James Hampton (priest) facts for kids

James Hampton (1721–1778) was an English church leader and writer. He is best known for translating the works of the ancient Greek historian Polybius. His translations helped many people in his time learn about ancient history.

Who Was James Hampton?

James Hampton was born in 1721 in Bishop's Waltham, a town in Hampshire, England. His father was also named James Hampton.

Early Life and Education

When he was 12 years old, in 1733, James Hampton started attending Winchester College. This was a famous school. Later, in 1739, he became a student at Corpus Christi College, Oxford. At Oxford, he was known for being a very good student. He also had a strong personality, which sometimes led to disagreements. For example, he once had a quarrel with the poet William Collins, who he had known since school.

James Hampton earned his first degree (B.A.) in 1743 and a master's degree (M.A.) in 1747. After finishing his studies, he became a priest in the church.

His Important Work

Because of his excellent translation of Polybius, a powerful judge named Lord-chancellor Henley gave Hampton a special job in 1762. He became the rector (a type of church leader) of Monkton-Moor in Yorkshire. Hampton even dedicated the second edition of his Polybius translation to Lord Henley.

Later, in 1775, he also became the rector of Folkton, another place in Yorkshire. This was a "sinecure" job, meaning it paid him money but didn't require much work. He held both of these church positions until he passed away.

Later Life

James Hampton died in June 1778 in Knightsbridge, Middlesex. He was apparently not married. He left his belongings to a person named William Graves.

What He Wrote

James Hampton started working on his translation of Polybius in 1741. He first published a small part of the work, focusing on how governments are set up. This was called A Fragment of the 6th Book, containing a Dissertation on Government.

His main translation of Polybius came out later, between 1756 and 1761. It included the first five books and other parts of Polybius's writings. This translation was very popular and was reprinted at least seven times by 1823.

Hampton also wrote other books:

• An Essay on Ancient and Modern History (1746): This book looked at history from old times to more recent times. It also talked about the historian Gilbert Burnet.
• A Plain and Easy Account of the Fall of Man (1750): This book discussed the story of the Fall of Man, a religious topic.
• Two Extracts from the sixth Book of the general history of Polybius (1764): This book included more parts of Polybius's work. It also had Hampton's thoughts on how different types of governments can naturally decline.