Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 10.djvu/453

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Clarke
445
Clarke

tence, and the same point is touched in his correspondence with Butler. The controversy was continued by E. Law. The discussion with Leibnitz also turned upon the question of freewill, Clarke holding that Leibnitz's solution of the difficulty was an evasion, and really amounted to admitting necessity. He argued the same question in a criticism of Anthony Collins published in the same book. The letters to Leibnitz are interesting as illustrating Leibnitz's opinions, and show that Clarke was a powerful antagonist. His reputation induced many young men of promise to consult him. Bishop Berkeley sent him the first edition of his 'Principles;' but Clarke, though pressed by Whiston to answer, declined the work. An interview afterwards appears to have been arranged by Addison, and when Berkeley was in London (1724-8) preparing for his voyage to America, Clarke, with Hoadly and Sherlock, met him twice a week at Queen Caroline's court [see Berkeley, George, 1685-1753]. Arthur Collier [q. v.], who independently held Berkeley's theory, also addressed Clarke, but Clarke's letters are lost. His own doctrine was radically opposed to Berkeley's. Bishop Butler, then a student, addressed to him in 1713-14 remarkable letters appended to later editions of Clarke's 'Boyle Lectures' and of the 'Analogy.' Francis Hutcheson and Henry Home (Lord Kames) were other philosophical correspondents. He had many friends and eager disciples among the latitudinarian party, especially Bishop Hoadiy, a Cambridge contemporary, and such minor lights as John Balguy [q. v.], John Jackson (1686-1763) [q. v.], who succeeded him in Wigston's Hospital, and Arthur Ashley Sykes [q. v.], who was his assistant preacher at St. James's. The last three were eager supporters in his various controversies. Hoadly was intimate with him, and declares that he wishes to be known to posterity as 'the friend of Dr. Clarke' (Life of Clarke). The high church party were of course hostile. Pope sneers at Clarke's court favour in the line, 'Nor in a hermitage set Dr. Clarke' (Moral Essays, iv. 77), and attacks his 'high priori road' in the 'Dunciad' (iv. 455, &c.) Pope's prejudices may be easily explained by his general antipathy to Clarke's whiggish connections, and by his alliance with Bolingbroke, who, in his philosophical writings, makes frequent attacks upon Clarke, showing more animosity than comprehension. (For a curious Story of a conversation at Queen Caroline's court, when Clarke was perplexed by a dilemma put to him by a Roman catholic (whether the First Person of the Trinity could annihilate the Second and Third), see Charles Butler's 'Confessions of Faith,' ch. x. sect. 2). Clarke was also on friendly terms with Whiston, and revised some of his writings, though he declined to attend the meetings of the society started by Whiston in 1715 for 'promoting primitive Christianity,' that is, for propagating Arianism. He was intimate in later years with the Arian Emlyn [q. v.] He had a discussion with Smalridge at the house of one of Whiston's friends, Thomas Cartwright of Aynho, Northamptonshire, in which, according to Whiston, Clarke had the best of the argument (Whiston, 5). Emlyn tells us that Clarke discussed with him the propriety of accepting a bishopric, and had apparently no insurmountable scruples. Newton died in 1727. Clarke had been on terms of close intimacy with him (Nichols, Illustr. iv. 33). He had translated Newton's 'Optics ' (published 1704) in 1706, and Newton had then given him 500l.—100l. for each of his five children then alive—in token of satisfaction. It is said, however, and with doubtful authority, that Newton once called Clarke a 'jesuit' (Notes and Queries, 1st ser. xii. 362). On Newton's death the mastership of the mint, worth from 1,200/. to 1,500l. a year, was offered to Clarke, who declined it as too secular. He accepted, however, a sum of 1,000l. for his son, to obtain a place among the 'king's writers,' which was paid by Newton's successor, Conduitt. Clarke's last scientific performance was a letter to Mr. Benjamin Hoadiy 'On the Proportion of Force to Velocity in Bodies in Motion' (1728, published in 'Philosophical Transactions,' No. 401). His versatility is proved by his publication of editions of Cæsar and Homer. The first, dedicated to the Duke of Marlborough, appeared in 1712. It is praised by Addison inthe 'Spectator' (No. 367), and said to be especially correct in the punctuation, and one of the most beautiful books ever published in England. The notes are chiefiy collected from other authors. Clarke acknowledges collations of manuscripts from Bentley and Bishop Moore. In 1729 he published 'by royal command' the first twelve books of the 'Iliad,' dedicated to the Duke of Cumberland, with a Latin version (chiefly new) and a selection of annotations. The remaining twelve books were published by his son Samuel in 1732, the first three books having been prepared by the father.

Clarke died after a very short illness on 17 May 1729. He had married Katherine, daughter of the Rev. Mr. Lockwood of Little Massingham, Norfolk, and had by her seven children, two of whom died before and one shortly after his own death. Almost the only personal anecdotes to be found were printed in the 'Gentleman's Magazine' for 1783 from