Born at London, Sept. 11, 1661; died at Buriton, Hampshire, May 17, 1732. He was graduated at Oxford, 1683; and became chaplain to Dr. Mew, bishop of Winchester, who made him a prebendary of Winchester, 1696, and rector of Buriton and Petersfield, 1699. His own works were few in number, but weighty in value: “A Vindication of the Divine Authority and Inspiration of the Old and New Testament, in Answer to (Le Clerc’s) Five Letters,” Oxford, 1692, 3d. ed., 1821 (this brought him into notice); “Directions for the Profitable Reading of the Holy Scriptures,” London, 1708, 7th ed., 1799; but his principal work was a “Commentary on the Prophets,” London, 1714–23, 4 vols., afterwards collected in one folio volume, and incorporated with Bishop Patrick’s Commentary, and frequently reprinted, in that connection, under the caption, “Patrick, Lowth, and Whitby’s Commentary.” Dr. Lowth was the efficient assistant upon several works which pass under other names, such as Dr. Potter’s edition of “Clemens Alexandrinus,” Oxford, 1715, 2 vols., enlarged edition, Venice, 1757, 2 vols.; Hudson’s “Josephus,” Oxford, 1720, 2 vols.; Reading’s “Historiæ Ecclesiasticæ,” Cambridge, 1720, 3 vols. (reprinted Turin, 1748). A “Life” of Dr. Lowth will be found in the seventh edition of his “Directions,” etc.

General

  I mention with pleasure the labours of a respectable prelate, who in this, [“Translation of Isaiah”] as well as in a former work, has very happily united the most critical judgment, with the taste and spirit of poetry.

  Lowth had the amiable accomplishments of a man of parts and a scholar; but in no transcendent degree of eminence in either character.

  Lowth is one of the most judicious commentators on the prophets. He never prophesies himself: adheres strictly to the literal meaning of the inspired writer, and is yet generally evangelical in his interpretations. There is not much appearance of criticism; but the original text and other critical aids were doubtless closely studied by the respectable author. It is often quoted by Scott, and, along with Patrick and Whitby (with whom he is associated, though a writer of more spirituality than either), is pronounced by Bishop Watson the best commentary in the English language.

  His piety, his diligence, his hospitality, and his beneficence, rendered his life highly exemplary, and greatly enforced his public ministrations.

  Distinguished for his classical and theological attainments, and the liberality with which he communicated his stores to others…. His learning is said to have been equally extensive and profound, and he accompanied all his reading with critical and philological remarks.

  The value of his commentary was never very great, and it has been long since entirely superseded. Its tone is pious but cold, and he fails to appreciate the spiritual and poetical character of the prophetical writings, while he is far too eager to discover Messianic interpretations. His knowledge of Hebrew was moreover inadequate. At the same time his exegesis, if shallow, is simple, direct, and brief. The commentary has been highly praised by Bishop Richard Watson and by William Orme. Though less eminent than his son, Robert Lowth, the bishop of London, he was believed to be the profounder scholar. But he was too diffident to undertake any considerable original work, and the wide range and accuracy of his learning was chiefly shown in his contributions to the publications of others. We are told that he carefully read and annotated almost every Greek and Latin author, classical or ecclesiastical, and the stores he had thus collected he dispensed ungrudgingly.