ENFIELD, WILLIAM, was born et Sudbury, in Suffolk, on March 29, 1741, of humble but respectable parents. The disadvantages of his early education were made amends for, in a groat degree, by a fondness for reading and Incessant labour towards improving his mind. This disposition to literary application introduced him to the notice of Mr. Ilextall, the dissenting minister of the place, who kindly and judiciously directed him in his studies, and by his encouragement and advice led him to devote himself to the Christian ministry. In his seventeenth year he was admitted to the Academy or Dissenting College at Daventry, then conducted by the Rev. Dr. Ashworth. Here he passed through the usual ooursa of study of five years, and was distinguished for his habitual diligence and for an unusual facility and elegance of composition. It was here also that he, with some others of his fellow-students, formed the design of making Christian morality, rather than points of faith, the object of their discourser. Immediately on leaving the academy ho was invited to the office of minister to the congregation of ]]eon's Garden, in Liverpool. In 1767 he married Mary, the only danghter of Mr. Holland, draper in Liver pool—a connection which constituted his principal happiness for the rest of his life. In 1768 and 1770 he published two volumes of sermons, which were very favourably received. One of these volumes, now scares, is rather remarkable for belug embellished with vignette sketches Illustrative of the subject of each discourse, from the pencil of Fuseli. Hs took his leave of Liverpool on being invited to the office of tutor In the belleselettres and resident conductor of the discipline at the academy of Warrington. These offices he accepted in conjunction with that of minister to the dissenting congregation of Warrington. The degree of Doctor of Laws was obtained from Edinburgh for him by the trustees of the academy.
Of Dr. Enfield's Industry some ides may be formed from the following list of the works which he published during his residence et Warrington, and in the midst of his other various and important occupations :— The Preacher's Directory, Ito, 1771; ' The English Preacher, a Col lection of Sermons abridged and selected from various Authors,' 9 vols. 12mo, 1773 ; An Es my towards the History of Liverpool, principally from the Papers of Mr. Ooorge Perry,' fot, 1774 ; ' Observations on Literary Property,' Ito, 1774; ' The Speaker, or Miscellaneous Pieces selected from the beat English Writers, for the purposes of Reading and Speaking,' 8vo. 3774; ' Biographical Sermons on the Principal Characters of the Old and New Testament; 12rno, 1777; 'Exercises in Elocution, being a Sequel to the Speaker,' 8vo, 1781 ; 'A Translation of Resigners Elements of Geometry, five; Institutes of Natural Philosophy, Theoretical and Experimental,' Ito, 1733. He pbblished also various occasional sermons. Nona of these,
however useful in their day, are of much value now. The ' Speaker,' it ',multi however be noted, was one of the first selections from our English classical writers. Dr. Enfield published also while at War rington another small volume of sermons on the principal characters of the Old and New Testament, and Dr. Aikin says that while there he drew up a series of discourses on the principal incidents and moral precepts of the gospel. This work was not published, but a selection of twenty sermons from it forms the Lest of three volumes of dicourses which were published after his decease by subscription for the benefit of his widow. The series of discourses on the gospels was written chiefly, if not altogether, at Norwich.
After the dissolution of the academy, Dr. Enfield remained two year. at Warrington, occupied in the education of private pupils and in his duties as minister of the congregation. In 1785 he accepted an invitation from the Octagon dissenting (Unitarian) congregation at Norwich. He first eettled at the village of Thorpe, whore he received private pupils, and afterwards removed to Norwich, where rat length he devoted his whole time to literary occupations and his official duties. It was during his residence at Norwich that, besides being engaged as a writer in the Monthly and ' Auslytical' reviews, be undertook an abridgment of Brucker's ' History of Philosophy,' in 2 vols. Ito. In this task he was kindly encouraged by Dr. Begot, at that time bishop of Norwich, who accommodated him with books from Cambridge and from his own library.
Dr. Enfield was also a frequent contributor to the ' Monthly Magazine' at its commencement, in which the papers under the title of the ' Enquirer' are mostly from his pen. His last literary under taking was that of a 'General Biographical Dictionary,' in conjunction with one of hie oldest and most valued friends, Dr. John Aikin. lie resided.at Norwich till his death, which, after a short but painful illuess, took place on November 3, 1797.
As a sermon-writer, Dr. Enfield obtained so great a reputation as not only to be applied to for assistance by his less Industrious dissenting brethren, but also, through the agency of a London bookseller, by several of the clergy of the Establishment, for sermons on particular occasions, for which he was liberally remunerated. As a preacher, his manner of delivery was grave and impressive, affecting rather a uniform dignity than a variety of As companion, he was universally esteemed in every situation, and at every period of his life.