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 by the acting of William Farren and Mrs. Glover, had a run of thirty nights. In 1849 he joined the church of Rome, and became editor of the ‘Catholic Standard,’ a publication which was subsequently purchased by Henry Wilberforce, and re-named the ‘Weekly Register.’ From 1853 to 1855 he edited the ‘Illustrated London Magazine,’ a series of five volumes. He was one of the chief writers on the ‘Standard’ from 1857 to 1860, but some display of religious intolerance on the part of the proprietors led to an abrupt termination of his engagement. Professor John Sherren Brewer [q. v.], who was then conducting the paper, indignant at the treatment of his colleague, at once relinquished his editorship. Knowles was afterwards editor of the ‘London Review,’ but in later years his chief engagement was on the ‘Morning Post,’ until ill-health obliged him to resign his connection with that paper. He edited the ‘Chronicles of John of Oxenedes,’ a manuscript copy of which was found in the Duke of Newcastle's collection; and his edition was published in 1859 in the ‘Rolls Series.’ In 1871 he was engaged under the royal commission on historical manuscripts, and described many valuable collections of family muniments, chiefly belonging to Roman catholic families. Among these were the collections of the Marquis of Bute, the Earl of Denbigh, the Earl of Ashburnham, and Colonel Towneley. He was the author in 1872 of ‘The Life of James Sheridan Knowles,’ an edition of twenty-five copies for private circulation. He died suddenly at 29 North Bank, Regent's Park, London, 28 Jan. 1882, having married on 25 Oct. 1845 Eliza Mary, youngest child of Peter and Elizabeth Crowley of Dublin, and sister of Nicholas Joseph Crowley (1819–1857) [q. v.], painter.

[Athenæum, 4 Feb. 1882, p. 156; Times, 30 Jan. 1882, p. 7; Law Times, 25 Feb. 1882, p. 304; Hist. MSS. Comm. 3rd Rep. 1872, p. 209, and succeeding reports; information from his son, Richard Brinsley Sheridan Knowles, esq.]

 KNOWLES, THOMAS, D.D. (1723–1802), divine, born at Ely in 1723, was son of one of the vergers and master of the works of Ely Cathedral. He received his education in Ely grammar school and Pembroke Hall, Cambridge, where he graduated B.A. in 1743 and M.A. in 1747. He was elected a fellow of his college on 2 March 1748–9. On 10 Jan. 1748 he was instituted to the rectories of Ickworth and Chedburgh, Suffolk. He was also chaplain to Lady Hervey, baroness dowager of Ickworth. In 1752 he had a dispensation to hold with Ickworth the living of Feversham, Cambridgeshire. He was made D.D. by Archbishop Secker in 1753. From about 1771 till his death he was lecturer of St. Mary's, Bury, and on 10 Oct. 1779 he was collated to a prebend at Ely (, Fasti, ed. Hardy, i. 362). In 1791 he became rector of Winston, Suffolk. He died on 6 Oct. 1802, and was buried in his church of Chedburgh. One of his daughters married Benjamin Underwood, rector of Great Barnet, and the other, Eliza, married Sir Edmund Lacon, afterwards baronet.

His principal publications are: 1. ‘The Existence and Attributes of God not demonstrable a priori, in Answer to the Argument of … Dr. Clarke and his Followers, and more particularly to a late Pamphlet, entitled “The Argument a priori, &c., stated and considered,”’ Cambridge, 1746, 8vo. This elicited ‘Some Thoughts concerning the Argument a priori,’ anon., London, 1748, 8vo. 2. ‘The Scripture Doctrine of the Existence and Attributes of God, as manifested by the Works of Creation and Providence. In twelve Sermons.’ With a preface, in answer to the pamphlet, entitled ‘Some Thoughts,’ &c., Cambridge, 1750, 8vo. 3. ‘An Answer to an Essay on Spirit,’ London, 1753, 8vo. 4. ‘Observations on the Divine Mission and Administration of Moses,’ London, 1762, 8vo. 5. ‘A preparatory Discourse on Confirmation,’ 6th edit. Ipswich, 1770, 8vo; 10th edit. Ipswich, 1784, 8vo. 6. ‘Letters between Lord Hervey and Dr. Middleton concerning the Roman Senate. Published from the original manuscripts,’ London, 1778, 4to. 7. ‘The Passion; or a Description of Christ's Sufferings,’ London, 1780, 12mo; 2nd edit. London, 1796, 12mo; a new edit., with additions by the Rev. Henry Hasted, M.A., London, 1830, 8vo. 8. ‘Primitive Christianity,’ London, 1789, 8vo. Capel Lofft wrote ‘Observations’ on the first part of this work, 1789, and James Edward Hamilton published ‘Strictures’ upon it, 1790. 9. ‘Advice to a young Clergyman upon his entering into Priest's Orders. In six Pastoral Letters,’ 2nd edit. London, 1797, 8vo.

[Addit. MSS. 5874 f. 21 b, 19167 f. 13; Hawes and Loder's Framlingham, p. 285; Cat. of the Library of John Holmes, ii. 97; Gent. Mag. 1802 pt. ii. p. 980; Tyms's Hist. of St. Mary's Church, Bury, pp. 131, 132; Nichols's Lit. Illustr. vi. 468.]  KNOWLTON, THOMAS (1692–1782), gardener and botanist, born in 1692, superintended from an early age the botanic garden of Dr. Sherard at Eltham in Kent. In 1728 he entered the service of Richard Boyle, third earl of Burlington [q. v.], at Lanesborough, Yorkshire, and there he appears to have remained for the rest of his