Charles Merivale
Encyclopedia
The Very Reverend Charles Merivale (8 March 1808 – 27 December 1893) was an English
historian
and churchman, for many years dean of Ely Cathedral. He was one of the main instigators of the Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race which took place at Henley in 1829.
(1770–1844) and Louisa Heath Drury, daughter of Joseph Drury
, headmaster of Harrow
. He was educated at Harrow School under George Butler
from 1818 to 1824, where his chief schoolfriends were Charles Wordsworth
and Richard Chenevix Trench
. He took part in the Eton versus Harrow cricket match
in 1824. In 1824 he was offered a post in the India
n civil service, and went for a short time to Haileybury College, where he did well in Oriental languages. Deciding against an Indian career, he went up to St John's College, Cambridge
in 1826. Among other distinctions he came out as fourth classic in 1830, and in 1833 was elected fellow of St John's. He was a member of the Apostles' Club
, his fellow-members including Tennyson, A. H. Hallam, Monckton Milnes, W. H. Thompson
, Trench and James Spedding
. Merivale was the main protagonist on the Cambridge side in instigating the Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race held at Henley on Thames in 1829. He rowed at 4 in the Cambridge boat in the race which Oxford won.
in 1839. In 1848 he took the college living of Lawford, near Manningtree, in Essex. He was appointed chaplain to the Speaker of the House of Commons
in 1863. In 1869, he declined the professorship of modern history at Cambridge
, but in the same year accepted from Gladstone
the deanery of Ely
, and until his death devoted himself to the best interests of the cathedral, also receiving many honorary academical distinctions.
verses. Merivale as an historian cannot be compared with Edward Gibbon
, but he takes an eminently common-sense and appreciative view. The chief defect of his work, inevitable at the time it was composed, is that he relies on literary gossip rather than on factual evidence. The dean was an elegant scholar, and his rendering of the Hyperion of John Keats
into Latin verse (1862) has received high praise.
Merivale married Judith Mary Sophia Frere, youngest daughter of George Frere in 1850. Their son John Herman Merivale was the first English professor of mining.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
historian
Historian
A historian is a person who studies and writes about the past and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human race; as well as the study of all history in time. If the individual is...
and churchman, for many years dean of Ely Cathedral. He was one of the main instigators of the Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race which took place at Henley in 1829.
Early life
Merivale was the second son of John Herman MerivaleJohn Herman Merivale
John Herman Merivale was an English barrister and man of letters.-Life:He was the only son of John Merivale of Barton Place, Exeter, and Bedford Square, London, by Ann Katencamp or Katenkamp, daughter of a German merchant settled in Exeter, and was born in that city on 5 August 1779...
(1770–1844) and Louisa Heath Drury, daughter of Joseph Drury
Joseph Drury
Joseph Drury was Head Master of Harrow School 1785–1805, and first of a dynasty of Drurys to teach at Harrow.He married Louisa Heath, from whose brother Benjamin Heath, he took over the head mastership of Harrow in 1785. His brother Mark Drury was Second Master at Harrow...
, headmaster of Harrow
Harrow School
Harrow School, commonly known simply as "Harrow", is an English independent school for boys situated in the town of Harrow, in north-west London.. The school is of worldwide renown. There is some evidence that there has been a school on the site since 1243 but the Harrow School we know today was...
. He was educated at Harrow School under George Butler
George Butler (headmaster)
George Butler was an English schoolmaster and divine, headmaster of Harrow School from 1805 to 1829.Son of Weeden Butler , George Butler was educated at the Chelsea school where his father taught and proceeded to Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge, where he graduated senior wrangler in 1794...
from 1818 to 1824, where his chief schoolfriends were Charles Wordsworth
Charles Wordsworth
The Reverend Charles Wordsworth, M.A. was bishop of Bishop of St Andrews, Dunkeld and Dunblane in Scotland. He was a classical scholar, and taught at a public schools in England and Scotland...
and Richard Chenevix Trench
Richard Chenevix Trench
Richard Chenevix Trench was an Anglican archbishop and poet.-Life:He was born at Dublin, in Ireland, son of the Dublin writer Melesina Trench, his elder brother was Francis Chenevix Trench. He went to school at Harrow, and graduated from Trinity College, Cambridge in 1829. In 1830 he visited Spain...
