In that entertaining work the "Bibliomania," Dr. Dibdin, whilst expressing an earnest wish for the publication of a "Catalogue Raisonnè of the MSS. and printed Books in the Bodleian Library,' thus notices Mr. Price: "I am aware that the aged hands of the present venerable Librarian of the Bodleian Library can do little more than lay the foundation-stone of such a massive superstructure; but even that would be sufficient to enrol his name with the Magliabeechis and Baillets of former times, to entitle him to be classed among the best benefactors to the Library, and to shake hands with its immortal Founder in that place were are et amœna vireta Fortunatorum nemorum, sedesque beatæ *." JOHN DISNEY, D.D. F.S.A. John Disney, D. D. F.S. A. was born at Lincoln, Sept. 17, 1746, the third and youngest surviving son of John Disney, Esq. of Swinderby (descended from a family of high antiquity + at Norton Disney) * Bibliomania, p. 100. † See a particularly full pedigree of the family, compiled by John Charles Brooke, Somerset Herald, printed in the History of Dorsetshire, vol. IV. pp. 389-398. At Swinderby is the following epitaph to Dr. Disney's father: "In memory of John Disney, of Lincoln, Esq. High Sheriff of the County of Nottingham (7th Geo. II. 1733) and in the Commission of the Peace for the Counties of Lincoln and Nottingham, who died Nov. 26, 1771, aged 71 years. He married, Dec. 29th, 1730, Frances, youngest daughter of George Cartwright, of Ossington, in the County of Nottingham, Esq. by whom he had three surviving sons: 1. Lewis Disney Ffytche, of Danbury-place, in the county of Essex, Esq. who married Elizabeth, only daughter of William Ffytche, Esq. Governor of Bengal in the East Indies, and heir of her uncle Thomas Ffytche, of Danbury-place, Esq.; 2. in Lincolnshire, by Frances, daughter of George Cartwright, of Ossington in Nottinghamshire, Esq. His grandfather, the Rev. John Disney, Vicar of St. Mary's, Nottingham, was the author of an "Essay on the Laws against Immorality and Profaneness, and several other works*. Dr. Disney was educated at Peter-house, Cambridge, where he took the degree of LL.B. in 1770. He was presented by his family to the Vicarage of Swinderby, and by his brother-in-law Edmund Turnor, Esq. to the Rectory of Panton in Lincolnshire; and was Chaplain to Dr. Edmund Law, Bishop of Carlisle (who had been Master of Peterhouse). But these preferments he relinquished in 1782 †, having adopted the opinions of the Unitarian dissenters. He became assistant minister to the Rev. Theophilus Lindsey at the Unitarian Chapel in Essex-street, London; and in 1793 his successor. In September 1804, Dr. Disney, on the death of Thomas Brand Hollis, Esq. unexpectedly found himself in possession of the large property of that gentleman; who bequeathed, without annexing any condition, all his real and personal estates, as well those in Essex, which he inherited from his father, as those in Dorsetshire, which he received from his friend Thomas Hollis, Esq. "to Dr. John Disney, of Sloane-street, Knightsbridge, near London, his Frederick Disney, Esq. Major in the army, who died June 15th, 1788, aged 16 years; and 3. John Disney, D.D. F.S.A. some time Vicar of this parish, who married Jane, eldest daughter of the Rev. Francis Blackburne, M. A. Rector of Richmond, and Archdeacon of Cleveland in the county of York; also one surviving daughter, Mary, who married Edmund Turnor, of Panton in the county of Lincoln, Esq. Frances Disney, widow of the said John Disney, Esq. died at Lincoln January 5, 1791, aged 81 years." See a list of them, with memoir of him, in Malcolm's "Letters to and from Granger; with other communications of Dr. Disney, they occupy pp. 195-210 of that work. + See a particular account of this change in the " Literary heirs, executors, and administrators, to his and their sole use and benefit *." Dr. Disney soon after removed to Mr. Hollis's mansion, the Hyde, in the parish of Ingatestone, Essex, where he died, aged 70, Dec. 26, 1816. The following is a list of Dr. Disney's numerous publications: "Animadversions on Dr. Rutherforth," an octavo tract, 1768. "Four Sermons, on Christmas Day. 1771," Svo (afterwards re-published in his two volumes of Sermons). "Sermon on Psalm xcvi. 9. 1773." "Loose Hints on Nonconformity, 1773." "Letter to the Archbishop of Canterbury, 1774." "Rational Christian's Assistant, 1774." "Remarks on Dr. Balguy's Consecration Sermon, 1775." "Short View of Confessional and Clerical Petition Controversies, 1775.' "Thoughts on Licensing Alehouses, 1776." "Visitation Sermon, on Romans, ch. xiv. 5. 