Theologian, scholar and critic. Educated at Wakefield and Cambridge before taking up a position as a headmaster in Lincolnshire. Shortly after he became private tutor to the son of the Dean of St Paul's Cathedral. He accompanied his pupil to Oxford and began to produce scholarly material of his own. He soon gained a reputation as one of the leading scholars of his time. However, he also had an indecorous manner which alienated him from many other commentators of the time, such as Pope and Swift. He made the acquaintance of Isaac Newton and in 1695 became a fellow of the Royal Society. As a librarian at St Jame's Palace, he rescued the Royal Library from the state of delapidation into which it had fallen. He later wrote his 'Dissertation On The Epistles of Phalaris', a work for which he is chiefly remembered, and became Master of Trinity College Cambridge. His manner made him unpopular with many of the College's fellows, but he managed to remain in his position for thirty years, releasing a constant flow of tracts on classical subjects. He died while still holding this post and was buried in the College chapel.
Theologian, scholar and critic. Educated at Wakefield and Cambridge before taking up a position as a headmaster in Lincolnshire. Shortly after he became private tutor to the son of the Dean of St Paul's Cathedral. He accompanied his pupil to Oxford and began to produce scholarly material of his own. He soon gained a reputation as one of the leading scholars of his time. However, he also had an indecorous manner which alienated him from many other commentators of the time, such as Pope and Swift. He made the acquaintance of Isaac Newton and in 1695 became a fellow of the Royal Society. As a librarian at St Jame's Palace, he rescued the Royal Library from the state of delapidation into which it had fallen. He later wrote his 'Dissertation On The Epistles of Phalaris', a work for which he is chiefly remembered, and became Master of Trinity College Cambridge. His manner made him unpopular with many of the College's fellows, but he managed to remain in his position for thirty years, releasing a constant flow of tracts on classical subjects. He died while still holding this post and was buried in the College chapel.
Inscription
H.S.E. RICHARDVS BENTLEY S.T.P.R.
OBIIT XIV IVL. MDCCXLII
AETATIS LXXXI.
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