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NINETEEN LETTERS (A.D. 1704-1710-1) FROM
THE REV WM. DERHAM, D.D., RECTOR OF
UPMINSTER, TO DACRE BARRETT, OF
BELHUS, ESSEX.
With Plates XVI. and XVII.
Communicated, with Notes, by Thomas Barrett-Lennard,
m.a., j.p., &c.
[Read 30th November 1912.]
THE Rev. Dr. Derham, by whom the following letters
were written, was born in Worcestershire in 1657,
and died at Upminster in 1735. He took his degree at
Trinity College, Oxford, and became private chaplain to
the Dowager Lady Grey of Werke. In 1682 he was presented
to the living of Wargrave, and in 1689 to that of Upminster,
Essex. He became a Chaplain to the Prince of Wales, after-
wards George II., and in 1716 was appointed a Canon of Windsor.
He was elected a member of the Royal Society in 1702, and was
a voluminous writer on scientific and theological subjects.
The titles of two of his chief works were respectively Physico-
Theology and Astro-Theology.1 He wrote a life of his friend, the
celebrated John Ray, which is entitled Select remains of the
learned John Ray, M.A., F.R.S., with his life by the late W. Derham,
D.D., F.R.S. 2 In 1718 he edited Philosophical Letters of Ray :
and at the end of this book is given the last letter Ray wrote
to Sir Hans Sloane, which Derham remarks "bears the marks
of dying hand in every letter." He wrote a preface to the 3rd
edition of Ray's Physico Theological Discourses ; and a Latin
preface to Ray's Synopsis Methodica Avium et Piscium. Der-
ham also contributed over 40 papers to the Transactions of the
Royal Society.
Probably the learned doctor wrote many more letters to his
friend and neighbour, Dacre Barrett, who lived less than four
1 The full titles of these books are :—Physico-Theology : or, a Demonstration of the
Being and Attributes of God, from His Works of Creation. Being the substance of Sixteen
Sermons Preached in St. Mary-le-Bow Church, London. At the Honorable Mr. Boyle's
Lectures, in the years 1711, and 1712. With large Notes, and many curious observations.
By W. Derham, Canon of Windsor, Rector of Upminster in Essex, and F.R.S. [Cited from]
The Twelfth Edition. London MDCCLIV.
Astro-Theology : or a Demonstration of the Being and Attributes of God. From a
Survey of the Heavens. Illustrated with Copper Plates. By W. Derham, Canon of
Windsor, Rector of Upminster, in Essex, and F.R.S. The Third Edition Improv'd. London
MDCCXIX.
2 These were published in 1760 by George Scott, M.A., F.R.S., of Woolston Hall,
Chigwell, Essex, the nephew of Dr. Derham.
A