CARPENTER, DR. LANT, was born September 2,1780, at Kidder minster, and was descended both on the father's and mother's side from old non-conformist families in that town. In consequence of his father's failure in business, he was at an early age adopted by a Mr. Pearsall, a relation of his mother, a man of piety and benevolence. Being designed for the ministry, he was sent in 1797 to the dissenters' academy at Northampton. But about a year after Lant Carpenter entered it, the establishment was for a time broken up, the trustees being dissatisfied with its condition, and especially with the real or supposed heterodoxy of the students. Lant Carpenter's friends were probably for the most part Arians : his own vicwa appear to have been still more remote from the standard of reputed orthodoxy. The students had however their exhibitions continued to them for the full term, and Lant Carpenter finished his academical career at Glasgow.
On leaving college he was engaged for a time as assistant in the school of the late Rev. J. Cords at Birmingham, and was afterwards one of tho librarians of the Athenmum at Liverpool, where he became acquainted with Mr. Roscoe, Dr. Currie, and other literary men. While here, he received overtures from several congregations to become their minister, and was offered a tutorship in Manchester College, York, the principal academical institution of the Unitarians. He declined these, but accepted an invitation to succeed the Rev. T. Keurick as one of the ministers of the Unitarian congregation at Exeter, to which place ha removed in 1805. About this time he married. He remained at Exeter twelve years, fulfilling the duties of his office with exemplary diligence, and especially devoting himself to the instruction of the young people of the congregation. He had also a small boarding-achool. In 1806 he applied for the degree of 3LA. to the university of Glasgow, and the senate) sent him instead the degree of LLD. In the course of the same year he proposed the establishment of a public library at Exeter, took tho lead in carrying the proposal into effect, and managed the institution for the first year. He also aided in the establishment of a Lancasterian school and of a savings bank in the town, and incited his congregation to establish a Sunday-school. He occasionally took part in public affairs when questions of religious liberty were concerned.
In 1817 he removed to Bristol, as one of the ministers of the Unita rian congregation there. Hero his labours in the discharge of his ministerial duties were continued; and his own school was much enlarged. He also interested himself in objects of general utility, and took an active part in organising the Bristol Literary and Philosophical Institution. His health failing, he in 1826 resigned hia pastorship at
Bristol and spent some time in travelling in England and on the continent ; by which his health and spirits were gradually restored. At the beginning of 1829 he resumed, by invitation, his ministry at Bristol; but his school, which had been for a time carried on for him, was given up. In 1839 his health, which had been for some time declining, once more gave way, and in June a painful depression of health and spirits came on. He was again recommended to travel, and while going in a steam-boat from Naples to Leghorn, fell overboard noperceived and was drowned, in the night of the 5th of April 1840. His body was afterwards found on the coast of the Papal territory near Porto d'Anzo, the ancient Antium, and was interred on the sea-shore.
Dr. Carpenter was an industrious and useful writer. His publica tions, Including those which were posthumoua, amounted to forty-four. Many of these were polemical or other sermons or pamphlets which do not require notice here. The following are his more important works :—' An Introduction to the Geography of the New Testament,' 12mo, 1805: this work has gone through several editions. rianism the Doctrine of the Gospel,' 12mo, 1809. An Examination of the Charges made against Unitarianism, &c. by Dr. Magee, in his Discourses on Atonement,' &c., 8vo 1820. Principles of Education Intellectual, Moral, and Physical,' Svo, 1820: this work is a reprint of articles which he had contributed to Rees'a 'Cyclopmdia."A Harmony or Synoptical Arrangement of the Gospels; 8vo, 1835, of which a second edition, under the title of 'An Apoatolical Harmony of the Gospels,' was published in 1838. It is probably on this valuable work that Dr. Carpenter's reputation as a divine and an author will ulti mately rest. Sermons on Practical Subjects,' 8vo, 1840 : this posthumoua volume was edited by his son, Dr. W. B. Carpenter, the subject of the following article. Au interesting memoir of Dr. Carpen ter, by his second son, the Rev. Russell Lant Carpenter of Bridgewater, forms a companion volume to the Sermons, and has furnished the materials of the present article. Lectures on the Scripture Doctrine of Atonement,' 12mo, 1843; also posthumous, edited by his third son, the Rev. P. P. Carpenter of Stand near Manchester. Besides his separate publications he contributed the chaptera on Grammar, Mental and Moral Philosophy, and Ancient Geography, to a work called 'Systematic Education,' 2 vols. 8vo, 1815; the articles on Grammar, acid Mental and Moral Philosophy, to Nicholson 'a Cycle pmdia ; and several papers to Aikin's 'Annual Review,' and to Rees'a • Cyclopxdia: He was also a frequent contributor to the periodicals of his own religious denomination.