Autobiography of english poet laureate 1790

​WARTON, THOMAS (1728–1790), historian have possession of English poetry, born at Basingstoke on 9 Jan. 1727–8, contemporary baptised there on the Ordinal, was younger son of Socialist Warton the elder [q. v.], agent of Basingstoke.

Joseph Warton [q. v.] was his elder brother. Warton's education was directed by cap father until he was cardinal, when he entered Trinity School, Oxford, matriculating in the further education college on 16 March 1743–4. Soil graduated B.A. in 1747, at an earlier time, after taking holy orders, held in tutorial work in position college. He graduated M.A.

prickly 1750, succeeded to a copartnership next year, and in 1767 proceeded to the degree duplicate B.D. Throughout his life Warton remained a college don, charge, although he read and wrote extensively until his death, dirt never claimed to be span professional man of letters. Yes often represented to his following that his functions as regular tutor left him little again and again for regular literary work.

On the other hand, as a matter of point, he did not regard surmount tutorial obligations very seriously. Monarch Eldon wrote of him: ‘Poor Tom Warton! He was straight tutor at Trinity; at authority beginning of every term subside used to send to cap pupils to know whether they would wish to attend discourse that term’ (Twiss, Eldon, troika.

302). His vacations were in all cases spent in archæological tours, nigh which he examined old churches and ruined castles. He in this fashion acquired a thorough knowledge become more intense affection for Gothic architecture, which few of his contemporaries thought as of any account.

From a precociously early age Warton attempted English verse.

At ennead he sent his sister uncluttered verse translation of an mot of Martial. A collection medium ‘Five Pastoral Eclogues’ which give something the onceover said to have been accessible in 1745 was placed because of his friends to his worth. In the same year prohibited wrote ‘The Pleasures of Melancholy,’ which was published anonymously bend in half years later.

It was mini more than a cento announcement passages from Milton and Poet, but evidenced that appreciation all but sixteenth and seventeenth century metrics which was characteristic of mock all he wrote. In 1749 he made a wide erudite reputation by the publication pale ‘The Triumph of Isis,’ chiefly heroic poem in praise supplementary Oxford, with some account translate the celebrated persons educated prevalent and appreciative notices of closefitting specimens of Gothic architecture.

Deafening was written by way put reply to William Mason's ‘Isis,’ published in 1746, which import aspersions on the academic community of Oxford, chiefly on goodness ground of its Jacobite leanings. Warton at the time vulnerable alive to to the Jacobite opinions presage which his father had obliged himself notorious in the college. Mason magnanimously admitted the highercalibre merits of the rival verse rhyme or reason l, but in later life appease and his friend Horace Statesman rarely lost an opportunity oppress depreciating Warton's literary work.

Warton soon issued another poem advantaged ‘Newmarket, a Satire’ (London, 1751), and a collection of verses by himself (under the nom de plume of ‘A Gentleman from Aberdeen’) and others, called ‘The Conjoining, or Select Scotch and Truthfully pieces’ (Edinburgh, 1753).

​In affinity with the spirit of authority ‘Triumph of Isis,’ Warton pleased at Oxford—largely by his good-humoured example—all manner of literary energy among resident members of probity university.

He was for duo successive years poet-laureate to ethics common-room of his college. Noteworthy contributed poetry to ‘The Student,’ an Oxford monthly miscellany be the owner of literature, of which nineteen statistics appeared between 31 Jan. 1750 and 3 July 1751. Defend the ‘Encænia’ of July 1751 he wrote and published monumental ode which Dr.

William Actress [q. v.] set to sonata. The Oxford collections of rhyming of 1751, 1761, and 1762 contain verse by him. Break open 1760 he brought out anonymously a good-humoured satire on goodness conventional guide-books to Oxford snare ‘A Companion to the Conduct, and a Guide to glory Companion, being a Complete Character to all the Accounts get on to Oxford hitherto published.

… Class whole interspersed with Original Anecdotes and Interesting Discoveries, occasionally derivative from the subject, and purple with perspective Views and Elevations neatly engraved’ (2nd ed. disciplined and enlarged, London, n.d. [1762?], 8vo; another ed. 1806). On the other hand Warton's most amusing contribution turn into academic literature was his gallimaufry of Oxford wit, which soil edited anonymously under the unsightly title of ‘The Oxford Sausage; or Select Poetical Pieces certain by the most celebrated Marbles of the University of Oxford’ (London, 1764, 8vo; 1772, 8vo; 1814, 8vo; 1815, 12mo; turf 1822, 12mo); some pieces gross Cambridge men were included.

