Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Burton, Edward (1794-1836)
BURTON, EDWARD (1794–1836), regius professor of divinity at Oxford, the son of Major Edward Burton, was born at Shrewsbury on 13 Feb. 1794. He was educated at Westminster, matriculated as a commoner of Christ Church, Oxford, on 15 May 1812, gaining a studentship the next year, and in 1815 obtained a first class both in classics and mathematics. Having taken his B.A. degree on 29 Oct. 1815, he was ordained to the curacy of Pettenhall, Staffordshire. On 28 May 1818 he proceeded M.A., and paid a long visit to the continent, chiefly occupying himself in work at the public libraries of France and Italy. In 1824 he was select preacher. On 12 May 1825 he married Helen, daughter of Archdeacon Corbett, of Longnor Hall, Shropshire. After his marriage he resided at Oxford. In 1827 he was made examining chaplain to the bishop, and in 1828 preached the Bampton lectures. On the death of Dr. Lloyd, bishop of Oxford and regius professor of divinity, Burton was appointed to succeed him in the professorship, and took the degree of D.D. the same year. As professor he was also canon of Christ Church and rector of Ewelme, where, at a time when such arrangement was somewhat rare, he introduced open seats into the church in the place of pews. He died at Ewelme on 19 Jan. 1836, in his forty-second year. Among his works are: 1. 'An Introduction to the Metre of the Greek Tragedians,' 1814. 2. 'A Description of the Antiquities ... of Rome,' 1821, 1828. 3. 'The Power of the Keys,' 1823. 4. 'Testimonies of the Ante-Nicene Fathers to the Divinity of Christ,' 1826, 1829. 5. 'An edition of the Works of Bishop Bull,' 1827. 6. 'The Greek Testament, with English notes,' 1830, 1835. 7. 'Testimonies of the Ante-Nicene Fathers to the Doctrine of Trinity,' 1831. 8. 'Advice for the Proper Observance of the Sunday,' 1831, 1852. 9. 'The Three Primers ... of Henry VIII,' 1834. 10. 'Lectures on Ecclesiastical History,' 1831, 1833. 11. 'An edition of Pearson on the Creed,' 1833. 12. 'Thoughts on the Separation of Church and State,' 1834, 1868. He also superintended the publication of Dr. Elmsley's edition of the ' Medea' and 'Heraclidæ,' 1828, and of some posthumous works of Bishop Lloyd. Among the works on which he was engaged at the time of his death was an edition of Eusebius, published 1838, 1856; the notes of this volume were separately edited by Heinichen, 1840; the text was used in the edition of Eusebius of 1872. Burton was also the author of other smaller works.
[Gent. Mag. 1836, pt. i. 310; Catalogue of the British Museum Library.]