Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Robinson, John (1774-1840)
ROBINSON, JOHN, D.D. (1774–1840), scholar, born of humble parentage at Temple Sowerby, Westmoreland, on 4 Jan. 1774, was educated at the grammar school, Penrith, and at Christ's College, Cambridge, where he was admitted a sizar 1 Jan. 1807. He was master of the grammar school, Ravenstonedale, Westmoreland, from 1795 to 1818, perpetual curate of Ravenstonedale from 25 June 1813 to 1833, and rector from 31 July 1818 of Clifton, and from 12 Aug. 1833 of Cliburn, both in Westmoreland, until his death on 4 Dec. 1840. He was author of several scholastic works, and is described on the title-pages, from 1807 as of Christ's College, Cambridge, of which, however, he was not a graduate, and from 1815 as D.D. His works, all of which were published at London, are as follows: 1. ‘An Easy Grammar of History, Ancient and Modern,’ 1806, 12mo; new edition, enlarged by John Tillotson, with the title ‘A Grammar of History, Ancient and Modern,’ 1855, 12mo. 2. ‘Modern History, for the use of Schools,’ 1807, 8vo. 3. ‘Archæologia Græca,’ 1807, 8vo; 2nd edit. 1827. 4. ‘A Theological, Biblical, Ecclesiastical Dictionary,’ 1815, 8vo; 3rd edit. 1835. 5. ‘Ancient History: exhibiting a Summary View of the Rise, Progress, Revolutions, Decline, and Fall of the States and Nations of Antiquity,’ 1831, 8vo (expanded from the ‘Easy Grammar’). 6. ‘Universal Modern History: exhibiting the Rise, Progress, and Revolutions of various Nations from the Age of Mahomet to the Present Time,’ 1839, 8vo (expanded from the ‘Modern History for the use of Schools’).
Robinson also compiled a ‘Guide to the Lakes in Cumberland, Westmoreland, and Lancashire, illustrated with Twenty Views of Local Scenery and a Travelling Map of the Adjacent Country,’ 1819, 8vo; and contributed the letterpress to an unfinished series of ‘Views of the Lakes in the North of England, from Original Paintings by the most Eminent Artists,’ 1833, 4to. His ‘Ancient History’ forms the basis of Francis Young's ‘Ancient History: a Synopsis of the Rise, Progress, Decline, and Fall of the States and Nations of Antiquity,’ London, 1873, 4 vols. 8vo.
[Gent. Mag. 1841, i. 320; Foster's Index Eccles.; Whellan's Cumberland and Westmoreland, pp. 766, 790, 791; Biographical Dict. of Living Authors, (1816); Allibone's Dict. of Engl. Lit.]Dictionary of National Biography, Errata (1904), p.237
N.B.— f.e. stands for from end and l.l. for last line
| Page | Col. | Line | |
| 28 | i | 10 f.e. | Robinson, John (1774-1840): after Penrith, insert and at Christ's College, Cambridge, where he was admitted a sizar on 1 Jan. 1807, |