Thomas Nowell 's career is described in the D.N.B. He went up to Oriel in 1746 , aged 16 according to Foster , Alumni Oxon. ; he graduated in 1749 ( D.D. 1764 ), was elected Fellow of Oriel in 1753 and held various offices there, became principal of S. Mary Hall in 1764 , and professor of modern history in 1771 ; he was public orator , 1760-76 . He d. 23 Sept. 1801 — he was then said to be 73, which does not tally with the entry of his matriculation. He was a strong Tory , and as such earned the warm approval of Samuel Johnson . He was also strongly anti-Methodist , and was involved in debate with Sir Rowland Hill when the University expelled six Methodist undergraduates. Hill 's attack, Pietas Oxoniensis ( 1768 ) was translated into Welsh by John Thomas of Llanfihangel-Aber-bythych in 1769 under the title Duwioldeb Rhydychain — see the account of the matter in D. E. Jenkins , Thomas Charles , i, 64-6.