Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Darrell, William
DARRELL, WILLIAM (1651–1721), jesuit, was probably the only son of Thomas Darrell, esq., of Scotney Castle, Sussex, by his second wife, Thomassine Marcham (Foley, Records, iii. 477, and pedigree). He was born in Buckinghamshire in 1651, entered the Society of Jesus on 7 Sept. 1671, and was professed of the four vows, 25 March 1689 (ib. vii. pt. i. p. 196). In 1696 he was procurator of the province in Paris. He was prefect of studies in the college at St. Omer in 1696, and subsequently filled the same office at Liège (1699–1700). He was also professor of casuistry at Liège, and rector of the college from 17 Nov. 1708 to 29 Jan. 1711–12. In 1712 he again became procurator of the province in Paris. He died in the college of St. Omer on 28 Feb. 1720–1.
His works are: 1. ‘A Letter on King James the Second's most gracious Letters of Indulgence,’ 1687, 4to. 2. ‘The Lay-man's Opinion, sent in a Private Letter to a considerable Divine of the Church of England. By W. D.,’ 1687, 8vo (Jones, Popery Tracts, i. 77). 3. ‘A Letter to a Lady, wherein he desires a conference with the gentleman who writ her a letter, furnishing her with Scripture testimonies against the principal points and doctrines of Popery’ [London, 1688], sm. sh. fol. (ib. ii. 318). 4. ‘The Vanity of Human Respects,’ a sermon, 1688, 4to (ib. ii. 454). 5. ‘A Vindication of St. Ignatius (founder of the Society of Jesus) from Phanaticism, and of the Jesuites from the Calumnies laid to their charge in a late book [by Henry Wharton] entitul'd the Enthusiasm of the Church of Rome,’ London, 1688, 4to. 6. ‘Discourses of Cleander and Eudoxus upon the Provincial Letters,’ translated from the French of Père Daniel, London, 1701 and 1704, 8vo. 7. ‘Theses Theologicæ,’ Liège, 1702, 4to. 8. ‘The Gentleman Instructed in the conduct of a Virtuous and Happy Life. Written for the Instruction of a young Nobleman: to which is added A Word to the Ladies, by way of supplement,’ 10th edition, London, 1732, 8vo. This work, which first appeared probably in 1708, has been translated into Hungarian and Italian. 9. ‘Moral Reflexions on the Epistles and Gospels,’ 4 vols. London, 1711, 12mo, frequently reprinted. 10. ‘The Case reviewed; or an Answer to the Case stated by Mr. L——y. In which it is clearly shewed that he has stated the Case wrong between the Church of Rome and the Church of England,’ 2nd edition, London, 1717, 12mo. This was in reply to Dr. Charles Leslie's ‘Case stated between the Church of Rome and the Church of England,’ 1711, reprinted 1848. Darrell's answer passed through at least three editions. 11. ‘Treatise of the Real Presence, in answer to the author of the Case stated,’ 2 parts, London, 1721, 12mo. It appears to have been reprinted in 1724, and embodies a refutation of Archbishop Ussher's ‘Answer to a Challenge of a Jesuit [W. Malone] in Ireland,’ Dublin, 1624, 4to.
[Authorities cited above; also Dodd's Church Hist. iii. 494; Gillow's Bibl. Dict. ii. 17; Cat. of Printed Books in Brit. Mus.; Backer's Bibl. des Écrivains de la Compagnie de Jésus (1869), i. 1526.]