work was intended to embrace collations of all the known manuscripts of the Greek text, as well as of oriental versions, and for seventeen years, despite the difficulties interposed by the continental wars, the collation of the various readings from manuscripts in libraries throughout Europe was carried on. The delegates of the Clarendon Press allowed him 40l. a year for three years on condition that he exhibited to them his collations annually, and deposited them in the Bodleian Library. When the whole was finished it was to be printed at the University Press at his expense and for his benefit. Annual accounts of the progress of the work were published, and these possess critical and bibliographical interest. Holmes published in 1789 his first annual account, by which it appeared that eleven folio volumes of collations were deposited in the Bodleian Library. At the close of 1795 the total number of manuscript volumes placed in the library reached seventy-three, and the sum received from subscribers amounted to 4,445l., which, however, fell far short of the expenses. In the same year Holmes printed two specimens in folio, accompanied by Latin epistles to Barrington, bishop of Durham. In 1798 he printed part of his first volume containing Genesis. This was followed in 1801 by another portion of the same volume, including Exodus and Leviticus, and in 1804 the volume was completed by the addition of Numbers and Deuteronomy, with a preface giving a history of the Septuagint and its various editions. The last volume (numbered 142) of collations was deposited in the Bodleian in 1805. After Holmes's death the work was continued by James Parsons, and completed in 1827, the whole forming five folio volumes.
[Chalmers's Biog. Dict. xviii. 82–4; Macray's Annals of Bodl. Libr. p. 207; Holmes's Annual Accounts; Bodl. Libr. Cat.]
HOLMES, ROBERT (1765–1859), Irish lawyer, whose father was settled at Belfast, was born during a visit of his parents to Dublin in 1765, entered Trinity College in 1782, and graduated B.A. in 1787. He at first devoted himself to medicine, but he soon turned his attention to the law. In 1795 he was called to the bar, and married Mary Emma, daughter of Dr. Robert Emmet. She died of a brain fever after hearing of the execution of her brother Robert [q. v.] in 1803. In 1798 Holmes, during a parade of the lawyers corps of yeomanry, of which he was a member, threw down his arms on learning that the corps was to be placed under the military authorities, dreading lest he might have to act against the populace. To one Joy, a barrister, who had used insulting language to him respecting this circumstance, he sent a challenge, for which he suffered three months' imprisonment. In 1799 he published a satirical pamphlet on the projected act of union, entitled ‘A Demonstration of the Necessity of the Legislative Union of Great Britain and Ireland.’ With the rising of his brother-in-law, Emmet, on 23 July 1803, he had no connection, although he was arrested on suspicion and imprisoned for some months. This retarded his advancement, but his legal ability soon asserted itself. He declined to receive any favours from the government, refusing in succession the offices of crown prosecutor, king's counsel, and solicitor-general, and to the last he remained a member of the outer bar. Nevertheless he had for many years the largest practice of any member of the Irish courts, and was listened to with the greatest attention by the judges, although he was not always very civil to them. His great learning is conspicuous in his law arguments, which form a valuable set of articles in the ‘Irish Law Reports.’ He was also in great repute in cases submitted for his opinion. He was a powerful and impressive advocate, and several of his speeches to juries are fine specimens of forensic eloquence, notably his speeches in Watson v. Dill, in defence of the ‘Nation’ newspaper, and his oration on behalf of John Mitchel, tried for treason-felony on 24 May 1848. During the course of his practice he made over 100,000l. He published ‘An Address to the Yeomanry of Ireland, demonstrating the Necessity of their declaring their Opinions upon Political Subjects,’ and in 1847 ‘The Case of Ireland stated,’ an able work on the repeal of the union. When his age prevented his continuing on circuit, the members of the north-east bar presented him with an address, and placed his bust in the bar mess-room. After his retirement in 1852 he resided in London with his only child Elizabeth, wife of George William Lenox-Conyngham, chief clerk of the foreign office. Holmes died at 37 Eaton Place, Belgrave Square, London, on 30 Nov. 1859.
[O'Flanagan's Irish Bar, 1879, pp. 273–87; Dublin University Mag. January 1848, pp. 122–133, with portrait; Webb's Compendium of Biography, 1878, p. 253; Notes and Queries, 3rd ser. xii. 188; information from Mrs. Lenox-Conyngham.]
HOLMES, WILLIAM (1689–1748), dean of Exeter, son of Thomas Holmes, gentleman, of London, born in St. Swithin's parish, London, on 5 April 1689, was admitted into Merchant Taylors' School on 12 Sept. 1696
