KEMBLE, JOHN PHILIP, eldest son of Roger, born at Prescot, Lancashire; began to study for the Roman Catholic priesthood, but adopted the stage, and appeared first at Wolverhampton in 1776; after touring in Yorkshire and Ireland he came to London in 1783, playing Hamlet at Drury Lane; became manager of that theatre in 1788; in 1802 transferred himself to Covent Garden, where, on the opening of the new house in 1809, the “Old Price” riots brought him ill-will; he retired in 1817, and lived at Lausanne till his death (1757-1823).

KEMBLE, STEPHEN, son of Roger, was from 1792 till 1800 manager of Edinburgh Theatre (1758-1822).

KEMP, GEORGE MEIKLE, architect, born in Moorfoot, Peeblesshire; bred a millwright, became a draughtsman, studied Gothic architecture, and designed the Scott Monument in Edinburgh; was drowned one evening in the Union Canal before the work was finished (1796-1844).

KEMPEN, a Prussian town, 27 m.  NW. of Duesseldorf; manufactures textile fabrics in silk, cotton, linen, &c.; was the birthplace of Thomas a Kempis.

KEMPENFELT, RICHARD, British admiral, born at Westminster; distinguished himself in several actions, was on board of the Royal George as his flagship when she went down at Spithead, carrying him along with her and over a thousand others also on board at the time; he was a brave and skilful officer, and his death was a great loss to the service (1718-1782).

KEMPIS, THOMAS A, born at Kempen, near Duesseldorf, son of a poor but honest and industrious craftsman named Haemerkin; joined, while yet a youth, the “Brotherhood of Common Life” at Deventer, in Holland, and at 20 entered the monastery of St. Agnes, near Zwolle, in Oberyssel, where he chiefly resided for 70 long years, and of which he became sub-prior, where he spent his time in acts of devotion and copying MSS., that of the Bible, among others, in the Vulgate version of it, as well as in the production of works of his own, and in chief the “Imitation of Christ,” a work that in the regard of many ranks second to the Bible, and is thought likely to survive in the literature of the world as long as the Bible itself; it has been translated into all languages within, as well as others outside, the pale of Christendom, and as many as six thousand editions, it is reckoned, have issued from the press; it is five centuries and a half since it was first given to the world, and it has ever since continued to be a light in it to thousands in the way of a holy and divine life; it draws its inspiration direct from the fountain-head of Holy Scripture, and is breathing full of the same spirit that inspires the sacred book (1380-1471).

KEN, THOMAS, English prelate, born at Little Berkhampstead; is famous as the author of hymns, especially the morning one, “Awake, my Soul,” and the evening one, “Glory to Thee, my God”; was committed to the Tower for refusing to read James II.’s “Declaration of Indulgence,” and deprived of his bishopric, that of Bath and Wells, for refusing to take the oath of allegiance to William III. (1637-1711).