Edward Hawkins
Encyclopedia
Edward Hawkins was an English churchman and academic, a long-serving Provost of Oriel College, Oxford known as a committed opponent of the Oxford Movement
from its beginnings in his college.
in Gloucestershire
and rector of Kelston
in Somerset
. Caesar Henry Hawkins
and Francis Hawkins were his brothers. After passing about four years at a school at Elmore
in Gloucestershire, Edward was sent to Merchant Taylors' School
in February 1801. His father died in 1806 leaving a widow with ten children, and Edward was one of his executors. In June 1807 he was elected to an Andrew exhibition at St John's College, Oxford
, and in 1811 graduated B.A. with a double first class (M.A. 1814, B.D. and D.D. 1828). In 1812 he became tutor of his college, and in 1813 he was elected fellow of Oriel.
With Edward Copleston
, John Davison
, Richard Whately
, and John Keble
among its fellows, Oriel was at this time a distinguished college. Hawkins remained there, first as Fellow and then as Provost, for more than sixty years. Tutor for a few months to Viscount Caulfeild, son of Francis Caulfeild, 2nd Earl of Charlemont
, he was in Paris at the time of Napoleon's escape from Elba in 1815, and left that city on the morning of the day on which Napoleon entered it, 20 March. He was ordained, and in 1819 became tutor of his college. From 1823 to 1828 he was vicar of St. Mary's, Oxford, a college living. There he introduced the Sunday parochial afternoon sermon, made famous under his successor, John Henry Newman. He was select preacher to the university in 1820, 1825, 1829, and 1842, and Whitehall preacher in 1827 and 1828.
On 2 February 1828 Hawkins was elected by the fellows provost of Oriel, in succession to Copleston who had been appointed bishop of Llandaff
. The choice lay between Hawkins and Keble, whose Christian Year had just been published; and Hawkins's election owed much to support from Edward Pusey and Newman, at that time in the college. Newman at this period was close to Hawkins. With the provostship came a canonry at Rochester Cathedral
and the living of Purleigh
in Essex
. From 1847 to 1861 Hawkins was the first Dean Ireland's Professor of the Exegesis of Holy Scripture
at Oxford.
As Provost he was not at ease with the undergraduates, and in his relations with the fellowship was jealous of his authority. In 1831 the three tutors, Newman, Richard Hurrell Froude
, and Robert Wilberforce, wished to make some changes in the tutorial system, but Hawkins blocked them, and the three tutors resigned. He made efforts to take their place by lecturing himself and getting Renn Dickson Hampden
to assist him. but the college seems to have never quite recovered their loss. As a member of the old Hebdomadal Board, dissolved in 1854, Hawkins exercised wider influence in the University. He was at first a reformer, but later resisted all change. He sided with Hampden at the time of his appointment to the Regius Professorship of Divinity in 1836, and opposed the tractarian movement. When, in February 1841, the heads of houses proposed a sentence of condemnation on the Tract 90
, to become notorious, Hawkins was commissioned to draw up the document; and for several years his life was embittered by the struggle with the tractarians.
He was one of the heads of houses who supplied no official information to the university commissioners appointed in 1850; but when, in 1854, a new order of things was established both in the college and the university, he accepted it. In 1874 a vice-provost was on Hawkins's petition to the Visitor (the Crown) appointed at Oriel, and Hawkins, at the age of eighty-five, finally left Oxford. He retired to his house in the precincts at Rochester. He protested in vain in 1875 against the future severance of the canonry at Rochester from the provostship of Oriel, and in 1879 addressed a memorial to the Oxford University commissioners against the abolition at Oriel of the necessity for all the fellows, except three, to be in holy orders. He died, after a few days' illness, on 18 November 1882, within three months of completing his ninety-fourth year, and was buried in the cathedral cemetery at Rochester.
:
Hawkins afterwards treated the same subject more fully in his Bampton lectures
(1840) under the title, An Inquiry into the connected Uses of the principal means of attaining Christian Truth; these being the scriptures and the church, human reason and illuminating grace.
Hawkins edited John Milton
's poetical works, with notes, and Newton's life of the poet, 4 vols. Oxford, 1824. He also published numerous sermons, including
Other works are:
Oxford Movement
The Oxford Movement was a movement of High Church Anglicans, eventually developing into Anglo-Catholicism. The movement, whose members were often associated with the University of Oxford, argued for the reinstatement of lost Christian traditions of faith and their inclusion into Anglican liturgy...
from its beginnings in his college.
