Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 58.djvu/373

Vincent ‘Periplus’ was published separately by Vincent in 1809.

‘Gleanings from the Asiatick Researches of the learned Dr. Vincent,’ &c., was privately printed in 1813 by Joseph Thomas Brown. Vincent also contributed notes to Gibbon's ‘Inquiry into the Circumnavigation of Africa,’ and to the ‘Classical Journal’ articles on ‘Ancient Commerce,’ ‘China as known to Classic Authors,’ ‘The Geography of Susiana,’ and ‘Theophilus an African Bishop.’ For the first series of the ‘British Critic,’ conducted by his friend Nares, he wrote several important reviews, and, in connection with the Troad controversy, attacked the views of Jacob Bryant [q. v.], whom he charged with falsifying passages in Diodorus Siculus. Vincent was also a frequent contributor to the ‘Gentleman's Magazine.’

Vincent died at Islip on 21 Dec. 1815, and was buried in St. Benedict's Chapel, Westminster Abbey, where his monument, between those of South and Busby, bears a Latin inscription from his own hand. He married, in 1771, Hannah, fourth daughter of George Wyatt, chief clerk of the vote office, House of Commons. She died on 17 Feb. 1807, leaving issue. There is a mural tablet to her with inscription by her husband in the north transept of the abbey.

Beloe thought Vincent one of the soundest scholars in Europe, an opinion corroborated by Mathias in ‘Pursuits of Literature’ (third dialogue). The dramatist Cumberland also speaks of him in high terms in his ‘Memoirs.’ The poet Cowper made an English translation of some Latin verses written by Vincent, when second master at Westminster, on his predecessor Pierson Lloyd. A French version of Vincent's great work on ancient navigation was made under Bonaparte's sanction by M. Billecoq; and in Germany, where his works were well known, his scholarship was recognised by a degree from Göttingen in 1814. ‘Next to Rennell, and beyond him in some respects,’ says Sir Clements Markham, ‘Vincent was the greatest comparative geographer of his time.’

A three-quarter-length portrait of Vincent by Owen was engraved by Meyer, and prints were executed by Turner and Ackermann. Nares thinks the latter, a stippled engraving executed for his ‘Views of Westminster Abbey,’ the finer of the two. In Neale's ‘Westminster Abbey’ there is also an engraving by J. Stow, from a drawing by G. P. Harding. Another fine portrait is mentioned by Nichols as having been engraved in 1807 from a painting by Howard. A fourth portrait, by Edridge, was engraved by Picart for the second of the two volumes of Vincent's sermons, published respectively in 1817 and 1836.

[The Life of Vincent by Archdeacon Nares, prefixed to vol. i. of his Sermons, originally appeared in the Classical Journal, xiii. 222, xiv. 210. See also Nichols's Lit. Anecd. ix. 126–30, and Lit. Illustr. iii. 766–74, iv. 742 n., vii. 55 n.; Gent. Mag. 1815 ii. 633–4, 1816 i. 83–4; Sargeaunt's Hist. of Westminster School, 1898, pp. 207–14, with portrait after Owen; Welch's Alumni Westmon. pp. 367–9, &c.; Westminster School Reg. ed. Barker and Stenning; Chester's Westminster Abbey Reg.; Stanley's Memorials of Westminster Abbey, pp. 170 n., 238 n., 275; Neale and Brayley's Westminster Abbey, i. 219–226, ii. 15, 152, 205, 267; Mrs. Murray Smith's Annals of Westminster Abbey, pp. 343–5; Evans's Cat. Engr. Portraits; Allibone's Dict. Engl. Lit.; Brit. Mus. Cat.] 

VINER, CHARLES (1678–1756), jurist, son of Charles and Mary Viner of Salisbury, was baptised at the church of St. Thomas, Salisbury, on 3 Nov. 1678. He studied for a time at Oxford, where he matriculated from Hart Hall on 19 Feb. 1694–5. He afterwards resided at Aldershot, Hampshire, and had chambers in the Temple (King's Bench Walk), but was not called to the bar. He devoted half a century of toil to the compilation of ‘A General Abridgment of Law and Equity. Alphabetically digested under proper Titles, with Notes and References to the whole,’ Aldershot, 1742–53, 23 vols. fol. A genuine hobby, the ‘Abridgment’ was printed on paper manufactured under Viner's own direction and stamped with a peculiar watermark. Based on the work of his predecessor, Henry Rolle [q. v.], but built up from all other accessible materials, it is a vast and labyrinthine encyclopædia of legal lore ill arranged and worse digested. Valueless as an authority, it was but an indifferent help to research until the publication of an ‘Alphabetical Index’ by Robert Kelham [q. v.], London, 1758, fol. A second edition of the work, including the index, appeared at London in 1791–4, 24 vols. 8vo, and was followed by a supplement by several hands, entitled ‘An Abridgment of the Modern Determinations in the Courts of Law and Equity,’ London, 1799–1806, 6 vols. 8vo.

Viner died at Aldershot on 5 June 1756. By his will, dated 29 Dec. 1755, he left the remainder copies of the ‘Abridgment’ and his residuary real and personal estate (value about 12,000l.) to the university of Oxford upon trusts to which effect was given by the endowment of the Vinerian common-law chair, scholarships, and fellowships. The