Churchill, Charles. Sermons. London: Printed by W. Griffin; for John Churchill and William Flexney, 1765. First Edition. [5258]
Full calf, 8 1/2 x 5 1/2 inches, raised bands with gilt-ruled panels to spine, brown calf title label in gilt, edges rubbed with 1" crack at top of front outer hinge, binding is tight. 1950 gift inscription "for the good of his soul" on ffep, old stamp in red ink "I. R. Magruder" top of tp. ix., 202 pp., light foxing. Explanatory note for the Dedication signed "J. Churchill".
ESTC T98906.
Charles Churchill (1731-1764), b. London, England; d. Boulogne, France. His father, of the same name, was curate and lecturer at St. John's Westminster. The son Charles attended Westminster School (1741-1748) where he met William Cowper and Robert Lloyd. He followed his father as curate at St. John's, but his aptness for writing lampoons and polemical satires, along with his profligate tastes, resulting in his leaving the ministry of the church to pursue his other interests. He was a brilliant success as a satirist.
Allibone notes that the Dedication in the Sermons is satirical and addressed to Bishop Warburton. He also says that the subject of them is the Lord's Prayer, and we note there are also sermons on James 5:16. It was said that the Sermons may have been written by the elder Charles Churchill, since they are not satirical at all, and contain much solid instruction on prayer and holiness. They either indicate a different author or a difference in the stated author, perhaps these are sermons preached at the beginning of his ministry. The Sermons were published posthumously, under the direction of his brother, John Churchill.