Life
He was born at Bath, Somerset, 27 February 1789. He was the eldest child of Edward Hawkins, successively vicar of BisleyBisley
-Places:* Two villages in the United Kingdom:**Bisley, Surrey**Bisley, Gloucestershire*Bisley Ranges is near the Surrey village and is the headquarters of the National Rifle Association, UK -Others:...
in Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire is a county in South West England. The county comprises part of the Cotswold Hills, part of the flat fertile valley of the River Severn, and the entire Forest of Dean....
and rector of Kelston
Kelston
Kelston is a small village and civil parish in Somerset, north west of Bath, and east of Bristol, on the A431 road. It is situated just north of the River Avon, close to the Kelston and Saltford locks...
in Somerset
Somerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
. Caesar Henry Hawkins
Caesar Henry Hawkins
Caesar Henry Hawkins FRS was a British surgeon.-Life:He was the son of the Rev. E. Hawkins and grandson of Sir Cæsar Hawkins, 1st Baronet , Serjeant-Surgeon to George II and George III ; and was brother to Edward Hawkins , Provost of Oriel, Oxford...
and Francis Hawkins were his brothers. After passing about four years at a school at Elmore
Elmore
-Places:United States*Elmore, Alabama*Elmore County, Alabama*Elmore County, Idaho*Elmore, Minnesota*Elmore Township, Minnesota*Elmore, Ohio*Elmore City, Oklahoma*Elmore, Vermont**Lake ElmoreAustralia*Elmore, Victoria, AustraliaUnited Kingdom...
in Gloucestershire, Edward was sent to Merchant Taylors' School
Merchant Taylors' School, Northwood
Merchant Taylors' School is a British independent day school for boys, originally located in the City of London. Since 1933 it has been located at Sandy Lodge in the Three Rivers district of Hertfordshire ....
in February 1801. His father died in 1806 leaving a widow with ten children, and Edward was one of his executors. In June 1807 he was elected to an Andrew exhibition at St John's College, Oxford
St John's College, Oxford
__FORCETOC__St John's College is a constituent college of the University of Oxford, one of the larger Oxford colleges with approximately 390 undergraduates, 200 postgraduates and over 100 academic staff. It was founded by Sir Thomas White, a merchant, in 1555, whose heart is buried in the chapel of...
, and in 1811 graduated B.A. with a double first class (M.A. 1814, B.D. and D.D. 1828). In 1812 he became tutor of his college, and in 1813 he was elected fellow of Oriel.
With Edward Copleston
Edward Copleston
Edward Copleston was an English churchman and academic, Provost of Oriel College, Oxford from 1814 and bishop of Llandaff from 1827.-Life:He was born at Offwell in Devon, and educated at Oxford University....
, John Davison
John Davison
John Michael Davison is a former Canadian cricketer. He was a hard-hitting right-handed batsman in the top or middle order, who bowls right-arm off break...
, Richard Whately
Richard Whately
Richard Whately was an English rhetorician, logician, economist, and theologian who also served as the Church of Ireland Archbishop of Dublin.-Life and times:...
, and John Keble
John Keble
John Keble was an English churchman and poet, one of the leaders of the Oxford Movement, and gave his name to Keble College, Oxford.-Early life:...
among its fellows, Oriel was at this time a distinguished college. Hawkins remained there, first as Fellow and then as Provost, for more than sixty years. Tutor for a few months to Viscount Caulfeild, son of Francis Caulfeild, 2nd Earl of Charlemont
Francis Caulfeild, 2nd Earl of Charlemont
Francis William Caulfeild, 2nd Earl of Charlemont KP, PC , styled Viscount Caulfeild until 1799, was an Irish peer and politician.In 1798 Caulfeild stood for Charlemont and Armagh County...
, he was in Paris at the time of Napoleon's escape from Elba in 1815, and left that city on the morning of the day on which Napoleon entered it, 20 March. He was ordained, and in 1819 became tutor of his college. From 1823 to 1828 he was vicar of St. Mary's, Oxford, a college living. There he introduced the Sunday parochial afternoon sermon, made famous under his successor, John Henry Newman. He was select preacher to the university in 1820, 1825, 1829, and 1842, and Whitehall preacher in 1827 and 1828.
On 2 February 1828 Hawkins was elected by the fellows provost of Oriel, in succession to Copleston who had been appointed bishop of Llandaff
Bishop of Llandaff
The Bishop of Llandaff is the Ordinary of the Church in Wales Diocese of Llandaff.-Area of authority:The diocese covers most of the County of Glamorgan. The Bishop's seat is located in the Cathedral Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul , in the village of Llandaff, just north-west of the City of...
. The choice lay between Hawkins and Keble, whose Christian Year had just been published; and Hawkins's election owed much to support from Edward Pusey and Newman, at that time in the college. Newman at this period was close to Hawkins. With the provostship came a canonry at Rochester Cathedral
Rochester Cathedral
Rochester Cathedral, or the Cathedral Church of Christ and the Blessed Virgin Mary, is a Norman church in Rochester, Kent. The bishopric is second oldest in England after Canterbury...
and the living of Purleigh
Purleigh
Purleigh is a village on the Dengie peninsula about south of Maldon in the English county of Essex. The village is part of the Purleigh ward of the Maldon district.-History:...
in Essex
Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
. From 1847 to 1861 Hawkins was the first Dean Ireland's Professor of the Exegesis of Holy Scripture
Dean Ireland's Professor of the Exegesis of Holy Scripture
The position of Dean Ireland's Professor of the Exegesis of Holy Scripture was established at the University of Oxford in 1847. The professorship was instituted by John Ireland, Dean of Westminster from 1816 until his death in 1842, who acquired considerable riches during his ecclesiastical career...
at Oxford.
