There have been very numerous ed. of the works, among which may be mentioned the Globe (1899), and Dr. Grosart’s (10 vols., 1882-84).  There is an excellent biography by Dean Church (1879).

SPOTTISWOOD, JOHN (1565-1639).—­Historian, s. of John S., minister of Midcalder and Superintendent of Lothian.  Entering the Church he gained the favour of James VI., and was his chief instrument in his endeavours to restore Episcopal church-government in Scotland.  He became Archbishop successively of Glasgow and St. Andrews, and in 1635 Lord Chancellor of Scotland.  On the rising caused by the introduction of the service-book, he had to flee from Scotland, and was excommunicated by the General Assembly (1638).  He wrote a History of the Church and State of Scotland, pub. 1655.  It is, of course, written from the Episcopalian standpoint, as Calderwood’s is from the Presbyterian.

SPRAGUE, CHARLES (1791-1875).—­Poet, b. at Boston, Mass., had some reputation as a writer of prize poems, odes, and domestic poems.  To the first class belong Curiosity and Shakespeare Ode, and to the latter, The Family Meeting and I see Thee Still, an elegy on his sister.

SPRAT, THOMAS (1635-1713).—­Divine and writer of memoirs, b. at Beaminster, Dorset, ed. at Oxf., was a mathematician, and one of the group of scientific men among whom the Royal Society, of which he was one of the first members and the historian, had its origin.  He wrote a Life of his friend Cowley the poet, and an account of Young’s plot for the restoration of James II.  His History of the Royal Society is his principal work, but he also wrote poems, and had a high reputation as a preacher.  His literary style gives him a distinguished place among English writers.  He held various, high preferments, and d. Bishop of Rochester.

SPURGEON, CHARLES HADDON (1834-1892).—­B. at Kelvedon, Essex, left the Independents and joined the Baptist communion and became, at the age of 20, pastor of New Park Street Chapel, London, where he attained an unprecedented popularity.  In 1859 the Metropolitan Tabernacle was erected for him.  He was a decided Calvinist in his theological views, and was strongly opposed to modern critical movements.  He possessed in an eminent degree two of the great requisites of effective oratory, a magnificent voice and a command of pure idiomatic Saxon English.  His sermons, composed and pub. weekly, had an enormous circulation, and were regularly translated into several languages.  In addition to his pastoral labours he superintended an almshouse, a pastor’s coll., and an orphanage; and he was likewise a voluminous author, publishing, in addition to his sermons, numerous works, including The Treasury of David (a commentary on the Psalms).