Thirlwall

Thirlwall, CONNOP (1797-1875), an eminent classical scholar and bishop, was born at Stepney, and educated at Charterhouse and at Cambridge. He is said to have known something of Latin in his third year, and could read Greek at four. He had a distinguished university career, and proceeded to the Temple to study law. Finally, he decided to enter the Church, and returned to Cambridge. In 1828 he translated Niebuhr's History of Rome in conjunction with Julius Hare, contributing largely to The Philological Museum (of which he was one of the editors) during the next few years. His knowledge of Greek history and life was profound, and is evidenced in his admirable History of Greece (1835-40), which, though superseded as a whole, is invaluable in some respects. The publication of a pamphlet by him favouring the admission of Dissenters to decrrees (1834) resulted in the loss of a tutorship he held at Cambridge, but the Government rewarded him by a good living, and in 1840 he was raised to the see of St. David's, where his extreme zeal and generosity earned him considerable popularity. His published charges are very moderate and just-minded. His Remains, Literary and Theological, were published in 1877, twO years after his burial in Westminster Abbey.