Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Newman, Arthur
NEWMAN, ARTHUR (fl. 1619), poet and essayist, son and heir-apparent of William Newman, esq., of Ludgvan, Cornwall, entered Trinity College, Oxford, before 1607, though his name does not appear in the matriculation books of the university. It seems, however, from an entry in the bursar's book, that his caution-money was returned to him in 1618, when he probably left Oxford. On 19 Oct. 1616 he was admitted a student of the Middle Temple, London.
His works are: 1. ‘The Bible-bearer. By A. N.,’ London, 1607, 4to; dedicated to Hugh Browker, prothonotary of the common pleas. It is in prose, and is a ‘shrewd satire upon all hypocritical, puritanical, and sanctified sinners, all trimmers, time-servers, and holy cameleons, or conformists to any preachers, parties, or fashionable principles, who are only politically pious for profit or preferment.’ 2. ‘Pleasvres Vision: with Deserts Complaint, and a short Dialogve of a Womans Properties betweene an Old Man and a Young,’ London, 1619, 8vo, thirty-one leaves unpaged. The work is dedicated to his kinsman, Sir George Newman of Canterbury (1562–1627). A facsimile edition, limited to fifty copies, printed by E. Hartnall, Ryde, I. W., appeared in 1840, 8vo, under the editorial supervision of Mr. Utterson. Thomas Park says Newman ‘is a writer who, from the brevity rather than the inferiority of his productions, may be deemed a minor poet; his verses are moral, harmonious, and pleasing’ (Brydges, Censura Literaria, ed. 1806, ii. 155).
[Addit. MS. 24489, f. 105; Boase and Courtney's Bibl. Cornub. pp. 325, 386; Foster's Alumni Oxon.; Huth Libr. Cat.; Lowndes's Bibl. Man. (Bohn), p. 1667; Notes and Queries, 3rd ser. vi. 27; Wood's Athenæ Oxon. (Bliss), ii. 268.]