Overview: This text is a collection of biographical sketches and critical commentary on various poets of Great Britain and Ireland during the 18th century. The book is structured as a series of individual entries for each poet, offering insights into their lives, works, and literary significance. As a reader, you can expect to encounter a diverse range of poets, from celebrated figures like Alexander Pope and Jonathan Swift to less well-known names like Ambrose Phillips and Richard Maitland.
Main Parts:
- Individual Poet Entries: Each section focuses on a specific poet, delving into their personal life, education, career, and major works.
- Literary Analysis: The text provides critical commentary on the poet’s works, highlighting their strengths, weaknesses, and influences.
- Contextual Information: The author often includes historical context, providing background information on the social and political climate of the time.
- Anecdotes and Stories: The author shares personal anecdotes and stories to illustrate the poet’s personality and character.
View on Life:
- Classical Education: There is a strong emphasis on classical education and the importance of studying ancient Greek and Roman literature.
- Literary Reputation: The authors place significant importance on achieving and maintaining a positive literary reputation, often commenting on the rivalry and competition among poets.
- Morality and Religion: The text frequently touches on the poets’ moral and religious beliefs, often criticizing those seen as libertine or irreligious.
- Patronage: The importance of finding wealthy patrons to support one’s creative work is a recurring theme, often highlighted in the struggles of poets like Richard Savage and Samuel Boyse.
Scenarios and Situations:
- Literary Quarrels: The text describes a number of fierce literary feuds, often fueled by personal resentment, competition, or political differences. Notable examples include Pope’s rivalry with Addison and his satire of the “dunces” in the Dunciad.
- Patronage and Poverty: Many poets are depicted struggling with financial hardship, seeking patronage from wealthy individuals, and facing the consequences of relying on others for support.
- Political Influence: The text highlights how political affiliations and the changing political climate impacted the lives and careers of many poets.
- Personal Traumas: The text explores the impact of personal tragedies like the death of loved ones, failed love affairs, and even imprisonment, on the poets’ lives and work.
Challenges:
- Achieving Literary Success: The poets often faced challenges in gaining recognition for their work and securing financial stability.
- Navigating the Political Landscape: The political climate was often volatile and could impact a poet’s career and even personal safety.
- Overcoming Poverty: Many poets struggled with poverty, forcing them to rely on patrons, engage in precarious work, or even resort to begging.
- Maintaining Integrity: Some poets faced the challenge of remaining true to their beliefs and values, even when it was financially or politically advantageous to compromise.
Conflict:
- Personal Resentment and Rivalry: The text describes numerous conflicts between poets, often fueled by jealousy, ambition, or opposing political views. These conflicts could manifest as verbal attacks, public disputes, and even physical violence.
- Internal Struggles: Many poets struggled with internal conflict, grappling with their own failings, weaknesses, and the limitations imposed by their circumstances.
Plot:
- Individual Biographies: The text provides a chronological narrative of each poet’s life, tracing their education, career, and major works.
- Recurring Themes: Certain themes such as patronage, poverty, and literary rivalry, weave through the individual biographies, creating a larger narrative of the challenges faced by poets in 18th-century society.
Point of View:
- Biographical Perspective: The text is written from a biographical perspective, seeking to understand the lives and works of the poets in relation to their personal experiences and historical context.
- Critical Commentary: The authors offer their own opinions and interpretations of the poets’ works, often revealing their own biases and perspectives.
How it’s Written:
- Formal and Scholarly: The text is written in a formal and scholarly tone, using elaborate sentence structures and vocabulary common to 18th-century prose.
- Anecdotal and Personal: The author often employs anecdotes and personal stories to illustrate the poets’ lives and characters.
- Critical and Judgmental: The author often expresses judgment about the poets’ works and character, revealing his own aesthetic and moral standards.
Tone:
- Informative and Analytical: The tone is primarily informative and analytical, aiming to provide a comprehensive account of the poets’ lives and works.
- Satirical and Critical: The author often uses satire and criticism to highlight the flaws and weaknesses of the poets, revealing his own biases and perspectives.
