Dorothy, granddaughter of Benjamin Furly [q. v.], the friend and correspondent of Locke. He was educated at Hertford school and at Corpus Christi College, Cambridge, where he had as friends and fellow-students the antiquarians Richard Gough and Michael Tyson. He graduated as B.A. in 1757, becoming M.A. and fellow of his college in 1760, and B.D. 1768. Having taken orders, ‘though he was never very orthodox,’ he became in succession curate of Wanstead and of Broomfield and Chignal Smeely in Essex (1760), Lady Camden lecturer at Wakefield (1766), and rector of Boconnoc, Broadoak, and Cherichayes in Cornwall (1770). He died at Boconnoc parsonage on 2 Dec. 1805, his tomb being, by his orders, merely inscribed ‘Fui.’ He was somewhat eccentric, surrounding himself with multifarious pet animals, to whom he was much attached; but his letters show him to have been a man of taste and learning, and a skilful antiquary. These letters are preserved in Nichols's ‘Literary Anecdotes,’ ix. 648–50, and ‘Literary Illustrations,’ v. 280–90, while many of Gough's letters to him are in a volume privately printed at Bruges (1845–50) by his great-nephew, Thomas Ignatius Maria Forster [q. v.], entitled ‘Epistolarium Forsterianum.’ Among his other friends were the poets Mason and Gray.
[Gent. Mag. 1849, xxxii. 431; Nichols's Illustrations, viii. 554; Boase and Courtney's Bibl. Cornub.]
FORSTER, BENJAMIN MEGGOT (1764–1829), man of science, second son of Edward Forster the elder [q. v.] and his wife Susanna, was born in Walbrook, London, 16 Jan. 1764. He was educated with his brothers at Walthamstow, and became a member of the firm of Edward Forster & Sons, Russia merchants, but attended very little to business. During his whole life he was attached to the study of science, especially botany and electricity. He executed many fine drawings of fungi, communicated various species to Sowerby, and in 1820 published, with initials only, ‘An Introduction to the Knowledge of Fungusses,’ 12mo, pp. 20, with two plates. He contributed numerous articles to the ‘Gentleman's Magazine’ under various signatures and on various subjects, and is credited with eight scientific contributions to the ‘Philosophical Magazine’ in the Royal Society's Catalogue. They deal with fungi, the electric column, and atmospheric phenomena. He invented the sliding portfolio, the atmospherical electroscope, and an orrery of perpetual motion, the last being a failure. Ceaseless in his exertions in the cause of humanity, he was one of the earliest advocates of emancipation, and one of the first members of the committee of 1788 against the slave trade. He also joined the societies for the suppression of climbing chimney-sweepers, for diffusing knowledge respecting capital punishments, for affording refuge to the destitute, and for repressing cruelty to animals, he being conscientiously opposed to field sports. He also framed the child-stealing act. He never married, living with his father and mother till their death, when he took a cottage called Scotts, at Hale End, Walthamstow, where he died 8 March 1829.
[Gent. Mag. (1829), xcix. 279; Nichols's Illustrations, viii. 553; Epistolarium Forsterianum, vol. ii. pp. xiii–xv.]
FORSTER, EDWARD, the elder (1730–1812), banker and antiquary, the son of Thomas and brother of Benjamin Forster [q. v.], was born 11 Feb. 1730, and was educated at Felstead school. He then went to Holland to his relative Benjamin Furly, from whom he received the original letters of Locke, afterwards published by his grandson. He married Susanna Furney, a member of an old Somerset family, by whom he left three sons, Thomas Furly [q. v.], Benjamin Meggot [q. v.], and Edward (1765–1849) [q. v.], and a daughter Susanna Dorothy (1757–1822), who married the Rev. J. Dixon, rector of Bincombe, Dorsetshire. In 1764 he settled at Walthamstow, where his leisure was employed in riding in search of scenery and antiquities, in sketching, etching, and writing of occasional verses. In 1774 he published the speeches made by him at the bar of the House of Commons on the linen and Russia trades, his only other publication being ‘Occasional Amusements,’ 12mo, 1809, pp. 87, a volume of verse. He was a member of the Mercers' Company, a director of the London Docks, governor of the Royal Exchange, and, for nearly thirty years, of the Russia Company, in which capacity he gave an annual ministerial dinner. When consulted by Pitt as to a forced paper currency he was offered a baronetcy. He died at Hoe Street, Walthamstow, 20 April 1812. Though neither a sportsman nor a practical naturalist, he was very fond of horses and dogs, and was an ardent lover of nature. Addison, Swift, and Rousseau were his favourite authors, and Gray, Gough, and Tyson were among his personal friends. One of his letters (Epistolarium Forsterianum, i. 205–26) contains a reference to Gray's ‘Elegy’ as early as 1751. Edward Forster is stated (Nichols, Anecdotes, viii. 596) to have been the introducer of bearded wheat from Smyrna. His portrait was painted
