) ▁was ▁an ▁English ▁cl erg yman , ▁school ▁teacher ▁and ▁college ▁principal , ▁anti qu arian , ▁and ▁man ▁of ▁letters . ▁ ▁Life ▁Born ▁in ▁England , ▁he ▁began ▁his ▁career ▁when ▁he ▁was ▁rec ru ited ▁as ▁a ▁professor ▁of ▁moral ▁philosophy ▁for ▁the ▁College ▁of ▁William ▁& ▁Mary , ▁Williams burg , ▁Virginia . ▁He ▁arrived ▁in ▁ 1 7 7 0 . ▁Well - connected ▁there , ▁he ▁became ▁a ▁friend ▁of ▁Thomas ▁Jefferson , ▁who ▁acquired ▁some ▁of ▁his ▁library . ▁He ▁cl ashed ▁though ▁in ▁public ▁debate ▁with ▁Robert ▁Carter ▁Nicholas , ▁Sr . ▁and ▁John ▁Page , ▁and ▁failed ▁to ▁become ▁re ctor ▁of ▁Br ut on ▁Par ish ▁Church . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 7 7 5 ▁he ▁went ▁back ▁to ▁England , ▁as ▁a ▁Lo yal ist ▁taking ▁leave ▁from ▁the ▁College ▁but ▁never ▁returning ; ▁he ▁was ▁a ▁supp orter ▁of ▁John ▁Murray , ▁ 4 th ▁Earl ▁of ▁Dun more , ▁Virginia ' s ▁governor , ▁and ▁with ▁his ▁colle ague ▁Thomas ▁G w at kin ▁had ▁been ▁subject ▁to ▁int im id ation ▁by ▁armed ▁men . ▁He ▁obtained ▁an ▁assistant - master ship ▁at ▁H arrow ▁School , ▁and ▁soon ▁afterwards ▁received ▁a ▁cur acy ▁at ▁North all ▁in ▁M idd les ex . ▁In ▁ 1 7 7 8 ▁he ▁was ▁elected ▁a ▁fellow ▁of ▁the ▁Society ▁of ▁Anti qu aries , ▁and ▁four ▁years ▁later ▁he ▁was ▁presented ▁to ▁the ▁living ▁of ▁R end les ham ▁in