Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume XII.djvu/72

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MURRAY emanating from his house were for the most part books of merit, his imprint being one of their best recommendations. His liberality to authors was a distinguishing trait in his char- acter, and he sometimes made heavy pecuniary sacrifices to gratify others, as in the case of the autobiography of Lord Byron, which ^ he sur- rendered to Moore on the representation that the publication of it might injure the reputa- tion of the living as well as the dead. MURRAY, Lindley, an English grammarian, born at Swatara, Lancaster co., Pa., in 1745, died near York, England, Feb. 16, 1826. He received his primary education in Philadelphia, in the academy of the society of Friends ; in 1753 he was placed for a time in school in New York, and then entered a counting house, being destined for the mercantile profession. He afterward studied law, was admitted to the bar, and his practice soon became extensive. When the revolutionary war broke out, he re- tired to the country on account of his health, and there remained four years. But the want of pecuniary means compelling him to return, he engaged in mercantile pursuits, and by the close of the war his fortune had become so ample that he was enabled to retire from busi- ness. Impaired health soon induced him to go to England with his family, where he pur- chased an estate at Holdgate, near York, and occupied himself chiefly with literary pursuits. In 1787 his first work, " The Power of Religion on the Mind," was published anonymously. His " Grammar of the English Language," first issued in 1795, and enlarged and improved in successive editions, for many years superseded all others. In 1797 he published "English Exercises," and a "Key" designed to accom- pany the grammar ; and subsequently an " Eng- lish Reader," an " Introduction to the English Reader," and an " English Spelling Book." He also published French reading books of a char- acter similar to his English ones. His last pub- lication was a selection from Home's "Com- mentary on the Psalms," and "The Duty and Benefits of Reading the Scriptures" (1817): His autobiography, finished in 1809, was pub- lished posthumously in 1826. MURRAY, Nicholas, an American clergyman, born in Ireland, Dec. 25, 1803, died in Eliza- bethtown, N. J., Feb. 4, 1861. In 1818 he came to America, and became an apprentice in the printing establishment of Harper and brothers. He was brought up a Roman Catholic, bul became a Protestant, graduated at Williams college in 1826, studied theology at Princeton and in 1829 became pastor of a Presbyterian church in Wilkesbarre, Pa. From 1834 till his death he was pastor of the first Presbyte rian church at Elizabethtown, N. J. In 1849 he was elected moderator of the Presbyterian general assembly. He published " Notes, His torical and Biographical, concerning Elizabeth town, N. J." (Elizabethtown, 1844); "Letter to the Right Rev. John Hughes, Roman Oath olic Bishop of New York," under the signature of "Kirwan" (New York, 1848; enlarged ed., 1855) ; " Romanism at Home " (1852) ; " Men and Things as I saw them in Europe" (1853); 'Parish and other Pencillings " (1854) ; "The Happy Home" (1859); and "Preachers and Preaching" (1860). "A Dying Legacy," a posthumous volume, was printed in 1861. MURRAY, Patrick, fifth Baron Elibank, a Scot-

ish author, born in February, 1703, died Aug.

3, 1778. In 1723 he was admitted to the Scot- tish bar, but entered the army the same year, and in 1740 was lieutenant colonel in the expe- dition to Cartagena, South America. After- ward he turned his attention to literature, and published "Thoughts on Money, Circulation, and Paper Currency " (Edinburgh, 1758) ; " An Inquiry into the Origin and Consequence of the Public Debts;" " Queries relating to the Pro- posed Plan for altering Entails in Scotland " 1765) ; " Letter to Lord Hailes on his Remarks on the History of Scotland " (1773) ; and " Con- siderations on the Present State of the Peer- age of Scotland" (1774). In politics he was an adherent of the house of Stuart, with whom tie maintained a secret correspondence. MURRAY, or Moray, Sir Robert, one of the founders of the royal society of London, born in Scotland about the beginning of the 17th century, died in June, 1673. In his youth he entered the French service, and rose to the rank of colonel. Subsequently returning to Scotland, he became an ardent supporter of Charles I., and afterward of Charles II., the latter of whom in 1651, during his brief reign in Scotland, appointed him justice clerk and lord of session. During the protectorate his offices were taken from him, but he received them again at the restoration. He was a prom- inent member of a small club established in London by Boyle, Lord Brounker, and others, for the discussion of questions in natural sci- ence, or, as it was then termed, "the new phi- losophy," and which by Sir Robert Murray's efforts obtained in 1662 a royal charter as a regular scientific body. MURRAY, William. See MANSFIELD. MURRAY, William Henry Harrison, an American clergyman, born in Guilford, Conn., April 26, 1840. He graduated at Yale college in 1862, and was licensed to preach in 1863. In 1864 he became pastor of the Congregational church in Greenwich, Conn., but removed in 1866 to West Meriden, Conn. In 1868 he was settled as pastor of the Park street church in Boston. He has become distinguished both as a pulpit orator and as a lecturer, and during the winters of 1869-'70 and 1872-'3 he delivered courses of Sunday evening sermons in the music hall, Boston, which have been published under the title " Music Hall Sermons " (2 vols., Boston, 1870-'73). He has also published "Camp Life in the Adirondack Mountains" (1868); "Words Fitly Spoken" (1873), being selections from his pulpit utterances ; and " The Perfect Horse" (1873), a contribution to agricultural literature. A weekly publication of his ser-