Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 36.djvu/224

 England, to the eternal scandal and reproach of it.'

Marsh was six times a lord justice of Ireland, between 1699 and 1711. In 1703 he was translated to Armagh, where he was as active as ever. He bought up impropriated tithes and restored them to the church, left an endowment of 40l. a year to his cathedral, repaired many parish churches at his own expense, and founded an almshouse at Drogheda for the widows of clergymen. Not the least pleasing thing recorded of him is that he paid over 2,000l. of the debts of Mr. John Jenner of Wildhill in Wiltshire, who had helped him to his fellowship, and thus given him the first lift. He died unmarried in Dublin on 2 Nov. 1713, and was buried in a vault of St. Patrick's Cathedral adjoining his library. The monument suffered from the weather, and was moved into the church. The inscription, a biography in itself, has been printed by Harris. His brother, Epaphroditus, is buried in St. Patrick's.

Swift has left some very severe reflections on. Marsh, though he owed him preferment, and though he could not deny either his learning or his munificence (Works, vol. ii.) Nor was Marsh on very good terms with Archbishop King. The perusal of his 'Diary' makes one think well of him but his ejaculations, and his fondness for recording dreams, savour of superstition. In this he resembles Laud.

Marsh published:
 * 1) 'An Essay touching the Sympathy between Lute or Viol Strings,' printed in Plot's 'Natural History of Oxfordshire,' chap. ii. pp. 200-7, Oxford, 1677.
 * 2) 'Manuductio ad Logicam,' written by Philip du Trieu, Oxford, 1678, 8vo.
 * 3) 'Institutiones Logicæ in usum Juventutis Academiæ Dublinensis,' Dublin, 1681, 16mo. This was long known as 'the provost's logic.'
 * 4) 'Introductory Essay to the Doctrine of Sounds, &c., presented to the Royal Society in Dublin on 12 Nov. 1683.' Printed in the 'Philosophical Transactions,' vol. xiv. No. 156.
 * 5) Charge to the clergy at Cashel at his primary visitation, 27 July 1692.
 * 6) Charge to the clergy of Leinster at his triennial visitation on 1694.

 MARSH, WILLIAM (1775–1864), divine, third son of Colonel Sir Charles Marsh of Reading, by Catherine, daughter of John Case of Bath, was born on 20 July 1775, and educated under Dr. Valpy at Reading. His intention was to enter the army, but the sudden death in his presence of a young man in a ball-room changed the current of his thoughts. He matriculated from St. Edmund Hall, Oxford, on 10 Oct. 1797, graduated B.A. 1801, M.A. 1807, and B.D. and D.D. 1839. At Christmas 1800 he was ordained to the curacy of St. Lawrence, Reading, and was soon known as an impressive preacher of evangelical doctrines. In 1801 Thomas Stonor, father of Thomas, lord Camoys, gave him the chapelry of Nettlebed in Oxfordshire. His father presented him to the united livings of Basildon and Ashampstead in Berkshire in 1802, when he resigned Nettlebed, but retained the curacy of St. Lawrence, which he served gratuitously for many years. The Rev. Charles Simeon paid a first visit to Basildon in 1807, and was from that time a friend and correspondent of Marsh. In 1809, with the consent of his bishop, he became vicar of St. James's, Brighton, but the vicar of Brighton, Dr. R. C. Carr, afterwards bishop of Worcester, refused his assent to this arrangement, and after some months Marsh resigned. Simeon presented him to St. Peter's, Colchester, in 1814. His attention was early called by Simeon to the subject of the conversion of the Jews, and in 1818 he went with him to Holland to inquire into their condition in that country.

Ill-health obliged him in 1829 to leave Colchester, and in October of the same year he accepted the rectory of St. Thomas, Birmingham, where from the frequent subject of his sermons he came to be known as ‘Millennial Marsh.’ Early in 1837 he was appointed principal official and commissary of the royal peculiar of the deanery of Bridgnorth; and in 1839, finally leaving Birmingham, he became incumbent of St. Mary, Leamington. From 1848 he was an honorary canon of Worcester, and from 1860 to his death rector of Beddington, Surrey. Few men preached a greater number of sermons. His conciliatory manners gained him friends among all denominations. He died at Bed-