?-1788; d. 25 Feb.; author of Rudiments of Greek History (1753), a pedagogic work intended to be digestible for schoolboys.
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Commentary
W. B. Stanford, Ireland and the Classical Tradition (IAP 1976; this ed. 1984), cites John Gast, Archdeacon of Glendalough, who produced a history of Greece for schoolboys, Rudiments of Greek History (1753), [being] a dialogue punctuated with moralism and schoolboy exclamations; followed by History of Greece from the Accession of Alexander of Macedon to its Final Subjection to the Roman Power (1782), also printed in Basle and Leipzig; his Rudiments was rewritten by John Stock in 1793 and used widely until supplanted by Goldsmith’s history. (p.149.)
F. Elrington Ball, A History of the County Dublin (1902): ‘Of the subsequent Archdeacons of Glendalough it is only necessary to mention Dr. Gast, a man of great literary attainments, whose virtues as a clergyman are commemorated on a tablet in the church (The following is the inscription: “In the adjoining church lie the remains of John Gast, D.D., late Archdeacon of Glendalough and Curate of St. Nicholas Without, who departed this life the 25th day of February, 1788. For 23 years and upwards this parish was happy in the fruits of his ministerial labours-affable, cheerful, learned, zealous, charitable - he conciliated the affections of all, and his life presented an engaging example of that Christian practice which with persuasive energy he recommended as a minister of the Gospel. In grateful remembrance of his services his parishioners have placed this stone, a memorial to posterity desirous that their children may venerate the beauty of religion exemplified in a good life, and aspire after the attainment of those virtues which are acceptable with God and cause the dead to be remembered with affection and respect.”). [Online.]
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Notes
No entry in Dictionary of National Biography.
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