REV. HBNRT MARTYN, B.D, 3 



3. A correction is due in limine to the statements of all 

 Martyn's biograijliers. Eev. J. Sargent, Martyn's original biog- 

 raplier and friend, and father-in-law of Bp. Wilberforce, (whom 

 the rest copy) erroneously wrote that Mr. John Martyn of 

 Truro, Henry's father, had been a miner in his native parish of 

 Grwennap. Bishop Benson was better informed. In his opinion 

 Martyn ''must have descended from an ancient humble family, 

 " for there was a John Martyn at Gwennap in 1695, father of 

 "the Thomas Martyn, who made the famous map of Cornwall," 

 (Lecture delivered at Truro, February, 18th, 1881). Mr. John 

 Martyn undoubtedly belonged to a family of skilled miners, i.e., 

 mine agents or mine captains, who filled positions of trust ; but 

 I am inclined to doubt if he ever went underground, from some 

 MS. notes written by my father. 



" John, an elder brother of Thomas Martyn, was the father of 

 "John Martyn, who was born at Grwennap Churchtown, and, 

 " when young, was put as an accountant at Wheal Virgin Mine. 

 "He was soon made cashier to Ealph Allen Daniell, Esq., of 

 "Trelissick. Mr. Martyn held l-24th of Wheal Unity Mine, 

 "where upwards of £300,000 was divided. He then resided 

 "in a house opposite the Coinage Hall (now the Cornish Bank), 

 " Truro, a little below the present Market House. Here Henry 

 "Martyn was born February 18th, 1781, and was sent thence to 

 "Dr. Cardew's School in 1788." 



The perversion of the truth by Mr. Sargent has not only 

 pained members of the family, but misled many to suppose that 

 Martyn's career was an exception to the ordinary course of 

 merit and advancement.* 



Fortes creantur fortibus et bonis. Hor. 



4. I should wish to add a few remarks on my uncle's literary 

 standing. Bishop Benson has rightly judged, that Martyn's 

 bias was both by occupation and inclination turned towards 

 comparative philology, and he has further quoted the opinion of 

 others, that if his life had been prolonged, he would have been 

 one of the greatest of oriental scholars. 



In the six years, from 1806 to 1812, he did an immense 

 deal of useful work as a translator of the Holy Scriptures 



* iS'ee Martyn's Pedigree sub finem. 



