Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 36.djvu/321

 the book, when completed, did not satisfy the earl. It is evident that Martyn had no knowledge of history and no capacity for writing it. After his death the manuscript was revised in 1766 by Dr. G. Sharpe, master of the Temple, and again in 1771 by Dr. Andrew Kippis, and the work was privately printed in 4to about 1790. The book was deemed so unsatisfactory that nearly the whole impression was destroyed. One copy exists at Wimborne St. Giles, Dorset; another is in the British Museum; a third, having found its way into the hands of Mr. Bentley, the publisher, was edited in 1836 by [q. v.], but the editor's notes and additions increased the stock of errors about Shaftesbury (, Life of Lord Shaftesbury, Pref. p. xvi).

Martyn wrote a tragedy called ‘Timoleon,’ in which he may have had some help from Pope, who admired the subject (Works, ed. Elwin, i. 197, 212). It was brought out at Drury Lane on 26 Jan. 1729–30, and acted fourteen times with success (, Hist. of the Stage, iii. 252). On the first night the author's friends were so very zealous in expressing their approbation that ‘not a scene was drawn without a clap, the very candle-snuffers received their share of approbation, and a couch made its entrance with universal applause’ (, Harlequin Horace). The play, though frequently obscene and wanting in incident, is in some parts well written, the ‘strokes on the subject of liberty,’ which elicited the loudest applause, being probably contributed by Pope. The ghost scene in the fourth act was made up from the chamber scene in ‘Hamlet’ and the banquet scene in ‘Macbeth.’ In dedicating the handsomely printed edition (8vo, 1730) to George II, Martyn states that in the third act he has ‘endeavoured to copy from his majesty the virtues of a king who is a blessing to his people.’ Another edition was published during the same year with some additions.

Martyn wrote also ‘Reasons for establishing the Colony of Georgia, with regard to the Trade of Great Britain … With some Account of the Country, and the Design of the Trustees,’ 4to, London, 1733 (two editions).

Martyn's letters to his friend Dr. Thomas Birch, extending from 1737 to 1760, are contained in Additional (Birch) MS. 4313, in the British Museum.



MARTYN, ELIZABETH (1813–1846), Scottish vocalist. [See .]

MARTYN, FRANCIS (1782–1838), Roman catholic divine, born in Norfolk in February 1782, was sent to Sedgley Park school at the age of eight, and in 1796 was removed to St. Mary's College, Oscott. In 1805 he was ordained priest by Bishop Milner at Wolverhampton. It is stated that he was the first priest who went through his course of studies solely in England since the Reformation (Oscotian, new ser. iv. 17, 272). After being stationed for a short time at Brailes, Warwickshire, he was appointed to the mission of Louth, Lincolnshire. Subsequently he served the mission at Bloxwich, Staffordshire, and finally, in 1827, removed to Walsall, where he died on 18 July 1838. The Hon. and Rev. George Spencer preached the funeral sermon, which was printed (Birmingham, 1838, 8vo), with a memoir by the Rev. Robert Richmond.

A portrait of Martyn was engraved by Holl.

His chief works are:
 * 1) 'Homilies on the Book of Tobias, being a detailed History and familiar Explication of the Virtues of that Holy Servant of God,' York, 1817, 8vo.
 * 2) 'A Series of Lectures on the Sacrament and Sacrifice of the Holy Eucharist,' London [1827?]. He was a frequent contributor to the 'Orthodox Journal.'



MARTYN, HENRY (1781–1812), missionary, was born at Truro on 18 Feb. 1781. His father, John Martyn, had originally been a working miner in the Gwennap mines, Cornwall, but became by his own energy head clerk in the office of a Truro merchant. Henry, a delicate, consumptive boy, was at times subject to sudden outbursts of passion. At midsummer 1788 he was sent to Truro grammar school, and in October 1797, after failing to obtain a scholarship at Corpus Christi College, Oxford, entered St. John's College, Cambridge, where in 1801 he graduated B.A. as senior wrangler and first Smith's prizeman, though he had at first evinced a distaste for mathematics. On 5 April 1802 he was elected fellow of his college, and during the same year won as a middle bachelor the members' prize for a Latin essay. He at first intended to become a barrister, but Charles Simeon's remarks on the good done in India by the missionary, [q. v.], and the perusal of the life of [q. v.], led him to qualify himself for similar work. On 22 Oct-