It has been already stated, that, Dr. Hutchins was Hervey’s tutor. We
have no further information concerning him, except the following, kindly
supplied, from the Register of Lincoln College, Oxford, by the present
Rector:—
“1720. December 8. Richard Hutchins, B.A., was admitted to the
rights and privileges of a Fellow of Lincoln College.”
“1739. November 6. Mr. Hutchins was chosen Sub-Rector.”
“1742. November 6. Mr. Hutchins was chosen Bursar and
Librarian.”
“1755. July 9. Richard Hutchins, D.D., Fellow in one of the
Founder’s Fellowships for the Diocese of Lincoln, was, on
this day, unanimously elected Rector of this College. And
straightway a letter was drawn up, in the very words prescribed
by the College Statutes, in order to its being sent to the Lord
Bishop of Lincoln, sealed with the college seal, and subscribed
by all the electors present, certifying their said election to
his lordship, and praying him to admit to the Rectorship of
this College the said Richard Hutchins, Sub-Rector.”
“Dr. Richard Hutchins, our late worthy Rector, departed this
life, on Friday, 10th August, 1781.”
The only publication by Dr. Hutchins, which we have seen, is a Latin
sermon, delivered at the time of his being made Doctor of Divinity, in
1747, and with the following title,—“Elucidatio Sexti Capitis Evangelii
secundem Johannem, in solenni Praelectione habita in Schola Theologica
Oxon, pro Gradu Doctoris in Theologia. A. Ric. Hutchins, S. T. B. Colleg.
Lincoln Socio., 1747,” 8 vol. 51 pp. The sermon is learned and spiritual;
and the reader may infer what were the views and sympathies of its
author, when it is stated, that, the third and _principal_ division,
is, that, the body and blood of Christ are communicated to the faithful
in the Eucharist. In more respects than one, Dr. Hutchins continued an
Oxford Methodist long after all his old friends had been dispersed.