Life Choices:
- Literary Career: Many poets chose to pursue a career in writing, despite the uncertainties and challenges associated with it.
- Seeking Patronage: Some poets made the conscious decision to seek patronage from wealthy individuals, recognizing the financial benefits it could provide.
- Political Affiliations: The poets often made choices based on their political convictions, sometimes aligning themselves with powerful individuals or factions.
- Moral and Religious Choices: The poets often made choices based on their moral and religious convictions, sometimes facing social or professional repercussions.
Lessons:
- Persistence and Determination: The stories of poets like Richard Savage and Samuel Boyse illustrate the importance of persistence and determination in overcoming challenges.
- Value of Integrity and Honesty: The lives of poets like James Miller demonstrate the importance of remaining true to one’s beliefs and values, even when it is difficult or costly.
- Humility and Self-Awareness: The text emphasizes the importance of humility and self-awareness, particularly in regards to one’s achievements and limitations.
- Importance of Patronage: The text emphasizes the importance of seeking and cultivating patronage from those who can support one’s work and ambitions.
Characters:
- Alexander Pope: A highly successful and influential poet, known for his wit, satire, and technical mastery. He was often involved in literary rivalries and conflicts.
- Jonathan Swift: A satirical writer and clergyman, known for his sharp wit, political commentary, and enduring works like Gulliver’s Travels. He was a complex and sometimes controversial figure.
- Richard Savage: An unfortunate poet plagued by poverty and the cruelty of his mother. He was known for his brilliance, but also his impulsiveness and self-destructive tendencies.
- James Thomson: A celebrated poet best known for his Seasons, a series of poems depicting the changing seasons of the year. He was a sensitive and contemplative soul.
- Aaron Hill: A prolific writer and inventor, known for his wide-ranging interests and his struggles to achieve financial success.
- Ambrose Phillips: A poet known for his pastorals and his rivalry with Alexander Pope.
- Lewis Theobald: A poet and scholar who gained notoriety for his edition of Shakespeare and his feud with Pope.
- Richard Maitland, Earl of Lauderdale: A learned nobleman known for his translation of Virgil and his loyalty to King James II.
- Samuel Boyse: A poet who struggled with poverty and addiction, despite possessing a remarkable talent for poetry.
- Thomas Tickell: A poet known for his close friendship with Addison and his translations of Homer.
- Eustace Budgell: A writer and politician who fell from grace due to his vanity, gambling addiction, and ultimately suicide.
- William Hinchliffe: A bookseller and writer, known for his translations and his dedication to literature.
- Matthew Concanen: A writer who defended the ministry in political papers and was satirized by Pope.
- Thomas Sheridan: A clergyman and scholar, known for his wit and friendship with Swift.
- Constantia Grierson: An extraordinary woman known for her profound knowledge and scholarship.
Themes:
- The Nature of Genius: The text explores the nature of genius and the ways in which it can be both a blessing and a curse.
- The Power of Patronage: The text emphasizes the importance of patronage in the lives of poets, highlighting both the benefits and the dangers of reliance on others.
- The Role of Morality and Religion: The text explores the poets’ moral and religious beliefs, examining how these influenced their work and their lives.
- The Influence of Politics: The text demonstrates the powerful influence of politics on the lives of poets, examining how their writings were often shaped by their political convictions.
- The Power of Words: The text demonstrates the power of words, showcasing how they can be used to praise, to criticize, to influence, and to shape public opinion.
- The Search for Identity: Many poets, especially those facing challenges, grapple with questions of identity and their place in society.
Principles:
- Classical Education: The value of a solid education grounded in the classics is emphasized throughout the text.
- Moral Integrity: The text suggests that moral integrity and virtuous conduct are essential qualities for a poet, especially in a world that often rewards vice.
- The Power of Reason and Truth: The text often celebrates those who prioritize reason and truth over blind faith and sentimentality.
- The Importance of Patronage: The text recognizes the importance of patrons in supporting and promoting the arts, though it often warns against the potential pitfalls of relying on them for financial security.
