twenty years. Theology was now abandoned, and Renouf devoted an increasing part of his leisure to egyptological study. One of his most notable contributions to egyptology during this period was his 'Elementary Grammar of the Ancient Egyptian Language' (1875, 2nd edit. 1896). With the exception of Dr. Birch's linguistic notes in the second edition of Bunsen's 'Egypt's Place in Universal History' (1867, vol. v.), this was the first ancient Egyptian grammar published in English. In 1879 he delivered the Hibbert lectures, taking for his subject 'The Religion of Ancient Egypt.' The views therein expressed are now to some extent superseded, because Renouf in many ways followed in the footsteps of Professor Max Müller [q. v. Suppl.], and in dealing with Egyptian religion was inclined to lay too much stress upon philological theories and not to pay sufficient attention to the modern developments of anthropological science.
In 1885 Renouf was appointed to succeed Samuel Birch [q. v. Suppl.] as keeper of the Egyptian and Assyrian antiquities in the British Museum. In this position he presided over the publication of the 'Coffin of Amamu' (1890), a work prepared by Birch, and of a facsimile of the well-known papyrus of Ani, which has since been fully edited and translated by his successor in the post of keeper, Dr. Wallis Budge. At the end of 1891 he retired, after having been specially permitted to exceed the ordinary civil service age-limit by four years.
In 1887 Renouf succeeded Sir Charles Newton [q. v. Suppl.] as president of the Society of Biblical Archaeology, to whose 'Transactions' and 'Proceedings' he had made many contributions. In 1892, after his retirement from the British Museum, he commenced the publication in the 'Proceedings' of an elaborate translation of and commentary upon the 'Book of the Dead,' a work left unfinished at the time of his death. In 1896 he was knighted. He died on 14 Oct. 1897.
In 1857 Renouf married Ludovika, daughter of Brentano la Roche of Frankfort.
It is by his egyptological work that Sir Peter Renouf is best known. His temperament was strongly controversial, not to say polemical, yet he rendered lasting service to egyptology, especially in the domain of the language of ancient Egypt, our knowledge of which he greatly helped to place in the position of certainty that it has now attained.
[Obituary notice by W. H. Rylands in Proceedings of the Society of Biblical Archaeology, xix. (1897), pp. 271 ff.; Men of the Time.]
REYNOLDS, HENRY ROBERT (1825–1890), congregational divine, born at Romsey in Hampshire on 26 Feb. 1825, was the grandson of Henry Revell Reynolds [q. v.], and the elder son of John Reynolds (1782–1862), congregational minister, by his second wife, Sarah (d. 1868), daughter of Robert Fletcher of Chester and sister of Joseph Fletcher (1784–1843) [q. v.] Sir John Russell Reynolds [q. v.] was his younger brother. Henry was educated chiefly by his father, and in September 1841 he entered Coward College, London (now incorporated in New College, South Hampstead) to prepare for the ministry. He matriculated at London University in the same year, obtaining the university mathematical scholarship in 1844 and graduating B.A. in 1848. In the same year he was made a fellow of University College, London.
In April 1846 he became pastor of the congregational church at Halstead in Essex, receiving permission to curtail his course at Coward College at the urgent request of the congregation. He was ordained on 16 July 1846. Among his congregation was the future missionary, Matthew Atmore Sherring [q. v.], whose father was one of Reynolds's deacons. In 1849 Reynolds accepted a call to be minister of the East Parade chapel at Leeds, entering on his new duties on 28 March. The ten succeeding years were probably the most strenuous in his life. He took a keen interest in theological controversies of the day, and made an especial study of the writings of Auguste Comte, on whom he published a criticism in the 'British Quarterly Review' in April 1854. In 1855 his health gave way, and the labours of the next five years were diversified by visits to Egypt, Italy, and the south of France, and broken by frequent illness. During this period he and his brother, John Russell Reynolds, wrote a novel dealing with the intellectual and religious questions of the time, which was published anonymously in 1860 with the title 'Yes and No.'
In June 1860 Reynolds accepted the post of president of Cheshunt College, whither he removed in August. Besides fulfilling the duties of principal of the college and pastor of the college chapel and village churches, he was professor of dogmatic theology, ecclesiastical history, and New Testament exegesis. In addition to these he undertook serious literary labours. From 1866 to 1874 he was co-editor with Henry Allon [q. v. Suppl.] of the 'British Quarterly Review,' and from 1877 to 1882 he edited the 'Evangelical Magazine.' In 1870 and 1871 he edited two series of essays on church problems by
