Early life and education

Lindley Murray was born in 1745,^{[lower-alpha 1]} in Harper Tavern,^[2] near Swatara Township, Lebanon County, Pennsylvania,^{[1][5][6][lower-alpha 2]} His father, Robert Murray, a Quaker, was one of the leading New York merchants.^[9] His mother, Mary Lindley Murray was a Quaker. Mary's father, Thomas Lindley, immigrated from Ireland to Pennsylvania in 1718.^[10] Lindley was the eldest of the Murrays' twelve children, five of whom made it to adulthood.^[11] They included Lindley, John, Susannah, and Beulah, who were alive at the time of their mother's death. Susannah was married to Col. Gilbert Colden Willett, a British officer, and Beulah was married to Martin Hoffman.^[12] John married Catharine Bowne.^[13]

As he was growing up, Murray saw and met with people from around the world and heard the latest news of those who visited his parents. He received an education founded on values of the Age of Enlightenment.^[14] When six years old, he was sent to a Quaker school in Philadelphia,^[5][9] but soon left to accompany his parents to North Carolina, where they lived until 1753. They then moved to New York, where Murray attended school, but proved difficult. Contrary to his inclinations, at fourteen he was sent to work in his father's accounting firm; Murray was mainly interested in science and literature. He moved to Burlington, New Jersey, entered a boarding school, and started to study French. He was brought back to New York by his parents and allowed a private tutor. His father still wanted him to go into business, but in a letter, Lindley argued so convincingly for a literary career that his father's lawyer suggested letting the youth study law.^[1][9]

Law career

Beginning in 1761, Murray studied law under Samuel Kissam, his father's attorney and John Jay's teacher. Murray passed the bar in 1765 and established his law practice in the Province of New York in 1767.^[5][14] He joined the Debating Club to exchange viewpoints, as did Jay and other sons of prominent families.^[14] His legal practice became large and lucrative, in spite of his conscientious care to 'discourage litigation, and to recommend a peaceable settlement of differences.' After living on Long Island for four years, Murray returned to New York in 1779 and returned to his law practice. He retired in 1783.^[9]

Marital life

Murray was married on 22 June 1767, in New York City, to Hannah Dobson,^[9][15] the daughter of Thomas Dobson.^[16] They had no children.^[9] Murray was a Quaker throughout his life.^[5]

Murray and his wife followed his father to England by 1770 and lived there up to four years.^[9][16] Once he returned to Colonial America, he was among the Quaker founders and a director of the Union Library Society, with about 1,000 volumes.^[16]

Later years

In hopes of improving his health, Murray and his wife left America and moved to England for a milder climate in the summer of 1784. He never returned.^[5][9] For the last sixteen years of his life, Murray's physical condition confined him to his house.^[9]

Murray was a recorded minister of the York Monthly Meeting for eleven years, until his voice failed. For the last 16 years of his life he never left the house.^[9] Murray died on 16 February 1826, near York, England.^{[5][6][24][lower-alpha 4]} Hannah died on 25 September 1834.^[9]

Literary pursuits

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Edward Westoby, Lindley Murray, miniature watercolour, University of Leeds

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The remainder of his life was spent in literary pursuits at Holgate House, near York, England.^[9] His library became noted for its theological, philological and historical treasures. He studied botany, and his garden was said to exceed in variety the Royal Gardens at Kew. He composed his grammars there, in the summer house.^[5][9]

Murray's first published work, The Power of Religion on the Mind was originally published in 1787 and it was in its 20th edition in 1842. It was twice translated into French. To the 8th edition (1795) was added 'Extracts from the Writings of divers Eminent Men representing the Evils of Stage Plays, &c.', published separately 1789 and 1799.^[9]

His attention was then drawn to the want of suitable lesson books for a Friends' school for girls in York, and in 1795 he published his English Grammar. The manuscript petition from the teachers requesting him to prepare it has been preserved. The work became rapidly popular; it went through nearly fifty editions, was edited, abridged, simplified, and enlarged in England and America, and for a long time was used in schools to the exclusion of all other grammar books.^[9] Influenced by the Scottish Enlightenment, Murray's book won Abraham Lincoln's approval and is said to have inspired anti-slavery sentiment.^[10] See History of English grammars.

In 1816, an edition corrected by the author was issued in 2 volumes. 8vo. An 'Abridgment' of this version by Murray, issued two years later, went through more than 120 editions of 10,000 each. In 1835, it was printed at the New England Institution for the Blind in embossed characters.^[9] Two years later, it was translated into Marathi and published in Bombay. English Exercises followed (1797), with A Key (27th edit. London, 1847), and both works were in large demand. Murray's English Reader, Sequel, and Introduction, issued respectively in 1799, 1800, and 1801 (31st edit. 1836), were equally successful, as well as the Lecteur Francais, 1802, and Introduction to the Lecteur Francais, 1807. An English Spelling Book, 1804, reached forty-four editions, and was translated into Spanish (Cadiz, 1841). Of a First Book for Children the 150th thousand, with portrait and woodcuts, was issued in 1859.^[9] In addition to the praises that his works elicited, he was criticised for his failure to provide sufficient etymology and to have published mistakes.^[5]

The sales of the Grammar, Exercises, Key, and Lecteur Francais brought Murray in each case £700, and he devoted the whole sum to philanthropic objects. The copyright of his religious works he presented to his publishers. By his will, a sum of money for the purchase and distribution of religious literature was vested in trustees in America. When the Retreat for the Insane was founded at York by William Tuke in 1792, Murray did his utmost to second Tuke's efforts to introduce a humane system of treatment.^[9]

Works

• Extracts from the Writings of Divers Eminent Authors, of Different Religious Denominations; and at Various Periods of Time, Representing the Evils and Pernicious Effects of Stage Plays, and Other Vain Amusements, 1787
• The Power of Religion on the Mind In Retirement, Sickness, and at Death; Exemplified in the Testimonies and Experience of Men Distinguished by Their Greatness, Learning, or Virtue, 1787
• English Grammar Adapted to the Different Classes of Learners. With an Appendix, Containing Rules and Observations, for Assisting the More Advanced Students to Write with Perspicuity and Accuracy, 1795. 1824 edition
• English Exercises: Adapted to the Grammar Lately Published by L. Murray: Consisting of Exemplifications of the Parts of Speech, Instances of False Orthography, Violations of the Rules of Syntax, Defects in Punctuation, and Violations of the Rules Respecting Perspicuity and Accuracy: Designed for the Benefit of Private Learners, As Well As for the Use of Schools, 1797
• The Beauties of Prose and Verse Selected from the Most Eminent Authors, 1798
• The English Reader: or, Pieces in Prose and Poetry, Selected from the Best Writers Designed to Assist Young Persons to Read with Propriety and Effect; to Improve Their Language and Sentiments; and to Inculcate Some of the Most Important Principles of Piety and Virtue. : With a Few Preliminary Observations on the Principles of Good Reading, 1799.
• Sequel to The English Reader Or, Elegant Selections in Prose and Poetry. Designed to Improve the Highest Class of Learners in Reading, 1800