LAURENCE, RICHARD, D.C.L., was born at Bath in the year 176o. He matriculated in the University of Oxford, July 14, 1778, as an exhibi tioner of Corpus Christi College, took the degree of B.A. April to, 1782, that of M.A. July 9, 17S5, and those of B. and D.C.L,. June 27, 1794. Upon the appointment, in 1796, of his brother, Dr. French Laurence, to the regius-professorship of civil law, he was made deputy professor, and took up his residence in Oxford. He was the preacher of the Bampton Lectures in 1804, and in consequence of the reputation he thence acquired, he was presented by the Archbishop of Canter bury to the rectory of Mershain, Kent. In 1814 he was appointed to the chair of regius-professor of Hebrew, and to the canonry of Christchurch, Oxford, and in 1822 was elevated to the archiepis copal see of Cashel. He died suddenly in Dublin, December 2S, 1S3S. His most important contri butions to Biblical literature are his translations of certain Apocryphal books of the O. T. from the Ethiopic, and the critical investigations with which they were accompanied. These are, 1. Ascent/0 Isaire Vatis, Ouse:them pseudepigraphom, multis abhinc secede's, ot videlzer, deperdilum, none- autem aped Ethiapas compertom et cum versione La tina Anglicanaque publici joris factom, Oxon. 1819, Svo. 2. Primi Ezree Libri, aped vulga tum appellator quartzes, versio Ethiopica 71117R primo in medium prolata et Latine, AngUterine reddita, Oxon. I82o, Svo. The tmnslation is fol
lowed by general remarks upon the different ver sions of this book, its apocryphal character, the creed of its author, and the probable period of its composition, which he places between the years B.C. 2S and B.C. 25. 3. The Book of Enoch the Prophet, an apocryphal production, supposed to have been lost jor ages, but discovered al the close of the last century in Abyssinia now first published from an Ethiopic 111S. in Me Bodleian Library, Oxf. 1821, Svo ; 3d. ed. IS38. In addition to these, Dr. Laurence is the author of the following critical or exegetical works-4. Remarks on the Systematical Classification of MSS. aa'apied by Griesbach in his edition of the Greek Testament, Oxf. IS14, Svo. 5. A dissertation on the Logos of St. Yohn, Oxf. ISo8, 8vo. 6. Critical reflections npon some important misrepresentations contained in the Unitarian version of the 1V. T, Oxf. iSt 1, 8vo. 7. The book of Yob the worris the .A. V., arranged and printed in conformity with the llfassoretic text, Dublin ISA Svo. S. On the existence of the Soul after death ; a dissertation opposed to the principles of Priestley, Law, and their respective jalowers. By R. C. Lond. 1834, Svo. This work discusses the usage of the terms Kocucio-5-at and Sheol, and enters into the critical examination of various Scriptural narratives.—S. N.