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EDWARD YOUNG was born at
Moyn vey

Upham, near Winchefter, in June 1681.

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He was the fon of Edward Young, at that time Fellow of Winchester College

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and Rector of Upham; who was the fon of Jo. Young of Woodhay in Berkshire, ftiled by Wood gentleman. In September 1682 the Poet's father was collated to the prebend of Gillingham Minor, in the church of, Sarum, by bifhop Ward. On the childishness of Ward, his duties were neceffarily performed by others. We learn from Wood, that, at a vifitation of Sprat, July the 12th, 1686, the Prebendary preached a Latin fermon, afterwards published, with which the Bishop was so pleased, that he told the Chapter he was concerned to find the preacher had one of the worft

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worst prebends in their church. In confequence of his merit and reputation, or of the intereft of lord Bradford (to whom, in 1702, he dedicated two volumes of fermons), he was, fome time after, appointed chaplain to King William and Queen Mary, and preferred to the deanry of Sarum. Jacob, who wrote in 1720, fays, he was chaplain and clerk of the closet to the late Queen, who honoured him by ftanding godmother to the Poet. His fellowship of Winchester he refigned in favour of one Mr. Harris, who married his only daughter. The Dean died at Sarum, after a fhort illness, in 1705, in the fixty-third year of his age. On the Sunday after his decease Bishop Burnet preached at the cathedral, and began his fermon with faying, Death has

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"been of late walking round us, and "making breach upon breach upon us,

and has now carried away the head of "this body with a ftroke; fo that he, "whom you faw a week ago diftributing "the holy myfteries, is now laid in the duft. But he ftill lives in the many "excellent directions he has left us, both "how to live and how to die."

The Dean placed his fon upon the foundation at Winchefter College, where he had himself been educated. At this fchool Edward Young remained till the election after his eighteenth birth-day, the period at which thofe upon the foundation are fuperannuated. Whether he did not betray his abilities early in life, or his mafters had not kill enough to difcover in their pupil any marks of geA 3

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nius for which he merited reward, or no vacancy at Oxford afforded them an opportunity to bestow upon him the reward provided for merit by William of Wykeham; certain it is, that to an Oxford fellowship our Poct did not fucceed. By chance, or by choice, New College does not number among its Fellows him who wrote the Night Thoughts.

On the 13th of October, 1703, he was entered an Independent Member of New College, that he might live at little expence in the Warden's lodgings, who was a particular friend of his father, till he fhould be qualified to stand for a fellowship at All-fouls. In a few months the warden of New College died. He then

then removed to Corpus. The Prefident

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of this College, from regard alfo for his father, invited him thither, in order to leffen his academical expences. In 17081 he was nominated to a law fellowship at All-fouls by Archbishop Tennifon, into whofe hands it came by devolution, -Such repeated patronage, while it juftifies Burnet's praise of the father, reflects credit on the conduct of the fon. The manner in which it was exerted feems to prove that the father did not leave behind him much wealth.

On the 23d of April 1714, Young took his degree of Batchelor of Civil

Laws, and his Doctor's degree on the

10th of June 1719.

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