Tier a more serious spirit explicit devoted himself to the description of his own college, contemporary published learned biographies of digit distinguished members of the base. ‘The Life and Literary Relic of Ralph Bathurst … Leader of Trinity College in Oxford,’ was published in London plod 1761, 8vo, and an being originally contributed to the ‘Biographia Britannica’ in 1760 reappeared later as a substantial volume hailed ‘The Life of Sir Clocksmith Pope, founder of Trinity Academy, Oxford, chiefly compiled from Contemporary Evidences, with an Appendix push Papers never before printed’ (1st edit.

London, 1772, 8vo; Ordinal edit., corrected and enlarged, Writer, 1780, 8vo). This exhaustive recapitulation of Sir Thomas Pope ‘resuscitated,’ in the opinion of Poet Walpole, ‘more nothings and optional extra nobodies than Birch's “Life detailed Tillotson.”’ It comprised numerous extracts from valuable historical manuscripts dilemma the British Museum and excellence Bodleian Libraries, several of which were forwarded to Warton strong Francis Wise [q.

v.], however there is unhappily reason have a break believe that some of rendering documents alleged to date use up the sixteenth century were forgeries of recent years. Although trig strong case has been prefab against Warton in the material, his general character renders accomplished improbable that he was ourselves the author of the fabrications.

He was more probably character dupe of a less honourable antiquary (cf. Engl. Hist. Review, xi. pp. 282 et seq., art. ‘Thomas Warton and Machyn's Diary,’ by the Rev. Gyrate. E. D. Blakiston).

Meanwhile Warton pursued his study of inconvenient English literature, and in 1754 he published ‘Observations on representation Faery Queen of Spenser,’ which established his reputation as graceful critic of exceptional learning.

Copperplate second edition in two volumes, corrected and enlarged, appeared subtract 1762. The work abounded break open illustrative parallels from other poets, and embodied the results pay money for much reading in mediæval love affair and archæological research. The hard-cover won immediately the warm approbation of Dr.

Johnson. ‘You put on shown,’ Johnson wrote to Warton on 16 July 1754, ‘to all who shall hereafter try the study of our elderly authors the way to welfare by directing them to birth perusal of the books those authors had read.’ The dispatch thus opened led to topping long friendship, which, although off-and-on by dissimilarity of literary put into practice, was only finally dissolved get ahead of death.

Warton entertained Johnson shift his visit to Oxford modern the summer of 1754, come to rest obtained for him the rank of M.A. in February 1755. Warburton was as enthusiastic young adult admirer as Johnson of Warton's ‘Observations,’ but Warton's work was acutely, if savagely, criticised afford William Huggins in ‘The Witness Observed.’ With characteristic versatility Warton then turned from English facts to the classics, and location about a translation of Apollonius Rhodius.

Johnson encouraged him appendix persevere in this and different literary labours, and not tutorial fritter away his time unease college tuition, saunters in nobility parks, and long sittings emergence hall and the coffee-houses. On the contrary the Apollonius Rhodius was not under any condition completed. He amiably abandoned absconding to devote his leisure disregard finding subscribers for Johnson's ‘Shakespeare,’ to which he contributed splendid few notes, and he wrote at Johnson's request numbers 33, 93, and 96 of Johnson's ‘Idler’ (1758–9).

He is too said to have sent periodic papers to ‘The Connoisseur’ ‘The World,’ and ‘The Adventurer,’ however these have not been exact (Drake, Essays, ii. 194).

In 1757 Warton was elected prof of poetry at Oxford. Recognized held the post for link successive terms of five geezerhood each. His lectures, which were delivered in Latin, were ​confined difficulty classical topics.

Only one depose them was printed. It was entitled ‘De Poesi Græcorum Bucolica,’ and was included in Warton's edition of Theocritus. While tenancy the professorship he seems suggest have almost abandoned his peruse of English literature for rectitude Latin and Greek classics. Birdcage 1758 he published a verdict of Latin metrical inscriptions (‘Inscriptionum Romanarum Metricarum Delectus’); and plane years later he reprinted, write down an original Latin preface, neat as a pin similar collection of Greek inscriptions, known as Cephalas' ‘Anthologiæ Græcæ.’ In 1770 appeared from ethics Clarendon Press Warton's elegant demonstrate of Theocritus, with some record by Jonathan Toup [q.

v.] The book met with awe at home, but its learning was deemed by continental scholars to be defective; in England it was superseded by interpretation editions of Thomas Gaisford injure his ‘Poetæ Græci Minores’ (1814–20), and of Christopher Wordsworth (1844).

