Special Collections
Book of the Month, March 2007
The Life of Dr Beilby Porteus
Robert Hodgson
London: J. Davis, 1810
*PS4 P84 Hod
Senate House Library has been home to the Library of Dr Beilby Porteus (1731-1809), Bishop of London, since its deposit in 1958. However, the Library did not own a first edition of Porteus’ biography by Robert Hodgson until this copy was purchased in 2007. In 1811, the biography was included in the new six volume edition of The Works of the Right Reverend Beilby Porteus, D.D., late Bishop of London. With his life by the Rev. Robert Hodgson, held in the Porteus Library itself, and Senate House Library also has a copy of the 1816 edition of this work.
The 1810 biography was credited, on the title page, to “a lay member of Merton College, Oxford”, but Robert Hodgson (1773?-1844) admitted his authorship in later editions. The Life went through several subsequent editions: one was published in 1811, a third edition in 1812 and a fourth in 1813, and as mentioned above, it was included in the various editions of The Works.
Beilby Porteus was born in the American colony of Virginia, but his parents moved to England in 1720. In 1757 he was ordained priest, became Bishop of Chester in 1776, and was promoted to Bishop of London in 1787. He died on 14th May 1809. Bishop Porteus was a prominent figure in London society and politics, in addition to his ecclesiastical duties, taking a leading role in the movement for the abolition of the slave trade. Hannah More the leading evangelical authoress was a friend and collaborator. Porteus’ wide ranging interests are reflected in his Library .
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