Græco-Latina’ of Labbé. This vast enterprise suffered from a crushing article by Charles James Blomfield (afterwards bishop of London) in the ‘Quarterly Review,’ xxii. 302–48 (1820).
Between 1819 and 1830 Valpy reissued in 141 volumes the well-known Delphin classics under the editorial care of George Dyer [q. v.], and from January 1822 to December 1825 he was patron, printer, and publisher of a periodical called ‘The Museum.’ During the years 1830–4 he brought out ‘The Family Classical Library; English translations of Greek and Latin classics,’ in fifty-two volumes, and in 1831 he started an ‘Epitome of English Literature,’ in the philosophical portion of which appeared a condensation of Paley's ‘Moral Philosophy,’ Paley's ‘Evidences of Christianity,’ and Locke's ‘Essay on the Human Understanding.’ An edition of ‘The Plays and Poems of Shakspere’ was published by him in fifteen volumes (1832–4), and in 1834 he began a serial work on the ‘National Gallery of Painting and Sculpture,’ but only four half-crown parts saw the light.
[Gent. Mag. 1813 i. 282, 1855 i. 204–5, 1864 ii. 126; Burke's Family Records, 1897, p. 612; Foster's Alumni Oxon.; Nichols's Lit. Anecdotes, ix. 759; information from Mr. George Wood, bursar of Pembroke College.]
VALPY, EDWARD (1764–1832), classical scholar, fourth son of Richard Valpy of St. John's, Jersey, by his wife Catherine, daughter of John Chevalier, was born at Reading in 1764. He was educated at Trinity College, Cambridge, graduating B.D. in 1810. After leaving college he acted for many years as a master at Reading school under his brother, Richard Valpy [q. v.] In 1810 he was elected high master of Norwich school, which greatly improved under his direction. In 1819 he became rector of All Saints, Thwaite, and vicar of St. Mary, South Walsham, both in Norfolk. These livings he held till his death at Yarmouth on 15 April 1832. Valpy married Anne, daughter of Thomas Western of Great Abington, Cambridgeshire, and widow of Chaloner-Byng Baldock, vicar of Milton Abbey in Dorset. By her he had a son, the Rev. Edward John Western Valpy, who died in 1830.
Valpy published: 1. ‘Elegantiæ Latinæ; or Rules and Exercises illustrative of Elegant Latin Style,’ 1803, which went through ten editions in his lifetime. 2. ‘The Greek Testament, with English notes, selected and original,’ 3 vols. 1815, 8vo; this work was well received and was much improved in a new edition of 1826 (Hartwell Horne, Compendious Introduction, 1827).
[Gent. Mag. 1832, i. 373; General Hist. of Norfolk, 1829, ii. 977, 1051, 1351; Foster's Index Ecclesiasticus.]
VALPY, RICHARD (1754–1836), schoolmaster, was the eldest son of Richard and Catherine Valpy, on whose estate in St. John's parish, Jersey, he was born on 7 Dec. 1754. Edward Valpy [q. v.] was his younger brother. The family is of great antiquity in the island (Payne, Armorial of Jersey). In 1764 Valpy was sent to a school at Valognes, Normandy, and five years later to Southampton grammar school. He removed to Guildford grammar school, and while still a pupil there he published by subscription a volume of verses entitled ‘Poetical Blossoms.’ On 1 April 1773 he entered Pembroke College, Oxford, as a Morley scholar. He graduated B.A. in 1776, took orders in 1777, and was appointed second master of Bury St. Edmunds school. He proceeded M.A. in 1784 and B.D. and D.D. in 1792. In 1788 he was elected a fellow of the Society of Antiquaries.
In 1781 Valpy was appointed headmaster of Reading school, then in a depressed condition. Under his guidance, which continued through fifty years, the school was raised to the highest standard it ever reached. In 1790 Valpy built a house, at his own expense, to receive pupils from a distance, who previously had been lodged in the town. He also added largely to the master's house. Among his pupils were Peter Paul Dobree [q. v.], Sir William Bolland [q. v.], Sir John Keane [q. v.], John Merewether [q. v.], Henry Alworth Merewether [q. v.], Bulkeley Bandinel [q. v.], John Jackson (1811–1885) [q. v.], Francis Jeune [q. v.], and Sir Thomas Noon Talfourd [q. v.] (Registers of Reading School).
Valpy inspired his pupils with an intense personal affection (see especially the notice prefixed to Talfourd's Ion, 4th edit.), and had the reputation of being one of the hardest floggers of his day. His school-books, especially his grammars, achieved a wide popularity in England. He was an enthusiastic lover of English and Latin poetry, and possessed considerable literary taste, combined with the faculty of inspiring his boys with admiration for English literature, at a time when such a taste was rare in schools. He adapted several English, Latin, and Greek plays for performance by his boys, and on the occasion of the triennial visitation of the school these were acted in the town-hall for the benefit of local charities