George Miller (historian)
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George Miller (1764 – 6 October 1848) was an Irish
Anglican Anglicanism is a Western Christian tradition that has developed from the practices, liturgy, and identity of the Church of England following the English Reformation, in the context of the Protestant Reformation in Europe. It is one of th ...
priest and historian of
Trinity College Trinity College may refer to: Australia * Trinity Anglican College, an Anglican coeducational primary and secondary school in , New South Wales * Trinity Catholic College, Auburn, a coeducational school in the inner-western suburbs of Sydney, New ...
, Dublin. He developed a course in modern European history at the college after being passed over for a professorship and appointed assistant to Francis Hodgkinson, professor of modern history at the college, who gave no lectures during his 41-year tenure. Miller's college lectures were published in eight parts between 1816 and 1828 and reissued in four volumes in 1832 as ''History, philosophically illustrated, from the fall of the Roman Empire, to the French Revolution'', which went through three editions.


Early life and education

George Miller was born in 1764. He held three earned degrees from Trinity College"An Irishman's view of universities"
Garland Downum ''
History of Education Quarterly ''History of Education Quarterly'' is a quarterly peer-reviewed academic journal covering the history of education. It is published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of the History of Education Society and was established in 1949 as the ''H ...
'' Vol. 3, No. 4 (Dec. 1963), pp. 210–214.
including
doctor of divinity A Doctor of Divinity (D.D. or DDiv; la, Doctor Divinitatis) is the holder of an advanced academic degree in divinity. In the United Kingdom, it is considered an advanced doctoral degree. At the University of Oxford, doctors of divinity are ran ...
(DD).


Academic career

Miller was elected a fellow of Trinity College, Dublin, in 1789. In 1790, he was elected a member of the
Royal Irish Academy The Royal Irish Academy (RIA; ga, Acadamh Ríoga na hÉireann), based in Dublin, is an academic body that promotes study in the sciences, humanities and social sciences. It is Ireland's premier List of Irish learned societies, learned socie ...
and was later a member of the Council of that organisation and a secretary."Report of the Council, March 16, 1849"
''
Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy The ''Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy'' (''PRIA'') is the journal of the Royal Irish Academy, founded in 1785 to promote the study of science, polite literature, and antiquities Antiquities are objects from antiquity, especially the ...
'', Vol. 4 (1847–1850), pp. 309–313.
In 1799, he was passed over for the chair in Natural and Experimental Philosophy in favour of Thomas Elrington but possibly as a form of consolation prize was appointed assistant to
Francis Hodgkinson Francis Hodgkinson (died 1840) was Regius Professor of civil law (1834) and Erasmus Smith's Professor of Modern History (1799) at Trinity College Trinity College may refer to: Australia * Trinity Anglican College, an Anglican coeducational pri ...
, the newly appointed professor of modern history who did not deliver any lecturers on the subject between then and his death in 1840. John Kearney, provost of the college, whose brother Michael Kearney had enjoyed great success by writing and publishing four lectures on the government of Rome, suggested to Miller that he do something similar in the field of
modern history The term modern period or modern era (sometimes also called modern history or modern times) is the period of history that succeeds the Middle Ages (which ended approximately 1500 AD). This terminology is a historical periodization that is applie ...
. As a result, Miller developed a lecture series on modern
European history The history of Europe is traditionally divided into four time periods: prehistoric Europe (prior to about 800 BC), classical antiquity (800 BC to AD 500), the Middle Ages (AD 500 to AD 1500), and the modern era (since AD 1500). The first early ...
that found an audience "more remarkable for its intelligence than its numbers" at first but which gradually grew in popularity until it had to be delivered in the Examination Hall."Trinity College in 1830 (Part III)"
R.B. McDowell and D.A. Webb, '' Hermathena'', No. 78 (November 1951), pp. 22–31.
Miller claimed that the lectures "slowly and gradually formed ... requiring little more than to be combined together in an orderly arrangement" and that they were not the result of any "enthusiasm of religious feeling",Miller, George. (1852
''History, philosophically illustrated, from the fall of the Roman Empire, to the French Revolution. Volume I''.
3rd revised edition. London: H.G. Bohn. pp. iii–viii.
however, later commentators have described the lecturers as "pietistic" and Miller devoted considerable space in the preface to the four-volume edition (1832) to a description of the method by which he reconciled the more unpleasant parts of historical fact with his religious faith, arguing that he was:
"not required by his theory to vindicate, or to censure, any transaction, all being according to it, conducive, directly or indirectly, to the same end ... He had only to endeavour to show how each transaction has been by its consequences a part of a combined whole, having for its general issue the improvement of human society; how each leading individual, whatever may have been the motive, or the quality of his conduct, was an agent, though free and unconscious, in the execution of the plan of a wise and beneficent providence."
Miller's approach has been described as being in the Providential tradition and a review in ''
The Dublin University Magazine The ''Dublin University Magazine'' was an independent literary cultural and political magazine published in Dublin from 1833 to 1882. It started out as a magazine of political commentary but increasingly became devoted to literature. The magazine ...
'' in 1839 noted that "Dr. Miller advances and establishes his great principles, that God reigneth in the affairs of men, and that the end of the divine government is man's improvement" while ''
The Edinburgh Review The ''Edinburgh Review'' is the title of four distinct intellectual and cultural magazines. The best known, longest-lasting, and most influential of the four was the third, which was published regularly from 1802 to 1929. ''Edinburgh Review'' ...
'' in 1830, referring to the first edition, understood Miller's premise to be that "all the events of this world have an intrinsic connexion" and that "the study of human events, as well as of external nature, tends to illustrate the divine perfection" before entering into a detailed discussion of how the historian could reconcile the existence of evil in the world with God's omnipotence. In May 1799, Miller wrote to
Lord Castlereagh Robert Stewart, 2nd Marquess of Londonderry, (18 June 1769 – 12 August 1822), usually known as Lord Castlereagh, derived from the courtesy title Viscount Castlereagh ( ) by which he was styled from 1796 to 1821, was an Anglo-Irish politician ...
, Chief Secretary for Ireland in the British government,Vane, Charles. (1848
''Memoirs and correspondence of Viscount Castlereagh, second marquess of Londonderry. Volume II.''
London:
Henry Colburn Henry Colburn (1784 – 16 August 1855) was a British publisher. Life Virtually nothing is known about Henry Colburn's parentage or early life, and there is uncertainty over his year of birth. He was well-educated and fluent in French and h ...
. pp. 302–307.
following rumours that the British government was to establish a new college at Armagh. In the letter, which was first published in Castlereagh's correspondence in 1848, Miller offered his views on the curriculum and form of studies that might be offered by such a college and compared and contrasted the universities of England, Scotland and Ireland, finding them all wanting in different respects. The college was never established and, as far as is known, Castlereagh did not reply to the letter, but it provides evidence of Miller's eclectic views on education and accounts of the form of university instruction current at the time. In 1804, Miller resigned his fellowship and took up a clerical living in
County Fermanagh County Fermanagh ( ; ) is one of the thirty-two counties of Ireland, one of the nine counties of Ulster and one of the six counties of Northern Ireland. The county covers an area of 1,691 km2 (653 sq mi) and has a population of 61,805 a ...
. He continued to deliver his history lectures until 1811 for which he received a salary of £100 per annum. After they ceased, history lecturing also ceased at Trinity College for some time. His lectures were first published as ''Lectures on the philosophy of modern history'' in eight parts in Dublin between 1816 and 1828 and reissued in four volumes as ''History, philosophically illustrated, from the fall of the Roman Empire, to the French Revolution'' in London in 1832 which went through three editions.


