Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Green, William (1714?-1794)

760407Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900, Volume 23 — Green, William (1714?-1794)1890Gordon Goodwin

GREEN, WILLIAM (1714?–1794), hebraist, born at Newark, Nottinghamshire about 1714, entered Clare Hall, Cambridge as a sizar on 16 March 1733-4, but was admitted scholar of Mr. Wilson's foundation on 20 Jan. 1736. On 19 Jan. 1737, having taken his B.A. degree, he was admitted scholar of Mr. Freeman's foundation, and on 11 Dec. 1738 became a fellow of Lord Exeter's foundation. He was elected fellow on Mr. Diggon's foundation on 19 Feb. 1739, proceeded M.A. in 1741, and finally on 2 Nov. 1743 succeeded to a fellowship of the old foundation (college books). In 1759 he was presented by the college to the rectory of Hardingham, Norfolk, where he died on 7 Nov. 1794, aged 80 (Mon. Insc.; Gent. Mag. 1794, pt. ii. p. 1060). His wife Mary died on 21 June 1795, aged 75. Some of his correspondence with divines like Secker, Warburton (who advised him on his theological reading), Bagot, and Newton, and with the eminent Hebrew scholars, Newcome, Richard Grey, and Blayney, is printed in the ‘Gentleman's Magazine’ for 1819. pt.ii., and 1822, pt.i.; in Nichols's ‘Literary Anecdotes,’ vols. viii. ix.; and in Nichols's ‘Illustrations of Literature,’ vol. iv. Green published: 1. ‘The Song of Deborah reduced to metre; with a new translation and commentary,’ 4to, Cambridge, 1753. 2. ‘A new Translation of the Prayer of Habakkuk, the Prayer of Moses, and the cxxxix. Psalm; with a commentary,’ 4to, Cambridge, 1755. 3. ‘A new Translation of the Psalms … with notes … To which is added, A Dissertation on the last prophetick Words of Noah,' 8vo, Cambridge, 1762. 4. ‘A new Translation of Isaiah lii. 13 to the end of liii. … with notes,’ 4to, Cambridge, 1776. 5. ‘Poetical Parts of the Old Testament…newly translated … with notes,' 4to, Cambridge, 1781.

[Information kindly sent by the master of Clare and the rector of Hardingham; Nichols's Literary Anecdotes and Illustrations of Literaure.]

G. G.