- The Power of Words: The text emphasizes the power of words to inspire, to influence, and to shape public opinion.
Intentions:
- Poets: The poets often sought to gain recognition, financial security, and influence through their writings. Some also sought to promote moral values, criticize social injustices, or shape political discourse.
- Reader: The author intends to inform and entertain the reader, offering insights into the lives and works of poets, while also providing commentary on the social and political climate of the 18th century.
Unique Vocabulary:
- “Laudatur et alget”: A Latin phrase meaning “praised and frozen,” used by Frowde to describe the fate of his play Philotas, which was met with praise but failed to find a receptive audience.
- “Whip-Syllabub”: A term used to describe Southern’s comic dialogue, indicating it was light and amusing but lacked depth and wit.
- “Cacoethea Scribendi”: A Latin phrase meaning “the itch to write,” used to describe Sheridan’s tendency to produce a large number of works.
- “Dullness”: A recurring motif in Pope’s satires, representing the lack of intelligence, creativity, and moral virtue.
- “False Sublime”: A term used to describe a style of writing that attempts to achieve grandeur but falls into bombast and exaggerated language.
Anecdotes:
- Pope and Addison’s Quarrel: The text describes a famous meeting between Pope and Addison, where their rivalry and personal animosity are evident. Pope accuses Addison of jealousy and hypocrisy, while Addison critiques Pope’s work and advises him to be less vain.
- The Beeching Oil Company: Hill describes his failed attempt to establish a company that would produce oil from beech nuts, highlighting the difficulties he faced due to mismanagement and conflicting interests.
- The “Blasting Eye”: Thomson’s humorous retort to a critic’s comment about his Winter poem showcases his quick wit and resilience in the face of criticism.
Ideas:
- The Importance of Classical Education: The text emphasizes the importance of a solid foundation in classical literature for aspiring poets.
- The Role of Poetry in Society: The text explores the complex role of poetry in society, showcasing its power to influence, to entertain, and to shape public opinion.
- The Power of Patronage: The text explores the double-edged sword of patronage, examining the potential benefits and pitfalls of relying on wealthy individuals for financial support.
Facts and Findings:
- Pope’s Translation of Homer: The text highlights Pope’s successful translation of Homer’s Iliad, which brought him both fame and fortune.
- The Death of Queen Anne: The text describes the political upheaval that followed Queen Anne’s death, including the rise of the Hanoverians and the subsequent challenges faced by Tory poets like Swift.
- The Drapier Letters: The text recounts Swift’s successful campaign against Wood’s halfpence, highlighting his role in rallying the Irish people against a perceived injustice.
- The Beech Oil Company: Hill provides specific details about his attempt to produce oil from beech nuts, outlining the business model and the conflicts that led to its failure.
Statistics:
- 10,000 copies of The Craftsman sold in one day: This statistic highlights the popularity and influence of the anti-court newspaper in which Amhurst was a prominent writer.
- 400 lines cut from The Spartan Dame: This detail emphasizes the pressure faced by Southern to conform to audience expectations and the willingness to compromise his artistic vision.
- £700 profit from a play: Southern’s success in earning a large sum from his play The Spartan Dame highlights the potential financial rewards of successful dramatic writing in 18th century England.
Points of View:
- The Author’s Perspective: The author’s biases and perspectives are evident throughout the text, particularly in his judgments about the poets’ character and work. His own political and religious beliefs often shape his analysis.
- The Poets’ Perspectives: The biographies often reveal the poets’ own views on life, art, and politics, providing insights into their thoughts and motivations.
Perspective:
- 18th-Century Society: The text offers a glimpse into 18th-century society, revealing the social, political, and intellectual climate of the time. The authors’ attitudes towards morality, religion, and patronage provide insight into the prevailing social norms and values.
- The Literary World: The text provides a detailed portrait of the literary world of the 18th century, highlighting the intense rivalries, the importance of patronage, and the challenges faced by aspiring poets.