Bentley

First published in 1882, this is a biography of the English clergyman, scholar and classicist, Richard Bentley (1662-1742). Born in West Yorkshire, educated at Wakefield Grammar School and later at St John’s College in Cambridge, Bentley became one of the most respected textual critics of his day. Among students of the Greek New Testament, he is remembered as the first person to define a plan for constructing the whole of the text directly from the original documents. Bentley became a prominent and controversial figure during his time as Master of Trinity College, Cambridge. His temper and his contemptuous treatment of his colleagues led to various attempts to secure his removal and embroiled him in controversy and feuding for the next 30 years. Despite all this, Bentley continued his classical research and published books that are studied to this day.