpublished, however, at Hunt's death, and the subscribers were compensated by receiving the posthumous 'Observations on several Passages in the Book of Proverbs,' 1775, edited from Hunt's papers by Bishop Kennicott.

Hunt also compiled a Latin grammar drawn up for the private use of Lord Macclesfield's sons, which was privately printed about 1730; and edited the complete works of his friend, George Hooper [q. v.], bishop of Bath and Wells, in 1757, fol., reprinted in 1855. Hunt had previously published in 1728 Hooper's 'De Benedictione Gen. 49 coniecturæ,' of which he only printed one hundred copies. In 1760 Hunt, together with Costard, published a second edition of Dr. Thomas Hyde's 'Historia veterum Persarum.' 