Family, provenance and early years Edward Bentham was born at
Ely where his father, the Rev. Samuel Bentham, was employed as a minor canon at
the cathedral. The Benthams were a clerical family, and Edward was the sixth priest in a continuous descent from
Thomas Bentham (1513/14–1579),
Bishop of Coventry and Lichfield. His younger brother,
James Bentham achieved distinction as an antiquarian and historian of Ely Cathedral. The family were distant cousins of the philosopher and reformer
Jeremy Bentham (1748–1832).
Oxford In 1717, on the recommendation of
Dr. Smalridge, then a fellow of
Christ Church college, Bentham was sent away to
Oxford where he sang as a chorister at
Christ Church, before entering
the college as a student on 28 March 1724. Sources commend Bentham's erudition and even temperament. As soon as he had taken his
Bachelor of Arts degree he was invited by the principal of
Magdalen Hall to become vice-principal of that college, and took up the appointment on 6 March 1730 (
Gregorian), still aged only 22.
Regius professorship Edward Bentham's appointment to the Oxford regius professorship of divinity took place in May Surviving notes by students indicate a real-world practical approach, coupled with an adherence to the lecturer's own moderate high church biblical orthodoxy.
Death During his lifetime Bentham was noted as an early riser who had often completed half a day's work before many others had begun their day. He enjoyed good health, but during his final years suffered a sporadic weakness in his eyes, attributed to "too free an use of them when he was young". He was incapacitated by his final illness from 23 July 1776, but battled on with his studies "like a faithful soldier, in the exercise of his religion", dying at the start of the next month. ==Evaluation==