EDWARDS, Bryan, the historian of the West Indies, was born at Westbury in Wiltshire, on the 21st of Mav, 1743. He was adopted by a rich uncle in Jamaica, who bestowed on him a classical education, and whom he succeeded in business. He returned to England an opulent man, and sat in parliament for the borough of Grampound until his death in 1800. He published several pamphlets and speeches; but his chief work was his well-known authentic and elegantly-written "History, Civil and Commercial, of the British Colonies in the West Indies," which appeared at London in 1793. It has gone through several editions, in some of which the history is continued by another hand to a later date than in the original; and there is inserted an interesting autobiographical sketch of the author's earlier life. One edition incorporates his history of St. Domingo, which island he had visited in 1793.—F. E.
EDWARDS, George, an English naturalist, born at West Ham, on the 3d of April, 1693. He was originally intended for business, but accident led him to the study of science and the art of painting. Having formed an anxious wish to travel, he proceeded to Holland in 1716, and afterwards visited Norway and Sweden. He then went to Paris, where he spent much time in studying the natural history collections of that city. He also resided at Versailles, studying the royal menagerie there. In 1732 he was appointed librarian to the Royal College of Physicians of London, and here he was enabled to commence the publication of some of the materials he had collected together. He sent a number of papers to the Royal Society, which were published in the Philosophical Transactions. He is best known for his independent works—"A Natural History of uncommon Birds, Insects," &c., published in London in 1743 to 1751, in four volumes, with coloured figures; and his "Natural History of Birds, most of which have not been figured or described," London, 1802. He died in London on the 23d of July, 1773. His drawings of birds were valuable contributions to the ornithology of the day, and he has recorded many useful facts in the history of the animal kingdom.—E. L.
EDWARDS, Edward, an English draughtsman and painter, who enjoyed in his time great reputation. He was born in London in 1738, and was the son of a chairmaker and carver. Having shown an inclination for artistical pursuits, he was permitted to draw in the gallery of the duke of Richmond. The use which he made of this opportunity, procured him admission into the Academy in 1761. Three years later he carried off a prize from the Society of Arts, and in 1771 made his first exhibition at the Academy, of which body he was elected an associate in 1773. Feeling, however, that his artistical education was yet incomplete, he resolved upon visiting Italy, where he spent some time in 1775. He returned an accomplished and inexhaustible draughtsman. Yet in painting his theories were better than his practice. In 1781 he gave himself up entirely to landscape painting and to perspective. In 1788 he was appointed teacher of perspective at the Royal Academy. Edwards wrote a supplement to Walpole's Anecdotes of Painters, &c., 4to, 1808. He died in London in 1806.—R. M.
EDWARDS, John, D.D., the son of Thomas Edwards, author of the Gangræna, was born at Hertford, February 26, 1637. He received his education at Merchant Taylors' school, London, whence he went to Cambridge, and was entered of St. John's college in 1653. He took his degree of M.A. in 1661, and soon after was ordained by Bishop Sanderson. In 1664 he became preacher at Trinity College church, in which capacity he was much esteemed, especially by the members of the university. He became B.D. in 1668, and officiated successively as lecturer at St. Edmundsbury, and as minister of St. Sepulchre's, Cambridge. After enjoying several places of preferment, he retired from public duty, and devoted himself to writing for the press. He died at Cambridge on the 16th of April, 1716, in the seventy-ninth year of his age. His writings are very numerous. The principal are his "Discourse concerning the Authority, Style, and Perfection of the Books of the Old and New Testaments," three vols., 8vo, London, 1693-96, and his "Theologia Reformata," three vols. folio, London, 1713-26. Though a voluminous and learned writer, his own library consisted of only a few lexicons and grammars.—W. L. A.
