MIDDLETON, THOMAS FANSHAW, D.D., first bishop of Calcutta, was the only son of the Rev. Thomas Middleton, rector of Kedleston, in Derbyshire. He was born Jan. 26, 1769. When ten years old he was admitted to Christ's Hospital, wh ere he was a contemporary and friend of Coleridge and C. Lamb. Thence he proceeded as exhibitioner to Pembroke College, and took his degree as B.A. in 1792, appearing as fourth Sen. Optime. The same year he was ordained and became tutor to the sons of Archdeacon Pretyman, whose brother, Bishop Pretyman (Tomline), pre sented him to the living of Tansor, Northants, in 1795. In 18o5 he published the work by which his name is chiefly known, The Doctrine of the Greek Article applied to the Criticism and Illustra tion of the N. T. He became D.D. the same year ; prebendary of Lincoln, 1809 ; vicar of St. Pancras, Middlesex, 1811 ; Archdeacon of Hunting don, 1812 ; and was consecrated first Bishop of Calcutta, May 8, 1814. He reached his diocese in the following November, and was untiring in his efforts to promote the spread of Christianity and education. He made three visitations of his
enormous diocese, and paid special attention to the Syrian Christians of the Malabar coast. The Bishop's College' of Calcutta was established by him in 182o. He was cut off in the midst of his labours, after a brief episcopate of eight years, July 8, 1822, in the 54th year of his age. New and improved editions of his work on the Greek Article were published by Prof. Scholefield in 1828, and by H. J. Rose in 1833. The argu ments for the divinity of Christ he deduces from the force of the article have, as was natural, been warmly controverted by Unitarian critics, and it is possible that in some cases they may be over strained ; hut his line of proof demands attentive consideration, and its general results have been accepted by the majority of scholars.—E. V.