As Provost he was not at ease with the undergraduates, and in his relations with the fellowship was jealous of his authority. In 1831 the three tutors, Newman, Richard Hurrell Froude
Richard Hurrell Froude
Richard Hurrell Froude was an Anglican priest and an early leader of the Oxford Movement.-Life:He was the son of Archdeacon R. H...
, and Robert Wilberforce, wished to make some changes in the tutorial system, but Hawkins blocked them, and the three tutors resigned. He made efforts to take their place by lecturing himself and getting Renn Dickson Hampden
Renn Dickson Hampden
Renn Dickson Hampden , was an English Anglican clergyman whose selection as Bishop of Hereford formed a minor cause celebre in Victorian religious controversies.-Biography:...
to assist him. but the college seems to have never quite recovered their loss. As a member of the old Hebdomadal Board, dissolved in 1854, Hawkins exercised wider influence in the University. He was at first a reformer, but later resisted all change. He sided with Hampden at the time of his appointment to the Regius Professorship of Divinity in 1836, and opposed the tractarian movement. When, in February 1841, the heads of houses proposed a sentence of condemnation on the Tract 90
Tract 90
Remarks on Certain Passages in the Thirty-Nine Articles, better known as Tract 90, was a theological pamphlet written by the English theologian and churchman John Henry Newman and published in 1841...
, to become notorious, Hawkins was commissioned to draw up the document; and for several years his life was embittered by the struggle with the tractarians.
He was one of the heads of houses who supplied no official information to the university commissioners appointed in 1850; but when, in 1854, a new order of things was established both in the college and the university, he accepted it. In 1874 a vice-provost was on Hawkins's petition to the Visitor (the Crown) appointed at Oriel, and Hawkins, at the age of eighty-five, finally left Oxford. He retired to his house in the precincts at Rochester. He protested in vain in 1875 against the future severance of the canonry at Rochester from the provostship of Oriel, and in 1879 addressed a memorial to the Oxford University commissioners against the abolition at Oriel of the necessity for all the fellows, except three, to be in holy orders. He died, after a few days' illness, on 18 November 1882, within three months of completing his ninety-fourth year, and was buried in the cathedral cemetery at Rochester.
Works
On 31 May 1818 he preached in the university pulpit a sermon that became well known. The substance of the sermon was published in 1819, and was reprinted by the Christian Knowledge Society in 1889, with the title, A Dissertation upon the Use and Importance of Unauthoritative Tradition. John Henry Newman, who as an undergraduate heard it preached, mentioned it in his Apologia Pro Vita SuaApologia Pro Vita Sua
Apologia Pro Vita Sua is the classic defence by John Henry Newman of his religious opinions, published in 1864 in response to what he saw as an unwarranted attack on him, the Catholic priesthood, and Roman Catholic doctrine by Charles Kingsley. The work quickly became a bestseller and has...
:
Hawkins afterwards treated the same subject more fully in his Bampton lectures
Bampton Lectures
The Bampton Lectures at the University of Oxford, England, were founded by a bequest of John Bampton,. They have taken place since 1780.They were a series of annual lectures; since the turn of the 20th century they have typically been biennial. They continue to concentrate on Christian theological...
(1840) under the title, An Inquiry into the connected Uses of the principal means of attaining Christian Truth; these being the scriptures and the church, human reason and illuminating grace.
Hawkins edited John Milton
John Milton
John Milton was an English poet, polemicist, a scholarly man of letters, and a civil servant for the Commonwealth of England under Oliver Cromwell...
's poetical works, with notes, and Newton's life of the poet, 4 vols. Oxford, 1824. He also published numerous sermons, including
- 'The Duty of Private Judgment,' Oxford, 1838;
- 'The Province of Private Judgment and the Right Conduct of Religious Inquiry,' 1861; and
- 'The Liberty of Private Judgment within the Church of England,' 1863.
Other works are:
- 'Discourses upon some of the Principal Objects and Uses of the Historical Scriptures of the Old Testament,' Oxford, 1833.
- 'A Letter … upon the Oaths, Dispensations, and Subscription to the XXXIX Articles,' &c., 1835.
- 'The Duty and the Means of Promoting Christian Knowledge without Impairing Christian Unity,' London, 1838.
- 'The Apostolical Succession,' London, 1842.
- 'The Nature and Obligation of Apostolic Order,' London, 1842.
- 'Sermons on the Church,' London, 1847.
- 'A Manual for Christians; designed for their Use at any time after Confirmation,' Oxford, 1826, which went through at least seven editions before 1870.
- 'Sermons on Scripture Types and Sacraments,' London, 1851.
- 'The Duty of Moral Courage,' Oxford, 1852.
- 'A Letter … upon the Future Representation of the University of Oxford,' Oxford, 1853.
- 'A Letter … upon a Recent Statute … with Reference to Dissent and Occasional Conformity,' 1855.
- 'Spiritual Destitution at Home,' Oxford, 1860.
- 'Notes upon Subscription, Academical and Clerical,' Oxford, 1864.
- 'Additional Notes on Subscription,' &c., Oxford, 1866.
- 'The Pestilence in its Relation to Divine Providence and Prayer,' London, 1867.