Chelsea, in the Olden & Present TimesBryan, George
History
Chelsea, in the Olden & Present Times
Bryan, George
Chelsea (London, England) -- History
Mr. Bowack, to whom we are so much indebted for his valuable information,
resided near Dr. Chamberlayne’s house in Church Street. In 1705 he began
to publish, in folio numbers, “The Antiquities of Middlesex; being a
Collection of the several Church Monuments in that County; also an
Historical Account of each Church and Parish, with the Seats, Villages,
and names of the most eminent Inhabitants.” The work extended through
the parishes of Chelsea, Fulham, Kensington, Chiswick, and Acton, and was
then discontinued. It is much to be regretted that he could not complete
his design. He has preserved many monumental inscriptions, since
destroyed. Mr. Bowack was writing master to Westminster School. “I
have,” says Mr. Faulkner, in reference to his own work, “carefully
embodied the greater part of the information contained in his (Bowack’s)
folio volume, now become extremely scarce.”
* * * * *
John Martyn, Esq., who resided in Church Street, next door to Dr.
Chamberlayne, was the son of a merchant of London. He was born in 1699.
With him it was a subject of frequent exultation, in after-life, that
Providence had thrown him into a country, and produced him at a period so
fertile in genius and literary accomplishments. “It was truly the golden
age of learning,” says Mr. Faulkner, “and to converse with those heroes
who adorn it was deemed no mean privilege, or glory, by one who well knew
how to value mental wealth.” He was sent by his father to a private
school (his mother died when he was scarcely a twelvemonth old), and here
by his own industry rather than by any advantage of instruction, he made
a tolerable proficiency in school learning, but was taken away from his
beloved books to engage in the business of a counting house. Most youths
of his age, in such an occupation, would have found their minds
sufficiently employed, but he, insatiate of knowledge, after the labours
of the day, dedicated most of those hours which are usually given to
bodily rest to the improvement of his understanding.
* * * * *
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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