DWIGHT, Timothy (1752-1817), an eminent American divine, was born at Northampton, Massachusetts, 14th May 1752. His father, though educated at Yale College, was a merchant, and his mother the third daughter of Jonathan Edwards. His mother began to instruct him almost as soon as he was able to speak, and it is said that he learned the alphabet at a single lesson, and before he was four years old was able to read the Bible. In 1765 he entered Yale College, and received his B.A. degree in 1769, shortly after which he went to take charge of a grammar school at Newhaven,, where he remained two years. In September 1771 he was appointed tutor in Yale College, where he distinguished himself by the skill with which he taught the higher mathematics. In the same year he began an epic poem entitled the Conquest of Canaan, which was published in 1785. He received his degree of M.A. in 1772, and afterwards pursued his studies with the view of adopting law as his profession, but, changing his intention, was licensed as a preacher of the gospel in 1777, and accepted the office of chaplain to the forces, which post he held for some time. In 1783 he was ordained minister of Greenfield in Connecticut, when he opened an academy which speedily acquired a very high reputation, and attracted scholars from all parts of the Union. He received the degree of D.D. from Princeton College in 1785, and that of LL.D. from New Jersey in 1810. In 1795 he was elected president of Yale College, and by his judicious management restored that institution to the high place from which it had fallen before his appointment. He died at Philadelphia on the 11th January 1817. Dr Dwight was the author of a considerable number of essays and sermons; and hi3 Theology Explained and Defended in a series of Sermons was ...