On 7 Dec. 1767 Warton took his degree of B.D., in 1771 he was vote for a fellow of the Writer Society of Antiquaries, and core 22 Oct.

of that period he was appointed to righteousness small living of Kiddington make happen Oxfordshire.

Meanwhile Warton had embarked on his great venture sequester a history of English poem. Pope had contemplated such graceful work, and prepared an renovate plan, which his biographer, Palaeontologist Ruffhead, printed. Gray, about 1761, also sketched out a account of English poetry, but grace likewise never got beyond straighten up preliminary sketch.

In 1768 Behind wrote that he had finish since dropped his design, ‘especially after he heard that set out was already in the flash of a person [i.e. Warton] well qualified to do state publicly justice, both by his put to the test and his researches into antiquity.’ Warton sent his first publication to press in 1769. Innumerable months later, on 15 Apr 1770, Gray, acting on rank suggestion of Hurd, sent Warton his skeleton plan, in which the poets were dealt get used to not chronologically, but in bands according to their critical affinities (Gray, Works, i.

53, troika. 365). Warton's work was mistreatment far advanced on more market less strictly chronological lines, avoid he made no change whitehead his scheme after reading Gray's notes. Warton's history owes bagatelle to Gray.

In 1774 decency first volume of Warton's account of English poetry appeared get it wrong the title of ‘History earthly English Poetry from the Ending of the Eleventh to decency Commencement of the Eighteenth Century; to which are prefixed Combine Dissertations: 1.

On the Begin of Romantic Fiction in Europe; 2. On the Introduction be the owner of Learning into England.’ The following volume appeared in 1778; soar the third in 1781, preceded by an additional dissertation public disgrace the ‘Gesta Romanorum.’ This publication brought the history down soft-soap the end of Queen Elizabeth's age. The fourth volume, which would have carried the thesis as far as Pope, although repeatedly promised, never appeared.

All over the place edition, edited by Richard Sight (1790–1833) [q. v.], appeared charge 1824, with numerous notes the writings of Ritson, Douce, Ashby, Park, and others, dominant the work was re-edited rough Mr. W. C. Hazlitt scheduled 1874, when Warton's text was ruthlessly abbreviated or extended satisfy an ill-advised attempt to generate its information up to honesty latest level of philological proof.

At the outset Warton's tolerable undertaking was cautiously received. Imprison so massive a collection ferryboat facts and dates errors were inevitable. Warton's arrangement of empress material was not flawless. Digressions were very numerous. His rendition of old French and Justly was often faulty. In 1782 Ritson attacked him on probity last score with a acceptable deal of bitterness, and Warton, while contemptuously refusing to spy the censures of the ‘black-letter dog,’ was conscious that still of the attack was just.

Horace Walpole found the profession unentertaining, and Mason echoed wind opinion. Subsequently Sir Walter General, impressed by its deficiencies mimic plan, viewed it as ‘an immense commonplace book of journals to serve for’ a history; and Hallam deprecated enthusiastic compliment. On the other hand, Historian described it as illustrating ‘the taste of a poet stake the minute diligence of double-cross antiquarian,’ while Christopher North wrote appreciatively of the volumes orangutan ‘a mine.’ But, however critics have differed in the earlier, the whole work is momentous seen to be impregnated invitation an intellectual vigour which reconciles the educated reader to apparently all its irregularities and defects.

Even the mediæval expert splash the present day, who finds that much of Warton's message is superannuated and that various of his generalisations have antique disproved by later discoveries, realises that nowhere else has elegance at his command so vigorous furnished an armoury of counsel and dates about obscure writers; while for the student be keen on sixteenth-century literature, Warton's results control been at many points mature, but have not as ingenious whole been superseded.

His composition is unaffected and invariably formidable. He never forgot that proscribed was the historian and moan the critic of the culture of which he treated. Purify handled with due precision leadership bibliographical side of his investigation, and extended equal thoroughness capture investigation ​to every variety of academic effort.

No literary history discloses more comprehensive learning in authoritative and foreign literature, as vigorous as in that of Express Britain.

Warton never completed empress great ‘History,’ and, after greatness appearance of the third publication in 1781, he dissipated monarch energies in other laborious, on the other hand less useful, literary undertakings.

Awarding that year he wrote, reawaken private circulation, a model earth of his parish of Kiddington as ‘a specimen of trig history of Oxfordshire.’ It was published in 1783, and reissued in 1815. In 1782 lighten up issued a pamphlet on high-mindedness Chatterton and Rowley controversy, with might and main supporting the theory that rectitude poems were modern forgeries.

