William Warburton, an English author, born in Newark, Nottinghamshire, Dec. 24, 1698, died in Gloucester, June 7,1779. He was educated for the law, and began business at Newark in 1719; but in 1723 he received deacon's orders, and published anonymously "Miscellaneous Translations, in Prose and Verse, from Roman Poets, Orators, and Historians." In 1726 he was ordained a priest, and was presented to the small vicarage of Gryesly, Nottinghamshire. In the same year he went to London, and formed a friendship with Theobald, and also allied himself with the confederacy against Pope. He published "Critical and Philosophical Inquiry into the Causes of Prodigies and Miracles" (12mo, 1727), issued anonymously and subsequently suppressed, and " The Legal Judicature in Chancery stated" (1727). In 1728 he was presented to the rectory of Brant Broughton in Lincolnshire, worth about £200 a year, where he spent most of his life. In 1736 appeared his "Alliance between Church and State, or the Necessity and Equity of an Established Religion and a Test Law demonstrated from the Essence and End of Civil Society, upon the Fundamental Principles of the Law of Nature and Nations." This was followed in 1737-8 by the first volume of " The Divine Legation of Moses demonstrated on the Principles of a Religious Deist, from the Omission of the Doctrine of a Future State of Rewards and Punishments in the Jewish Dispensation," soon after which he was appointed chaplain to the prince of Wales. In 1739-'40 he published, in a periodical called " The Works of the Learned," a series of letters under the title of "A Vindication of Pope's Essay on Man," which led to a friendship with Pope. In 1741 he published the second volume of the " Divine Legation of Moses," and in 1742 "A Critical and Philosophical Commentary on Mr. Pope's Essay on Man;" and at this time he advised the poet to make Colley Cibber the hero of the " Dunciad " instead of Theobald, and to add a fourth book.

Both were accordingly done, and in 1743 the poem appeared with notes by Warburton. In 1746 he was elected preacher of Lincoln's Inn, and in 1747 published his edition of Shakespeare (8 vols. 8vo). About this time arose his controversy with Middleton, out of which grew his treatise entitled "Julian, or a Discourse concerning the Earthquake and Fiery Eruptions which defeated the Emperor's Attempt to rebuild the Temple at Jerusalem " (1750). The following year he published an edition of Pope's works in 9 vols. 8vo, and in 1753-4 two volumes of sermons preached at Lincoln's Inn. Upon the publication of Bolingbroke's writings, he wrote a review of his philosophy in four letters to a friend (1754-'5). In 1754 he was made one of the king's chaplains in ordinary, in 1755 prebendary of Durham, in 1757 dean of Bristol, and on Dec. 22,1759, bishop of Gloucester. Among his remaining works-is one against Methodism entitled " The Doctrine of Grace, or the Office and Operations of the Holy Spirit vindicated from the Insults of Infidelity and the Abuses of Fanaticism " (2 vols. 12mo, 1762). His friend Bishop Hurd published an edition of his works (7 vols. 4to, 1788), and in 1794 an account of his life, character, and writings.

In 1808 appeared a volume of letters addressed to Hurd under the title of "Letters of Warburton to one of his Friends;" and in 1841 the "Literary Remains of Bishop Warburton," edited by the Rev. Francis Kilvert. A " Life of Bishop Warburton " has been published by the Rev. John Selby Watson (8vo, London, 1863).