Clerical career

Miller took up a clerical living in
Derryvollan Enniskillen ( , from ga, Inis Ceithleann , ' Ceithlenn's island') is the largest town in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. It is in the middle of the county, between the Upper and Lower sections of Lough Erne. It had a population of 13,823 a ...
,
County Fermanagh County Fermanagh ( ; ) is one of the thirty-two counties of Ireland, one of the nine counties of Ulster and one of the six counties of Northern Ireland. The county covers an area of 1,691 km2 (653 sq mi) and has a population of 61,805 a ...
in 1804, subsequently becoming vicar general of
Armagh Armagh ( ; ga, Ard Mhacha, , "Macha's height") is the county town of County Armagh and a city in Northern Ireland, as well as a civil parish. It is the ecclesiastical capital of Ireland – the seat of the Archbishops of Armagh, the Pri ...
and the headmaster of the school there.


Death and legacy

Miller died on 6 October 1848. He married Elizabeth Ball, daughter of Robert Ball of County Wicklow. His children included the leading politician and judge Stearne Ball Miller, Charles, Rector of
Carlingford, County Louth Carlingford (; ga, Cairlinn) is a coastal town and civil parish in northern County Louth, Ireland. For the purposes of local government, the town is part of the Dundalk Municipal District. It is situated on the southern shore of Carlingford ...
, and Emily. His grandson was the Irish Anglican priest and historian Beaver Henry Blacker."In memoriam"
by William George, ''
Gloucestershire Notes and Queries ''Gloucestershire Notes and Queries'' was an illustrated quarterly magazine of the history and antiquities of Gloucestershire published from 1879 under the editorship of the Reverend Beaver Henry Blacker (1821–90)."An essay on the origin and nature of our idea of the sublime"
''
Transactions of the Royal Irish Academy The Royal Irish Academy (RIA; ga, Acadamh Ríoga na hÉireann), based in Dublin, is an academic body that promotes study in the sciences, humanities and social sciences. It is Ireland's premier learned society and one its leading cultural i ...
'', Vol. 5 (1793/1794), pp. 17–38.
"Observations on the theory of electric attraction and repulsion"
''The Transactions of the Royal Irish Academy'', Vol. 7 (1800), pp. 139–150. *''Lecturers on the philosophy of modern history''. Dublin, 1816–28. (8 parts) *''A letter to ... the Lord Primate of Ireland on the manner in which Christianity was taught by our Saviour and his Apostles.'' London, 1822. *''Observations on the doctrines of Christianity in reference to Arianism, illustrating the moderation of the Established Church; and on the Athanasian Creed, purporting to prove that it is not damnatory, nor metaphysical, nor contradictory. With an appendix concerning the state of the Presbyterian Church of Ireland, occasioned by the sermons of W. Bruce, D.D.'' London & Dublin, 1825. *''The policy of the Roman Catholic question discussed, in a Letter to the Right Honourable W.C. Plunket.'' London, 1826. *''History, philosophically illustrated, from the fall of the Roman Empire, to the French Revolution''. London, 1832. (four volumes) 2nd. 3rd, 1852. *''The principal events of modern history, with their times, selected in reference to modern history philosophically illustrated.'' J. M'Watters, Armagh, 1839. *''The present crisis of the Church of Ireland considered.'' Dublin, 1845. (2nd edition)


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Miller, George 1764 births 1848 deaths Academics of Trinity College Dublin Members of the Royal Irish Academy Alumni of Trinity College Dublin 19th-century Irish Anglican priests 18th-century Irish historians 19th-century Irish historians Place of birth missing