EDWARDS, Jonathan, D.D., an English divine, was born at Wrexham in 1629. He entered Christ Church, Oxford, as servitor in 1655. He was admitted B.A. and ordained in 1659, elected fellow of Jesus college in 1662, passed B.D. in 1669, and was successively rector of Winnington in Oxfordshire, and Hinton in Hampshire. He became principal of Jesus college in November, 1686, and treasurer of Llandaff in 1687. He took his degree of D.D. immediately after he became principal, and he officiated as vice-chancellor of the university from 1689 to 1691, besides enjoying other preferments. He died on the 20th of July, 1712, and was buried in the chapel of his college. His principal work is "A Preservative against Socinianism," in four parts, 4to, Oxford, 1698-1703.—W. L. A.
EDWARDS, Jonathan, M.A., president of New Jersey college, a most able metaphysician and divine, was born at Windsor, Connecticut, United States, October 5, 1703. While yet a lad, he graduated at Yale college in 1720, and there spent two years longer studying theology, mental and moral science, and kindred subjects. In 1722 he visited New York, at the request of some English presbyterians, and there preached for some months. In 1724 he became tutor at Yale college, where he continued till 1726, when he was invited to visit Northampton, Massachusetts. Here he was ordained as colleague with his grandfather, and here he remained till 1750, when he was dismissed by an ecclesiastical council, on the ground chiefly of his uncompromising maintenance of discipline in the church. During his life at Northampton occurred some of the most remarkable facts of his ministry. It was here he formed the acquaintance, and helped to mould the character, of Joseph Bellamy, whose theological writings exercised such influence fifty years ago, both in America and in England. Here Samuel Hopkins studied under Edwards' roof, and began to frame that system of theology, which, under the name of Hopkinsonianism, was destined to occupy so prominent a place in the history of New England. Here Whitfield, one of the most ardent men, associated with Edwards, one of the acutest; and here Brainerd, the Indian apostle, was soothed and nurtured during his last illness by the fostering, gentle hand of the Northampton pastor. No house in England or America has supplied a home to more remarkable men, in their own department, than Edwards' manse in Massachusetts. It was during the labours of Edwards in Northampton that those revivals of religion commenced, which were soon to spread thence through various parts of America and Great Britain. Edwards himself was a cool, profound metaphysician, feeble in voice, verbose and awkward in style, except on metaphysical questions, and altogether unlikely, humanly speaking, to take an active part in religious excitements. He had, however, a deep conviction of the importance of spiritual religion; like Wilberforce, under different circumstances, strongly rebuked the professionalism of his times, encouraged meetings for prayer, and preached some plain, pointed, stirring sermons on human depravity, the necessity of an inward change, and on Christ's work. This was between 1735 and 1737. The results were most remarkable. Hundreds became converted and gave such evidence of a divine change as satisfied the inquiries of men like Dr. Watts, Dr. Colman, Dr. Guyse, none of them predisposed to judge too favourably of such a work. In 1740-42, there was a second great revival, the influence of which was widely felt, especially in Scotland. Those revivals, and abuses to which they sometimes led, originated one of Edwards' most remarkable works—his treatise "On Religious Affections."
On being dismissed from Northampton, friends in Scotland contributed a considerable sum for the maintenance of his family; and in 1751 he became a missionary, in the spirit of his friend Brainerd, to the Indians. Among these he laboured for six years, and as he found much leisure, he prosecuted his theological and metaphysical speculations, and produced volumes which rendered his name illustrious through Europe. His is not the first or last case in which the church of Christ has owed precious treatises to the short-sighted bitterness of persecution. In 1758 he reluctantly relinquished his Indian labours, and accepted the presidency of the college of New Jersey. He had scarcely entered upon his office, however, before the prevalence of smallpox induced him to be inoculated, and the disease caused his death on the 22nd March, 1758, in the fifty-fifth year of his age. As his friends stood around his dying bed, and were lamenting the loss which the church of Christ was about to sustain—"Trust in God," said he, "and you need not fear." This was his last utterance, and soon after he gently fell asleep.
President Edwards was distinguished alike by studious tastes, vigour and penetration of mind, and by eminent virtue. Like Baxter, he was of delicate constitution, of abstemious habits, and