. He took part in the Eton versus Harrow cricket match
Eton v Harrow
The Eton v Harrow cricket match is an annual cricket match between Eton College and Harrow School. It one of the longest-running annual cricket fixtures in the world. It is the last annual school cricket match played at Lord's Cricket Ground...
in 1824. In 1824 he was offered a post in the India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n civil service, and went for a short time to Haileybury College, where he did well in Oriental languages. Deciding against an Indian career, he went up to St John's College, Cambridge
St John's College, Cambridge
St John's College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. The college's alumni include nine Nobel Prize winners, six Prime Ministers, three archbishops, at least two princes, and three Saints....
in 1826. Among other distinctions he came out as fourth classic in 1830, and in 1833 was elected fellow of St John's. He was a member of the Apostles' Club
Cambridge Apostles
The Cambridge Apostles, also known as the Cambridge Conversazione Society, is an intellectual secret society at the University of Cambridge founded in 1820 by George Tomlinson, a Cambridge student who went on to become the first Bishop of Gibraltar....
, his fellow-members including Tennyson, A. H. Hallam, Monckton Milnes, W. H. Thompson
William Hepworth Thompson
William Hepworth Thompson was an English classical scholar and Master of Trinity College, Cambridge.Thompson was born at York and was privately educated in Buckinghamshire before entering Trinity College, Cambridge in 1828. Graduating BA as 4th classic in 1832, he became a fellow of Trinity in 1834...
, Trench and James Spedding
James Spedding
James Spedding was an English author, chiefly known as the editor of the works of Francis Bacon.-Life:He was born in Cumberland, the younger son of a country squire, and was educated at Bury St Edmunds and Trinity College, Cambridge; where he took a second class in the classical tripos, and was...
. Merivale was the main protagonist on the Cambridge side in instigating the Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race held at Henley on Thames in 1829. He rowed at 4 in the Cambridge boat in the race which Oxford won.
Clerical career
Merivale was ordained deacon in 1833 and priest in 1834 and undertook college and university work successfully. He was appointed select preacher at WhitehallWhitehall
Whitehall is a road in Westminster, in London, England. It is the main artery running north from Parliament Square, towards Charing Cross at the southern end of Trafalgar Square...
in 1839. In 1848 he took the college living of Lawford, near Manningtree, in Essex. He was appointed chaplain to the Speaker of the House of Commons
Speaker of the British House of Commons
The Speaker of the House of Commons is the presiding officer of the House of Commons, the United Kingdom's lower chamber of Parliament. The current Speaker is John Bercow, who was elected on 22 June 2009, following the resignation of Michael Martin...
in 1863. In 1869, he declined the professorship of modern history at Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
, but in the same year accepted from Gladstone
William Ewart Gladstone
William Ewart Gladstone FRS FSS was a British Liberal statesman. In a career lasting over sixty years, he served as Prime Minister four separate times , more than any other person. Gladstone was also Britain's oldest Prime Minister, 84 years old when he resigned for the last time...
the deanery of Ely
Dean of Ely
The position of Dean of Ely Cathedral, in East Anglia, England, was created at the time of the Dissolution of the Monasteries. The first Dean of Ely had been the last Benedictine prior of Ely.-List of Deans:*1541-1557 Robert Steward or Welles...
, and until his death devoted himself to the best interests of the cathedral, also receiving many honorary academical distinctions.
Historical work
His principal work was A History of the Romans under the Empire, in seven volumes, which came out between 1850 and 1862. He wrote several smaller historical works, and published sermons, lectures and LatinLatin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
verses. Merivale as an historian cannot be compared with Edward Gibbon
Edward Gibbon
Edward Gibbon was an English historian and Member of Parliament...
, but he takes an eminently common-sense and appreciative view. The chief defect of his work, inevitable at the time it was composed, is that he relies on literary gossip rather than on factual evidence. The dean was an elegant scholar, and his rendering of the Hyperion of John Keats
John Keats
John Keats was an English Romantic poet. Along with Lord Byron and Percy Bysshe Shelley, he was one of the key figures in the second generation of the Romantic movement, despite the fact that his work had been in publication for only four years before his death.Although his poems were not...
into Latin verse (1862) has received high praise.
Personal life
Merivale died at Ely at the age of 85.Merivale married Judith Mary Sophia Frere, youngest daughter of George Frere in 1850. Their son John Herman Merivale was the first English professor of mining.
See also
- List of Cambridge University Boat Race crews
- English translations of Homer: Charles Merivale