William R Williams

William R Williams, an American clergyman, born in New York, Oct. 14, 1804. He graduated at Columbia college in 1822, studied law, practised for a year, and after a visit to Europe entered upon the ministry in the Baptist denomination. He was installed pastor of the Amity street Baptist church, at the time of its formation in 1831, and still retains that office (1876), notwithstanding numerous solicitations to accept more conspicuous positions. He has published two volumes of discourses, " Religious Progress" (Boston, 1850) and "Lectures on the Lord's Prayer" (Boston, 1851); a volume of "Miscellanies" (New York, 1850); and "God's Rescues, or Discourses on Luke xv." (1871).

William Rathbone Greg

William Rathbone Greg, an English author, born in 1812. He has published "Investments for Working Classes" (1852); "Essays on Political and Social Science" (1854); "Creed of Christendom, its Foundations," etc. (1863); "Literary and Social Judgments " (1868); "Truth vs. Edification" (1869); "Why are Women Redundant? " (1869); " Political Problems for our Age and Country " (1870); " The Great Duel, its True Meaning and Uses" (1871); and "Enigmas of Life" (1872). He has been a frequent contributor to the English periodicals. Several of his works have been reprinted in the United States.

William Rawle

William Rawle, an American lawyer, born in Philadelphia, April 28, 1759, died April 12, 1836. He studied law in New York, London, and Paris, and commenced practice in Philadelphia in 1783. He was United States district attorney under "Washington, was president of the Pennsylvania historical society, and chancellor of the associate members of the bar of Philadelphia. He published "A View of the Constitution of the United States" (1829).

William Rent

William Rent, an English artist, born in Yorkshire about 1685, died April 12,1748. He was apprenticed to a coach painter, but found patrons who enabled him to study in Rome, where in 1716 he met the earl of Burlington, with whom he returned to England, and whose guest he remained during the rest of his life. He was much employed as an artist, but neither as a painter nor sculptor rose above mediocrity. He became, however, the founder of modern landscape gardening in England, by laying out Kensington gardens in accordance with principles of perspective and light and shade, thus putting an end to the bad taste which had up to that time disfigured English pleasure grounds. As an architect he is said to have designed the admirable structures, Holkham house and the temple of Venus at Stowe.

William Rollinson Whittixgham

William Rollinson Whittixgham, an American bishop, born in New York, Dec. 2, 1805. He graduated at the General theological serainary in 1825, was ordained March 11, 1827, and became rector of St. Luke's church, New York, in 1831. In 1835 he became professor of ecclesiastical history in the General theological seminary, and in 1840 bishop of Maryland. He has edited the "Family Visitor" and "Children's Magazine," monthly, and the " Churchman," weekly; also, the " Parish Library of Standard Works for Use in the Protestant Episcopal Church," with introductions and notes (13 vols. 12mo, 1828 et seq.); Jahn's " Introduction to the Old Testament," in conjunction with Dr. Turner (1827); Palmer's " Treatise on the Church of Christ " (2 vols. 8vo, 1841); "Commonitory of Vincent of Lérins," new translation, with notes, etc. (1847); and " Ratramn on the Lord's Supper," with a revised translation (1848).