work was 'Some Thoughts on Self-love, Innate Ideas, Freewill,' &c., occasioned by Hume's works, London, 1754, 8vo. The same year he brought out the second part of the 'Vindication of ... the Old and New Testament,' Dublin, 8vo, adorned with cuts. This produced Catcott's attack on his theories of the earth's form and the deluge. In 1756 appeared 'Letters which passed between . . . the Bishop of Clogher and Mr. William Penn concerning Baptism,' London, 8vo, in which he asserted the cessation of baptism by the Holy Ghost. Clayton's friend Bowyer obtained a copy of the correspondence and published it. Clayton proposed, 2 Feb. 1756, in the Irish House of Lords, that the Athanasian and Nicene creeds should be expunged from the liturgy of the church of Ireland. His speech, taken in shorthand, was afterwards published, and passed through several editions. Some editions have appeared as late as Evesham, 1839, 12mo, and London, 1839, 12mo. It is also given in Sparke's 'Essays and Tracts on Theology,' vol. vi. 12mo, Boston, U.S., 1826. No proceedings were taken against him until the publication of the third part of the 'Vindication of ... the Old and New Testament,' Dublin, 1757, 8vo, when he renewed his attack on the Trinity and advanced so many doctrines contrary to the Thirty-nine Articles that the government was compelled to order a prosecution. A meeting of Irish prelates was called at the house of the primate, and Clayton was summoned to attend. Before the appointed time the bishop was seized with a nervous fever, and died 26 Feb. 1758. On being told that he would probably lose his bishopric, he replied that he should never survive the blow.
Clayton's temper was amiable, his spirit catholic, his beneficence unbounded, and many of his gifts secret till after his death. As a member of the linen board he managed to get steady employment for the poor of his diocese of Clogher. His writings are fanciful, though not without ability.
Dr. Bernard, afterwards dean of Derry, who married Clayton's niece, and was his executor, had several of his works in manuscript, but they have never been published. He gave copyright of all Clayton's works for England to the learned printer Bowyer, who issued the three parts of the 'Vindication' and the 'Essay on Spirit,' with additional notes and index to the scripture texts, in 1 vol. 8vo, London, 1759, pp. 504.
[Clayton's Works; Boulter's Letters, i. 340, ii. 127, 134; Nichols's Lit. Anecd. ii. 231, 241, 245; Nichols's Illustr. of Lit. iv. 733; Burdy's Life of Philip Skelton, pp. 84, 98; Warburton's Letters, 4to edit. p. 68.]
CLAYTON, THOMAS (fl. 1706), musical composer, was one of the musicians in
ordinary to William and Mary. His name
occurs in the lists of the royal band from
1692 until 1702, at which date he probably
went to Italy. He returned about 1704,
bringing with him (as was said at the time)
a considerable quantity of Italian songs which
he had collected abroad. These he set to an
adaptation by Peter Motteux of a drama by
Stonzani, which had been performed at Bologna in 1677, and at Venice in 1678. In
association with N. F. Haym and C. Dieupart, Clayton entered upon a series of opera
performances at Drury Lane Theatre — the
first venture of the kind in the annals of the
English stage. The first season began on
Tuesday, 16 Jan. 1705, with 'Arsinoe, Queen
of Cyprus,' the work which Clayton had
vamped up from his Italian gleanings. It
was announced as 'a new opera, after the
Italian manner, all sung,' with recitatives
instead of spoken dialogue. It seems to
have attained some success, though a contemporary writer (supposed to be Galliard)
says 'there is nothing in it but a few sketches
of antiquated Italian airs, so mangled and
sophisticated, that instead of Arsinoe, it ought
to be called the Hospital of the old Decrepid
Italian Operas,' and Burney was inclined to
acquit Clayton of plagiarism in its composition, for 'nothing so mean in melody and
incorrect in counterpoint was likely to have
been produced by any of the reigning composers of that time.' It was sung by Leveridge, Hughes, Ramondon, Good, Mrs. Lindsay, Mrs. Cross, and Mrs. Tofts, the last of
whom made in it her first appearance on the
stage. On 6 Feb. 1705 it was played at St.
James's before Queen Anne, at the celebration of her birthday ; according to Genest
it was performed fifteen, or according to
Burney twenty-four times in 1705, and
thirteen times in 1706. Encouraged by this
success, Clayton tried his hand at another
opera, and on Tuesday, 4 March 1707, produced at Drury Lane a setting of Addison's
'Rosamond,' in which Holcomb, Leveridge,
Hughes, Mrs. Tofts, Mrs. Lindsay, and Maria
Gallia sang the principal parts. This work
was repeated on the 15th and 22nd of the
same month, but its failure was so decided
that it was never again performed. The
anonymous author already quoted opines that
'Rosamond' 'mounted the stage on purpose
to frighten all England with its abominable
musick.' Both 'Arsinoe' and 'Rosamond'
were published, and posterity has thus been
enabled to endorse the opinions of Clayton's
contemporaries. After the failure of 'Rosamond' the operatic venture continued until
