pole ‘the “Biographia Britannica” ought to be called the Vindicatio Britannica, for that it was a general panegyric upon everybody’ (cf. Cowper, Works, viii. 320). But in spite of these defects Kippis made a valuable addition to our national biographical literature.
Kippis began his literary career early in life by contributing to the magazines, especially the ‘Gentleman's Magazine.’ Afterwards he became a more constant writer in the ‘Monthly Review.’ He also largely contributed to ‘The Library, or Moral and Critical Magazine,’ which he edited for 1761–2. He laid the foundation of the ‘New Annual Register,’ and suggested the improved plan upon which that work was conducted. The ‘History of Ancient Literature’ and the ‘Review of Modern Books’ were at its first commencement written by him, and continued to 1784. He was also the author of the ‘Review of the Transactions of the Present Reign’ prefixed to the ‘Register’ for 1780, and of the ‘History of Knowledge, Learning, and Taste in Great Britain’ prefixed to the succeeding volumes to the year 1794.
His separate publications are: 1. ‘A Vindication of the Protestant Dissenting Ministers with regard to their late application to Parliament in the matter of Subscription,’ London, 1772 and 1773, 8vo. 2. Life of Sir John Pringle, bart., president of the Royal Society, prefixed to his ‘Six Discourses, delivered on occasion of six annual assignments of Sir Godfrey Copley's medal,’ 1783. 3. ‘Considerations on the Provisional Treaty with America, and the Preliminary Articles of Peace with France and Spain,’ 2nd edit. 1783. 4. ‘Observations on the late Contests in the Royal Society’ [concerning Dr. Hutton], London, 1784, 8vo, published with a view to allaying the animosities which existed in that body. 5. ‘The Life of Captain James Cook,’ London, 1788, 4to, translated into French by J. H. Castéra, 2 vols., Paris, 1789, 8vo. 6. Life of Dr. Nathaniel Lardner, prefixed to the complete edition of his ‘Works,’ 11 vols., 1788. 7. ‘The Life of Anthony Ashley Cooper, first Earl of Shaftesbury,’ privately printed [London, 1790 ?], 4to. The fourth Earl of Shaftesbury originally entrusted the work to Benjamin Martyn, who had free access to the family archives; but after the fourth earl's death in 1771, his son, the fifth earl, considering that Martyn's life was not sufficiently complete for publication, put it into the hands of Dr. Gregory Sharpe, master of the Temple, and afterwards engaged Kippis to revise it and prepare it for the press. An edition was eventually printed, but with the exception of two copies the whole impression was immediately destroyed. One of the extant copies is now in the British Museum. The work afterwards appeared under the title of ‘The Life of the first Earl of Shaftesbury, from original documents in the possession of the family, by Mr. B. Martyn and Dr. Kippis, now first published. Edited by G. Wingrove Cooke, esq.,’ 2 vols., London, 1836, 8vo. 8. Several single discourses, some of which are reprinted in his ‘Sermons on Practical Subjects,’ London, 1791 and 1878, 8vo. 9. ‘An Address delivered at the Interment of Richard Price, D.D., F.R.S.,’ 1791. 10. Life of Dr. Philip Doddridge, prefixed to the seventh edition of his ‘Family Expositor,’ 1792. 11. Life of Job Orton, prefixed to his ‘Exposition of the New Testament,’ 1822. This first appeared as a long note appended to the memoir of Philip Doddridge in the ‘Biographia Britannica,’ 2nd edit. v. 308 seq. Kippis also edited Doddridge's ‘Lectures,’ with a large number of additional references, and assisted in preparing ‘A Collection of Hymns and Psalms for Public and Private Worship,’ 1795, which was extensively used in dissenting chapels, and passed through several editions.
A portrait of Kippis was engraved (1792, folio) by F. Bartolozzi, from a painting by W. Artaud (Bromley, Cat. of Engraved Portraits, p. 364).
[Addit. MSS. 5874 ff. 71, 72, 28104 f. 51, 21553 f. 128; Evans's Cat. of Engraved Portraits, n. 6142; Sermon by John Evans, M.A., being a Tribute of Respect to the Memory of S. Stennett, A. Kippis, and R. Harris, 1795; Gent. Mag. 1795, pt. i. p. 10, pt. ii. pp. 803, 883, 913, 1796, pt. i. p. 5, 1804, pt. i. p. 35; Georgian Era, iii. 545; Brown's Nottinghamshire Worthies, pp. 299–302; Lowndes's Bibl. Man. (Bohn), pp. 205, 1278; Nichols's Illustr. of Lit.; Nichols's Lit. Anecd.; Notes and Queries, 3rd ser. x. 432, xi. 213; Phonetic Journal, xlv. 468; Funeral Sermon by Dr. Abraham Rees, 1795; Rees's Cyclopædia; Wilson's Dissenting Churches, iv. 103–17, 402; Jones's Bunhill Memorials, pp. 136, 140.]
KIPPIST, RICHARD (1812–1882), botanist, was born at Stoke Newington, London, on 11 June 1812. His first experience was gained in the office of Joseph Woods the architect and a distinguished botanist. Kippist travelled with Woods and helped to compile the still useful ‘Tourist's Flora.’ After Woods retired to Lewes in 1830, Kippist entered the service of the Linnean Society, helping to distribute the vast herbarium amassed by Dr. Wallich, until, on the death of David Don the librarian in 1842, he was chosen to succeed him. After two or three years of broken health he retired in
