in ‘Des titres primitifs de la Revelation par Gabr. Fabricy, Romæ,’ 1772, 2 vols.; but his chief opponents were in Germany. O. G. Tychsen pronounced his work ‘ingens, cui lumen ademptum,’ and in the ‘Bibliotheca Orientalis’ of J. D. Michaelis, pt. xi., there appeared a severe criticism on his first volume. Kennicott then sent out a long Latin epistle to Michaelis, which was printed at Oxford in 1777, reprinted in the same year at Leipzig, and inserted in the twelfth part of the ‘Bibliotheca Orientalis’ with the criticisms of Michaelis. After the publication of his second volume Kennicott drew up a brief defence in Latin, ‘Contra ephemeridum Goettigensium criminationes,’ 1782. A full list of the pieces against Kennicott is said to have appeared in the ‘Catalogue of English Divinity,’ sold by the Dyers of Exeter in 1829.
The four volumes of De Rossi, published at Parma, 1784–7, with an appendix in 1798, form a supplement to the ‘Collations of Kennicott.’ On them are based the editions of Doederlein and Meisner (Leipzig, 1793), Jahn (Vienna, 1806), and Boothroyd (Pontefract, 1810–16). Parkhurst, in his ‘Hebrew Lexicon,’ made much use of Kennicott's inquiries, and J. L. Schulze translated into Latin and published at Halle in 1782 the Hebrew interpretation of the books of Daniel and Ezra, which Kennicott had first edited.
His other works were: 1. ‘Poem on the Recovery of the Hon. Mrs. Elizabeth Courtenay’ [anon.], Exeter, 1743; 2nd edit. [Oxford], 1747. Only a few copies were printed of the first edition. The lady was the Hon. Elizabeth Montagu, who had married Kellond Courtenay of Painsford, near Totnes, and contributed to Kennicott's maintenance at Oxford. Kennicott's sister was her lady's-maid. 2. ‘On the Tree of Life in Paradise: a Critical Dissertation on Genesis ii. 8–24,’ 1747, 8vo. This provoked an anonymous answer called ‘An Enquiry into the Meaning of that Text Genesis i. 26, with an Answer to Mr. Kennicott's Interpretation of the same,’ 1748, and ‘Remarks on Mr. Kennicott's Dissertation,’ by Richard Gifford [q. v.], 1748. 3. ‘On the Oblation of Cain and Abel,’ 1747; 2nd edit. of this and preceding volume, 1747 also. 4. ‘Duty of Thanksgiving for Peace,’ 1749. 5. ‘A Letter to Dr. King, occasion'd by his late Apology, and in particular by such parts of it as are meant to defame Mr. Kennicott,’ 1755; a caustic attack. [See King, William, 1685–1763.] 6. ‘Christian Fortitude. A Sermon preached before the University at St. Mary's, Oxford, 25 Jan. 1757.’ It was much criticised, and was attacked in ‘Remarks on Dr. Kennicott's Sermon,’ n.d. [1757], and in ‘A Critical Dissertation on Isaiah vii. 13–16, in which the sentiments of Dr. Kennicott are cordially and impartially examined,’ 1757. A second edition of the sermon, ‘with a list of the falsehoods in the Remarks,’ came out in 1757. 7. ‘Sermon before the University of Oxford,’ 1765. 8. ‘Remarks on a Printed Paper entitled “A Catalogue of the Sacred Vessels restored by Cyrus,”’ 1765, attributed to him by Watt. 9. ‘Remarks on the 42 and 43 Psalms’ [anon.], n.d. [1765]. This was soon followed by a similar treatise on Psalms 48 and 89. These, when translated into Latin with an appendix by Bruns, were published by J. C. F. Schulz at Leipzig in 1772. In 1791 the Rev. Henry Dimock published ‘Notes on the Psalms,’ to correct the errors of the text in grammar, from the collations by Kennicott and De Rossi. 10. ‘Observations on First Book of Samuel, chap. xvi. verse 19,’ 1768; translated into French. 11. ‘Critica Sacra, or a Short Introduction to Hebrew Criticism’ [anon.], 1774. 12. ‘Observations on Several Passages in Proverbs. With two Sermons. By Thomas Hunt,’ 1775; they were edited by Kennicott. 13. ‘The Sabbath. A Sermon preached at Whitehall and before the University of Oxford,’ 1781. 14. ‘Remarks on Select Passages in the Old Testament. With Eight Sermons, by the late Benjamin Kennicott,’ 1787. Published in consequence of directions in his will. Kennicott also contributed to the Oxford verses on the death of Frederick, prince of Wales. His library was sold by Tom Payne in 1784.
[Gent. Mag. 1747 pp. 471–2, 605, 1768 pp. 147–9, 203–5, 251–3, 366–8, 1771 p. 520, 1783 pt. ii. pp. 718, 744, 1789 pt. i. p. 289, 1830 pt. i. pp. 282, 374; Macray's Bodleian Library, 2nd ed. pp. 118, 260, 263, 306, 372; Nichols's Illustr. of Lit. iv. 656, v. 627; Nichols's Literary Anecdotes, passim; Boswell's Johnson, ed. G. B. Hill, ii. 128, iv. 288; Diary of Madame d'Arblay, iii. 237; Miscell. Geneal. et Herald. 2nd ser. i. 146; Trans. Devon. Assoc. 1878; information from Mr. E. Windeatt of Totnes, Mr. T. M. Davenport of Oxford, and Mr. R. B. Gardiner of St. Paul's School.]
KENNION, EDWARD (1744–1809), artist, was born on 15 Jan. 1743–4 in Liverpool, where his father, James Kennion, was engaged in business. His grandfather, John Kennion, was for many years minister of the (unitarian) Ancient Chapel of Toxteth Park, Liverpool, and was a man of high education. A kinsman, John Kennion, took charge of Edward's education, placing him first at John Holt's school in Liverpool, and sending him when he was fifteen to Mr. Fuller's academy in London, where he probably first learned
