Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 54.djvu/240

 STEVENS, WILLIAM (1732–1807), biographer and editor of the works of Jones of Nayland, born in the parish of St. Saviour's, Southwark, on 2 March 1732, was son of a tradesman. His mother was sister of the Rev. Samuel Horne of Otham, Kent. He was educated at Maidstone with his cousin, [q. v.], afterwards bishop of Norwich. In August 1746 he was apprenticed to a hosier in Old Broad Street, named Hookham, whose partner he afterwards became. Hookham's daughter married [q. v.], and was mother of [q. v.] After Hookham's death Stevens became the senior partner, but in 1801 he gave up a large share of his interest in the business, and a few years later retired altogether.

From the first Stevens devoted his leisure to literary studies, and soon acquired a good knowledge of French, Hebrew, and the classics. His chief study was theology. He kept up a constant correspondence with Bishop Horne, to whom he suggested the plan of his ‘Letters on Infidelity,’ which, when published, were dedicated to him. On Horne's death, Stevens published three volumes of his sermons, and supplied [q. v.] of Nayland with materials for his life. In 1772 Stevens made his first public appearance as a writer with ‘A new and faithful Translation of Letters from M. l'Abbé de ——, Hebrew Professor in the University of ——, to the Rev. [q. v.] ’. In this anonymous brochure he followed up Horne's attack upon Kennicott's project of a revised Hebrew text of the Old Testament. In the next year he published, in opposition to the recent effort to get rid of subscription to the thirty-nine articles, ‘An Essay on the Nature and Constitution of the Christian Church, wherein are set forth the form of its government, the extent of its powers, and the limits of our obedience, by a Layman.’ A new edition of Stevens's ‘Essay’ appeared in 1799, and it was reissued by the S.P.C.K. in vol. iv. of their ‘Religious Tracts’ in 1800, in 1807, and in 1833. In 1776 he published ‘A Discourse on the English Revolution, extracted from a late eminent writer, and applied to the present time;’ and in the following year attacked [q. v.], then regius professor of divinity at Cambridge, in ‘Strictures on a Sermon entitled the Principles of the Revolution vindicated.’ [q. v.] described Stevens as ‘a tory of the old Filmer stamp’ (, Lit. Illustrations, i. 160–1).

Stevens identified himself with that section of churchmen who acknowledged William Jones of Nayland as their leader, and formed a link between the nonjurors and the Oxford tractarians. He joined with Jones and others in forming a ‘Society for the Reformation of Principles,’ to counteract the influence of the French revolution. The society published a collection of tracts for the younger clergy, and originated the ‘British Critic.’ In 1795 Jones dedicated to Stevens his ‘Life of Bishop Horne.’ In 1800, in a ‘Review of the Review of a new Preface to the Second Edition of Mr. Jones's Life of Bishop Horne,’ Stevens defended his cousin from an attack in the ‘British Critic.’ It was signed ‘Ain’ (Hebrew for ‘Nobody’), and suggested the title of a collection of Stevens's pamphlets issued in 1805 as ‘Oudenos erga, Nobody's Works.’ A club was also founded in his honour under this name about 1800. It met three times a year. Sir [q. v.] was the first president, and it contained many well-known clergymen, barristers, and doctors. It still flourishes under the name ‘Nobody's Friends.’

Stevens's last publication was his edition of Jones's works published in 1801 in twelve octavo volumes. Prefixed to it was a life of Jones after the manner of Izaak Walton (part of this had appeared in the ‘Anti-Jacobin Review’).

Stevens acted for many years as treasurer of Queen Anne's Bounty, liberally aided the work of the chief church societies, and actively interested himself in improving the position of the episcopal church in Scotland. Numberless instances of his benevolence are given by his biographer. Stevens died on 7 Feb. 1807 at his house in Old Broad Street, and was buried in Otham churchyard. He left the bulk of his property to his cousin, William Horne, the rector of Otham.



STEVENS, WILLIAM BAGSHAW (1756–1800), poet, son of William Stevens, apothecary and surgeon, of Abingdon,