Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 63.djvu/417

 ‘Dies Dominica,’ on the observance of the Sabbath. In the prefatory address, to ‘the orthodox church of Christ,’ he describes it as his design ‘to benefit chiefly thy natural sons that sojourn in Germany, which I love upon many accounts.’ The volume bears no date nor name of place, but is evidently printed abroad. In the following year the appearance of the ‘Humble Remonstrance’ of [q. v.], bishop of Norwich, gave rise to the memorable controversy in which the author consequently found himself involved with ‘Smectymnuus,’ a name in which the letters T and Y stand for Thomas Young. According to the author of the ‘History of Jesus College,’ Young was the ringleader of the five contributing divines (Shermanni Historia, p. 40). Milton, in his ‘Reason of Church Government,’ rallied to the defence of his old tutor, whose reputation was undoubtedly enhanced by the share he had taken in the above work; for we find that when in 1641 the subject of recruiting and encouraging their ablest divines and preachers came before the general assembly at Edinburgh, the moderator set forth ‘the expediencie of calling home one Mr. Thomas Young from England, the author of the “Dies Dominica” and of the “Smectymnias” for the most part’ (, Letters and Journals, i. 366). In 1643 Young was nominated a member of the assembly of divines at Westminster, and, according to the same authority, he was one of those who ‘reasoned for the divine institution of the office of ruling elder,’ and also ‘took an active part in preparing the portion of the directory for reading of the scriptures and singing of psalms’ (ib. ii. 110, 117–18;, p. 12). About this time he received the appointment of preacher at St. James's, Duke Place, in succession to [q. v.], and in 1644 was made master of Jesus College, Cambridge, in place of the ejected [q. v.] The Earl of Manchester, who appointed him, was present at his installation in the college chapel on 12 April 1644.

Young was, however, unable to accept the Engagement, and was even supposed to be the author of a manifesto, ‘The Humble Proposals of sundry Learned and Pious Divines … concerning the Engagement,’ &c. (London, 1649, 4to). His refusal to comply with the new test was followed by his deprivation of his mastership in 1650. From this time he appears to have lived in retirement at Stowmarket, where he died (28 Nov. 1655) in his fifty-eighth year. He was buried in the parish church by the side of his wife Rebecca, who predeceased him in April 1651. His eldest son Thomas, ‘M.A. and president of Jesus College,’ it is stated in the epitaph, was also interred in the same grave.

His portrait, preserved at the vicarage, represents him preaching; a copy in photozincography is prefixed by Laing to his interesting volume.



YOUNG, THOMAS (1773–1829), physician, physicist, and Egyptologist, the eldest son of Thomas Young of Milverton, by his wife Sarah, daughter of Robert Davis of Minehead, Somerset, was born at Milverton on 13 June 1773. His father owned a considerable amount of property in the neighbourhood, and both parents were members of the Society of Friends.

Up to the age of seven he resided with his grandfather, an admirer of the classics, who encouraged in every way the extraordinary precocity his grandson began to display. At two years of age he could read with fluency, and before he commenced Latin, at six, could repeat from memory Goldsmith's ‘Deserted Village’ and many other poems. At seven he was sent to a ‘miserable boarding-school’ near Bristol, where he was taught nothing. After a year there he returned to Milverton, and read science books borrowed from a neighbour named Kingdon. When nearly nine he was sent to a good school at Compton, Dorset, kept by a Mr. Thompson. There he studied Latin, Greek, mathematics, and natural philosophy, and was taught drawing and turning by one of the ushers, Josiah Jeffrey, a man of great mechanical skill. After four years at this school he returned to Milverton, where he continued his studies, taking up Hebrew, Chaldee, Syriac, and Persian, and began making optical instruments. During this period he displayed great powers of acquisition, and a determination to master difficulties which remained one of his characteristics through life. In 1787, when only fourteen, he became classical tutor to [q. v.], grandson of [q. v.] of Youngsbury, Hertfordshire, and spent the next five years of his life at Youngsbury pursuing his studies and acquiring a thorough knowledge of Latin and Greek, and a considerable acquaintance with Hebrew, Chaldee, Arabic, Syriac, Persian, French, Italian, and Spanish. During this interval, when about sixteen, he was at