Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 58.djvu/184

 presidency of the Lancashire Independent College, when he was succeeded by (1806–1877) [q. v.] After ministering for a short time to a small congregation at Uxbridge, Middlesex, he retired to St. John's Wood, and occupied himself with literary work, publishing ‘Revolutions in English History’ (1859–63, 3 vols. 8vo; 2nd edit. 1865, 8vo), and taking his part in the nonconformist publications occasioned by the bicentennial of the Uniformity Act of 1662. His tract in reply to George Venables's pamphlet questioning the right of the ejected ministers to a place in the English church bore the title ‘I'll tell you: an Answer to “How did they get there?”’ (1862, 16mo).

In 1867 he accepted a call to a newly formed congregation at Torquay. Scarcely had he removed thither when he was seized with congestion of the brain. He died at Torquay on 15 June 1868, and was buried there. He married (1822) Susanna Ryall of Melcombe Regis, Dorset, and had several children. [q. v.] was his eldest son. His eldest daughter married Dr. Carl Buch, principal of the Government College at Bareilly, Upper India, who was murdered in 1857 at the outbreak of the Indian mutiny.

Vaughan, whose portrait has been engraved, was a man of striking presence and great platform power. Stoughton describes ‘the searching glance from under his knitted brow’ and ‘his lordly bearing,’ which ‘created expectations rarely disappointed.’ He valued nonconformity as a bulwark of evangelical religion, and did real service to his denomination by extending its literary culture. Besides works specified above and single sermons and speeches, he published: He edited in 1866 a folio edition of ‘Paradise Lost,’ with life of Milton.
 * 1) ‘The Christian Warfare,’ 1832, 8vo.
 * 2) ‘Thoughts on the … State of Religious Parties in England,’ 1838, 12mo; 1839, 8vo.
 * 3) ‘Congregationalism … in relation to … Modern Society,’ 1842, 12mo; two editions.
 * 4) ‘The Modern Persecutor Delineated,’ 1842, 16mo (anon.).
 * 5) ‘The Modern Pulpit,’ 1842, 12mo.
 * 6) ‘The Age of Great Cities,’ 1843, 12mo.
 * 7) ‘Popular Education in England,’ 1846, 8vo (enlarged from the ‘British Quarterly’).
 * 8) ‘The Age of Christianity,’ 1849, 12mo; 1853, 8vo.
 * 9) ‘The Credulities of Scepticism,’ 1856, 8vo.
 * 10) ‘English Nonconformity,’ 1862, 12mo.
 * 11) ‘Ritualism in the English Church,’ 1866, 8vo.
 * 12) ‘The Way to Rest,’ 1866, 8vo.
 * 13) ‘The Church and State Question’ [1867], 8vo.
 * 14) ‘The Daily Prayer Book’ [1868], 8vo.



VAUGHAN, ROBERT ALFRED (1823–1857), author of ‘Hours with the Mystics,’ eldest child of (1795–1868) [q. v.], was born at Worcester on 18 March 1823. He was a seven-months child, reared with difficulty, and never robust, though he reached a handsome manhood. His father began his education, and he entered University College school, London, in 1836 at the age of thirteen. Passing on to University College, he graduated at the age of nineteen (1842) B.A. with classical honours, in London University. He wrote verses, drew landscapes, and thought of taking to art as a profession. But his prevailing tastes were literary, and the life of the lettered divine was congenial to his deeply religious temperament. In 1843 he became a student in the Lancashire Independent College, under his father's presidency. Next year he put forth his first publication, ‘The Witch of Endor, and other Poems,’ 1844, 12mo, his desire being ‘to face criticism early.’ His verse shows facility rather than promise. His father set him on reading Origen for an article for the ‘British Quarterly;’ when published (October 1845) it won the commendations of Sir [q. v.] and Sir [q. v.] To the ‘London University Magazine’ he contributed in 1846 a dramatic piece, ‘Edwin and Elgiva.’

Having finished his course in Manchester, and become engaged to be married, he spent a session (1846–7) at the university of Halle, coming under the influence of Julius Müller and Tholuck. At this time his mind was somewhat morbidly introspective. The work of his life, he thought, was to be the production of a series of ecclesiastical dramas to illustrate the history of the church. Tholuck directed him to the study of philosophy, which gave tone to his mind. Between June and October 1847 he travelled in Italy with his father. Early in 1848 he became assistant to [q. v.] at Argyle Chapel, Bath. His preaching was very acceptable to the bulk of the congregation. He expected to be ordained as colleague and successor to Jay, and resigned when difficulties were made about this; his