Robert Spearman

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Robert Spearman (1703–1761) was an English theologian, known as a Hutchinsonian.

Life

He was the eldest son of Robert Spearman, attorney of Durham, by his wife Hannah, only daughter of William Webster, merchant, of Stockton-on-Tees.[1] He studied at Corpus Christi College, Oxford, but left without taking a degree.[2] He then lived at Old Acres, Sedgefield.[1]

A pupil of John Hutchinson, Spearman survived him, edited his works, and wrote his life.[1] He was the dedicatee of Two Dissertations concerning the Etymology and Scripture-Meaning of the Hebrew words Elohim and Berith (1751) by Thomas Sharp, with whom he was on good terms.[2]

Spearman died on 20 October 1761, leaving only female issue by his wife Anne, daughter of Robert Sharpe of Hawthorn, County Durham.[1]

Works

Spearman's own writings were:[1]

  • An Enquiry after Philosophy and Theology, tending to show when and whence mankind came at the knowledge of these two important points, Edinburgh, 1755; 2nd ed. Dublin, 1757 (a polemic against Newtonian physics);
  • Letters to a Friend concerning the Septuagint Translation and the Heathen Mythology, Edinburgh, 1759 (an attempt to derive all mythologies from a primeval revelation).

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4  "Spearman, Robert". Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co. 1885–1900. 
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Aston, Nigel. "Spearman, Robert". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/26088.  (subscription or UK public library membership required)
Attribution

 This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: "Spearman, Robert". Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co. 1885–1900. 

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