How did Richard Bentley transform textual criticism in England?

Richard Bentley (1662–1742) transformed classical scholarship in England by moving beyond the unsystematic correction of received texts toward a rigorous, scientific method of textual criticism.12

His transformative impact included:

• Rejection of Tradition: Bentley decisively broke with the established practice of merely producing corrected versions of previous editors' texts. Instead, he championed the role of critical conjecture rooted in deep linguistic and metrical expertise.2
• Creation of a Critical Method: He was not merely an editor but the creator of a comprehensive critical method applied across all departments of antiquity. This approach was famously demonstrated in his Dissertation upon the Epistles of Phalaris, which utilized his vast learning to prove the spuriousness of the epistles.13
• Mastery of Philology: His editions of Horace, Terence, and Manilius set a new standard for quality. Furthermore, his discovery of the digamma in Homeric Greek showcased his ability to uncover lost linguistic features through scholarly divination.13

By establishing these principles, Bentley fostered an influential "Anglo-Dutch" school of criticism, characterized by sound judgment and minute linguistic study, which shaped English scholarship for generations.2