1777," 4to. * "In the disposition of his fortune," remarks Dr. Disney in his Memoirs of his benefactor, "Mr. Brand Hollis might seem, as it were, to have adopted the precedent of his friend Thomas Hollis, Esq. The date of his will (Nov. 2, 1792) was nearly twelve years before his decease. On no one occasion, and in no one instance of our confidential or familiar conversation, either in London or at the Hyde, during my repeated visits there, did he give the slightest intimation of his partial intention, or drop one unguarded expression leading that way. So lately as September 1802, he presented to me a sleeping cupid, by Algardi, upon his indirectly learning from another person that I much admired it; but this marble was the only memorial that he had given me in his life-time. Since his death, I have sometimes thought that I could call to my remembrance some faint traces of his great watchfulness over himself in this practised reserve; and I can with pleasure bring to my recollection some marked evidences of his regard: but these in no degree amounted to tokens of friendship so unbounded; and which he intended to confirm by so magnificent and splendid a bequest." "Remarks on Bishop Hurd's Charge, 1777." "A Spirit of Industry Recommended; a Ser- "Reasons for quitting the Church of England, 1783," 8vo *. "Dialogue between a common Unitarian Christian and an Athanasian, 1784," 12mo. "Memoirs of the Life and Writings of Arthur Ashley Sykes, D.D. 1785 +," 8vo. "The Works, Theological, Medical, Political, and Miscellaneous, of John Jebb, M.D. F.R.S. with Memoirs of the Life of the Author, 1787," 3 vols. 8vo. "Discourses on various Subjects, to which are added, Considerations on Pluralities, by the Rev. Sam. Disney §, LL.D. late Vicar of Halstead, Essex, 1788," 8vo. "A Friendly Dialogue, between a common Uni- * There was published in animadversion of this : "Socinian See the "Literary Anecdotes," vol. I. p. 572. The Rev. Samuel Disney was Dr. Disney's first cousin, being the only surviving son of the Rev. Samuel Disney, Fellow of Corpus Christi college, Cambridge, (where he proceeded B. A. 1727, M. A. 1731, and who died Lecturer of Wakefield in Yorkshire, July 22, 1741,) by Margery, youngest daughter of Francis Procter, Esq. of Thorpe-on-the-Hill, co. York. The son was of Clare hall, Cambridge, LL. B. 1761, and was presented to the Vicarage of Halstead in Essex in 1768. He died at Halstead July 10, 1786, aged 48; he having married August 1, 1767, Anne, eldest daughter of the Right Rev. Christopher Wilson, D. D. Bishop of Bristol, by Anne, youngest daughter of the Right Rev. Edmund Gibson, Bishop of London. She was born in Fulham Palace, Sept. 14, 1745, and dying May 8, 1785, was buried in Bishop Gibson's vault there. They had no family. 1 Dialogue, between Eugenius and Theophilus, on the same subject, 1788," 8vo.* "Address to the Bishops, 1790." "Observations on the Homilies, 1790." 66 Arranged Catalogue of Publications on Toleration, Corporation, and Test Acts, 1790," 8vo. "Letters to the Students of Divinity in the Diocese of Chester, 1790," Svo. "A Defence of Public or Social Worship, in Answer to Gilbert Wakefield and Paine's Age of Reason, a Sermon, 1792 +," Svo. "Memoirs of the Life and Writings of John Jortin, D.D. 1792," 8vo. "A Vindication of the Apostle Paul from the charge of Sedition; a Sermon, 1792," Svo. "The Book of Common Prayer Reformed, for the Use of Unitarian Congregations, 1792;" second edition, with a Collection of Hymns, 1802. "Letters to Vicesimus Knox, D.D. occasioned by his Reflections on Unitarian Christians, in his Advertisement to a volume of Sermons, 1792," Svo. "The Progressive Improvement of Civil Liberty; a Sermon preached in Essex-street, on Sunday, Nov. 4, 1792, the Anniversary of the Revolution 1688 ||." "Sermons, 1793," 2 vols. 8vo. and two more, 1816. "The Reciprocal Duty of a Christian Minister and a Christian Congregation; a Sermon, 1793," Svo. "A Caution to Young Persons against Infidelity; a Sermon, 1796," 8vo. The Duty of Perseverance in Well-doing, 1796," 8vo. This publication is reviewed in the Gentleman's Magazine, vol. LVIII. p. 620.-The first dialogue was by the Rev. Dr. Hopkins, the second by Dr. Disney. † See the Gentleman's Magazine, vol. LXII. p. 242. See the "Literary Anecdotes," vol. II. p. 575; and Gent. Mag vol. LXII. p. 935. § In reply was published, "Free Remarks occasioned by the Letters of John Disney, D. D. to Vicesimus Knox, D. D. By Henry Barry Peacock." See Gent. Mag. vol. LXII. p. 933. || Reviewed in the Gentleman's Magazine, vol. LXIII. p. 546. |