Thomas Southern

Thomas Southern, a British dramatist, born at Oxmantown, Ireland, about 1660, died in Westminster, May 26, 1746. After spending two years at Trinity college, Dublin, he entered in 1678 the Middle Temple, London, but soon gave up the law for literature. Of the ten plays which he wrote, the best known are " Isabella, or the Fatal Marriage," in which Mrs. Siddons won her first laurels, and " Oro-nooko," in which he denounced slavery and the slave trade. A complete edition of his works appeared in 1774 (3 vols. 12mo).

Thomas Sprat

Thomas Sprat, an English prelate, born at Tallaton, Devonshire, in 1636, died at Bromley, Kent, May 30, 1713. He was educated at Oxford, and became chaplain first to the duke of Buckingham, and afterward to Charles II. In 1668 he was made prebendary of Westminster, in 1680 canon of Windsor, in 1683 dean of Westminster, and in 1684 bishop of Rochester. He was clerk of the closet to James II., and in 1686 was made one of the commissioners for ecclesiastical affairs. He published "The Plague of Athens" and "The Death of Oliver Cromwell," poems (1659); "The History of the Royal Society," of which he was one of the original fellows (167.7); a history of the Rye House plot (1685); and a volume of sermons (1710); and he edited Cowley's "Poems," with a life in Latin (1668), afterward in English with additions.

Thomas Stanley

Thomas Stanley, an English author, born in Hertfordshire in 1025, died in London, April 12, 1678. He was educated at Cambridge, and resided for several years in the Middle Temple. He published "Poems and Translations " (1649); "History of Philosophy, containing the Lives, Opinions, Actions, and Discourses of the Philosophers of every Sect" (3 vols, fol., 1655-62; Latin translation by Olearius, Leipsic, 1711); and an edition of AEschylus with a commentary and a Latin version (1663; new ed. by Dr. Butler, 4 vols. 4to, Cambridge, 1809). In 1814-' 15 appeared an edition of his poems with a biographical memoir by Sir Egerton Brydges.

Thomas Sternhold

Thomas Sternhold, an English writer, born in Hampshire about 1500, died in August, 1549. He was groom of the robes to Henry VIII. and Edward VI., and was noted at court, for his poetical talents and piety. He undertook a translation into metre of the Psalms of David, but completed only 37, printed in 1549, after his death, with seven by John Hopkins, under the title of " All such Psalms of David as Thomas Sternholde, late Grome of the Kinges Majestyes Robes, did in his lyfe-tyme drawe into Englyshe Metre." The version was completed and published in 1562 as " The Whole Book of Psalms, collected into English Metre by T. Sternhold, J. Hopkins, and others, conferred with the Ebreu; with apt Notes to sing them withal;" under which title it was annexed to the " Book of Common Prayer," and was used till superseded by Tate and Brady's collection (1696). Stern-hold was also the author of " Certain Chapters of the Proverbs of Solomon, drawen into Metre" (1549).