lege of Surgeons, England, in 1837, and subsequently studied at Paris and at Edinburgh University, where he obtained the degree of M.D. in 1845. Devoting his attention mainly to obstetric practice, he was appointed assistant-physician of the Lying-in Hospital at Dublin in 1848, and held that post for the following seven years. During this period he was a constant contributor to the Dublin ‘Quarterly Journal of Medical Science,’ and collected a large quantity of material for the valuable work on ‘Practical Midwifery, comprising an Account of 13,748 Deliveries which took place in the Rotunda Hospital’ during seven years' practice there (1847–54), which he produced in 1878, in conjunction with Edward (afterwards Sir Edward) B. Sinclair. Johnston was appointed seventeenth master of the Rotunda Hospital in 1868, and held that office until 1875, during the whole of which period he wrote the annual ‘Clinical Reports.’ He also prepared a special ‘Report of 752 Cases of Forceps Delivery in Hospital Practice.’ Elected fellow of the King and Queen's College of Physicians, Dublin, in 1863, he was president 1880–1, and was at one time ex-president of the Obstetrical Society of Dublin. He held for some years, between 1840 and 1850, the post of surgeon-superintendent to the Emigration Commissioners for the South Australian Colonies. Johnston died at his house, 15 St. Stephen's Green, North, Dublin, on 7 March 1889, aged 74. By his wife Henrietta he had six children, four sons and two daughters.
[Lancet, 16 March 1889; Times, 14 March 1889; Irish Times and Dublin Daily Express, 8 March 1889; Walford's Men of the Time, 1884; information kindly supplied by the Rev. Henry Francis Johnstone.]
JOHNSTON, HENRY (d. 1723), Benedictine monk, a native of Methley, near Leeds, Yorkshire, was son of John and Elizabeth Johnston, and brother of Nathaniel Johnston, M.D. [q. v.] From 26 May 1666 to 31 May 1669 Dugdale employed him as one of his clerks, at Nathaniel Johnston's request (Dugdale, Diary, ed. Hamper, pp. 123, 131). He professed at Dieulouard in Lorraine, for the English monastery of St. Edward the King at Paris, on 26 May 1675. He was sent on the mission in the south province, and during the reign of James II he was stationed at St. James's Chapel, London (cf. Hist. MSS. Comm. 6th Rep. App. pp. 463, &c.) Leaving England in 1696 in consequence of the assassination plot, he was in the following year elected prior of St. Edmund's at Paris, but resigned the office in 1698, and retired to St. Farons at Meaux. In 1700 he was at the monastery of St. Gregory at Douay. In 1701 he was appointed sub-prior of St. Edmund's at Paris, and was prior from 1705 to 1710, when he was appointed definitor of the regimen. In 1717 he was made titular prior of Durham. He died at Paris on 9 July 1723.
Constable, writing to Hearne 23 March 1733–4, says: ‘I knew and have often met the old Doctor's [i.e. Nathaniel Johnston's] brother, who was prior of the English Benedictines at Paris when I was there. He fled out of England at the assassination plot, and a reward was offered by the king to apprehend him; but he kept out of the way, and dyed at Paris’ (Reliquiæ Hearn. ed. Bliss, iii. 126). He is further described as a ‘good little monk’ and a pleasant and good-natured man, but ‘no writer, though long a Superiour’ (ib.)
His chief works are:
- ‘An Exposition of the Doctrine of the Catholic Church in Matters of Controversie,’ translated from the French of J. B. Bossuet, and published by command of James II, London, 1685, 4to. This anonymous translation, which is erroneously attributed in the Bodleian Catalogue to John Dryden, elicited from William Wake, afterwards archbishop of Canterbury, an answer, to which Johnston replied in
- ‘A Vindication of the Bishop of Condom's Exposition of the Doctrine of the Catholic Church. With a Letter from the said Bishop,’ London, 1686, 4to. The appended letter was addressed to Joseph Shireburn, president of the English Benedictine congregation, who had written to Bossuet, enclosing a letter from Johnston which asked for information to enable him to reply to Wake and others. The correspondence is given in the Versailles edition of Bossuet's ‘Works,’ xviii. 169. Replies to the ‘Vindication’ were published by Wake and by John Gilbert (fl. 1680) [q. v.]
- ‘A Pastoral Letter from the Lord Bishop of Meaux to the New Catholics of his Diocese, exhorting them to keep their Easter, and giving them necessary Advertisements against the false Pastoral Letters of their Ministers,’ translated from the French, and ‘published with allowance,’ London, 1686, 4to.
- ‘A Reply to the Defence of the Exposition of the Doctrine of the Church of England; being a further Vindication of the Bishop of Condom's Exposition, &c. With a second Letter of the Bishop of Meaux,’ London, 1687, 4to. Wake rejoined in a ‘Second Defence,’ and Johnston continued the controversy in
- ‘A Full Answer to the Second Defence of the Exposition of the Doctrine of the Church of England, in a Letter to the Defender’ [London], pp. 12. Wake returned to the charge in part ii. of ‘A Second Defence,’
