Author: PORTEUS (Beilby). HODGSON (Robert):
Title: The Life of the Right Reverend Beilby Porteous, D. D. Late Bishop of London.
Description: London: Printed by Luke Hansard & sons..., 1811. 8vo, 215 x 128 mms., pp. [iv], 319 [320 adverts], engraved portrait frontispiece (off-setting on title-page), contemporary tree calf, spine ornately gilt in compartments, green morocco label; slight wear to front joint but a very good copy. From the Gawdy Hall Library, with library shelf mark on upper margin of front paste-down end-paper, and the armorial bookplate of the Rev. John Holmes on the verso of the front free end-paper, and below that the book label of John Sparrow, and notes in his hand loosely inserted. Robert Hodgson FRS (1773 – 1844) became Bishop of London shortly after the death of Beilby Porteus (1731–1809). He was a close relative of Porteus, by marriage on his father's side and by by blood on his mother's side; he was also a distant relative of George Washington. Hodgson's biography was preceded in 1810 by "By a Lay-Member of Merton College, Oxford," who is otherwise unidentified. These two works were reviewed in The Quarterly Review, with the reviewer asserting that Hodgson, "was personally connected with the bishop, he had greater advantages in ascertaining facts and circumstances of a domestic nature; he has also been enabled to produce his opinions on several occasions, by having the use of his private papers; and, by intimate acquaintance with him in his familiar circle.... [H]e has written with the partial hand of an admirer and a friend, appears to have given the outline of what he relates with scrupulous endeavours at accuracy, and has enabled the public, even should they not adopt his opinions, to form a correct judgment for themselves. His style of composition is respectable; that is, he has put together his materials and related his facts in unaffected and perspicuous language. Now and then, indeed, we regret to find him stopping his narrative for the purpose of introducing observations of his own, which, being at least irrelevant, it would have been better to omit. He has proceeded, however, with a very praiseworthy caution and exercise of discretion in his use of the bishop's papers."

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