John Henry Bernard

“ Patrick's Cathedral (1871) , and was presented with the freedom of the city of Dublin in 1892.
Hospitable and kindly, Salmon had many friends and interests. In youth a competent musician and a chess player of remarkable powers, he cultivated both recreations until an advanced age. He was always an omnivorous reader (except in the two departments of metaphysics and poetry, for which he had no taste) , and had a special affection for the older novelists, being accustomed to recommend the study of Jane Austen as a liberal education. ”

“ Dickinson, who proceeded D.D. in 1866, was appointed dean of the Chapel Royal, Dublin, by the Crown in 1868. He entered the chapter of St. Patrick's cathedral as treasurer in 1869, on the nomination of Archbishop Trench [q. v.] , and became precentor in 1876. He was elected to the chair of pastoral theology in Dublin University in 1894 by the Irish bishops a post for which his delight in the society of young men and his long pastoral experience specially qualified him. For many years he was a prominent figure in Dublin clerical life ”

“ Residence at the university during the last years of the Oxford movement permanently affected his life and his attitude towards religious questions. In later years he used to recall the spell of Newman's sermons. He graduated in classical honours (fourth class) in 1847, but in spite of the low class he had proved command of poetic and literary gifts. On 19 Sept. 1847 he was ordained deacon by Richard Ponsonby [q. v.] , bishop of Derry, accepting the curacy of the cathedral parish. ”

“ Meanwhile in 1850 Alexander won at Oxford the Denyer theological prize for an essay on the 'Divinity of Christ'; in 1853 he recited in the Sheldonian theatre a congratulatory ode to Lord Derby, then assuming the chancellorship of the university, and in 1860 he obtained the university prize for his sacred poem 'The Waters of Babylon.' In 1867 he was a candidate for the university professorship of poetry at Oxford,when Sir Francis Doyle [q. v. Suppl.I] was elected by a narrow majority. In the same year Alexander became bishop of Derry, being consecrated in Armagh cathedral on 6 Oct. ”

“ A disciple of Whately in theological matters, Dickinson was opposed to the tractarian movement, while he was a strong supporter of the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel at a time when it was not popular in Ireland. ”

“ Conservative in tendency, the book is destructive of extravagant theories of Christian origins rather than a positive statement of the results which a sober scholarship is prepared to maintain. The same characteristic of the author's method was apparent in his criticisms of Hort's reconstruction of the Greek text of the New Testament, which appeared in 1897 ('Thoughts on the Textual Criticism of the New Testament') , criticisms of which the sagacity has since been widely recognised. ”

“ SALMON, GEORGE (1819–1904) , mathematician and divine, born at Cork on 25 Sept. 1819, was only son of Michael Salmon, linen merchant, by his wife Helen, daughter of the Rev. Edward Weekes. Of three sisters one, Eliza, married George Gresley Perry [q. v. Suppl. I] , archdeacon of Stow. Salmon, after attending Mr. Porter's school in Cork, entered Trinity College, Dublin, in 1833, where he had a brilliant career, winning a classical scholarship in 1837 and graduating as first mathematical moderator in 1838. ”

“ The most delightful of hosts, his conversation was full of interest and esprit. and even in extreme old age a literary problem or nice point of criticism would be eagerly taken up by him and discussed with his old fire. ”

“ The same may be said of the 'Leading Ideas of the Gospels' (1872, 3rd edit. 1898) , which grew out of Oxford sermons preached in 1871. His commentaries on the Johannine epistles (1881) in the 'Speaker's Commentary ' and hi the 'Expositor's Bible' (1889) abound in devout and beautiful thoughts and in proofs of a refined taste.
A convinced unionist in politics, Alexander showed his rhetorical power to advantage at the Albert Hall, London, in 1893, in his speech against the second home rule bill; but he had friends in all political camps. ”