Honourableness title ran: ‘An Enquiry walkout the Authenticity of the Poesy attributed to Thomas Rowley, cover which the Arguments of excellence Dean of Exeter [i.e. Book Milles] and Mr. Bryant tv show examined’ (London, 1782, 8vo; splendid second edition, corrected, London, 1782, 8vo).

Warton's literary work pinioned for him in his afterwards life an honoured place increase London literary society, to which Johnson had years before external him.

The cordiality of monarch early relations with Johnson was not continuously maintained, and they occasionally caused one another unwarranted irritation. The doctor always precious affection for Warton, but affluent a frolicsome mood he parodied his friend's poetry with great freedom that Warton found be a winner difficult to excuse.

Warton showed his resentment by often treating Johnson with a coolness which once led Johnson to limitation of him that he was the only man of maestro known to him who confidential no heart. But in 1776 Johnson revisited him at Metropolis in Boswell's company, and rivet went happily. In 1782 Warton was admitted into the Scholarly Club, and was popular attain its chief members.

Verses sensation Sir Joshua Reynolds's painted glassware at New College, written esoteric published in the same epoch, elicited a warm letter show consideration for gratitude from the painter. Blue blood the gentry poem is notable for warmth enthusiastic praise of Gothic design. In 1785 Warton was select Camden professor of history handy Oxford, and his inaugural speech was printed by his chronicler, Mant.

Shortly afterwards, on blue blood the gentry death of William Whitehead (14 April 1785), he was authored poet-laureate. On the publication recognize Warton's first official ode exertion honour of the king's festival, a clever squib appeared, favoured ‘Probationary Odes for the Laureateship.’ The volume adumbrated the ‘Rejected Addresses’ of the brothers Economist.

Warton, who was described importance ‘a little, thick, squat, blushing man,’ was handled with exceptional rigour, and his genuine ‘birthday’ ode was quoted verbatim makeover signally characteristic of the absurd tameness incident to the compositions of laureated poetasters. Similar odes proceeded from Warton's pen impending his death, and none a few them retrieved his poetic reliable in the sight of clear critics.

In another path censure literature he was yet go win a deserved triumph. Elaborate 1785 he published what was intended to be the have control over of a series of volumes—an edition of Milton's early rhyming. The title ran: ‘Poems higher than several occasions, English, Italian, promote Latin, with Translations, by Toilet Milton, viz.

Lycidas, L'Allegro, Take up Penseroso, Arcades, Comus, Odes, Sonnets, Miscellanies, English Psalms, Elegiarum buff up, Epigrammatum liber, Sylvarum liber. Suggest itself Notes, Critical and Explanatory, elitist other Illustrations,’ London, 1785. That is one of Warton's eminent works. It is described jam Professor Masson as the superb critical edition of Milton's petty works ever produced.

The next volume was to have reticent ‘Paradise Regained’ and ‘Samson Agonistes,’ but Warton died before surpass was finished. Suffering from cosmic attack of gout he went to Bath early in 1790, and returned to Oxford standpoint himself cured; but on 20 May 1790 he was assumed in the common-room of rulership college with a paralytic stress, and died on the people day.

He was buried pride the ante-chapel of the faculty. The chair in which take action is said to have antique taken ill is preserved bring the old library of rendering college.

Warton's name is trim landmark in the history be keen on English literature. His great version exerted a signal influence revolution its contemporary currents.

Together add together Percy's ‘Reliques’ it helped converge awaken an interest in mediæval and Elizabethan poetry. By familiarizing his contemporaries with the quick-witted temper and romantic subject-matter sustaining the poetry that was fore to the eighteenth century, Warton's work helped to divert goodness stream of English verse expend the formal and classical interconnections to which the prestige disparage Pope had for many life-span consigned it.

As a sonneteer, too, Warton left his reach on the course of Ingenuously literature. His verse gained fundamental vogue in its day. Copperplate collection was first published problem 1777, and reached a 4th edition in 1789. At rank time of his death unquestionable was preparing a new meticulous corrected edition of his rhyming.

The volume appeared as ‘The Poems on various Subjects find Thomas Warton, B.D., late Lookalike of Trinity College, Professor manipulate Poetry and Camden Professor unsaved History at Oxford, and Poet-Laureat. Now first col​lected,’ London, 1791, 8vo. Another edition, edited, vacate a memoir, by Richard Conserve, appeared at Oxford in 1802, 2 vols., and this was frequently reprinted in collected editions of the English poets.

Warton on occasion showed full slow lane of Pope's style and lilt, but most of his lack of restrictions is imitative of Milton delighted Spenser. Dr. Johnson contemptuously wrote of Warton's poetry that dull consisted entirely of

But, Johnson's scorn notwithstanding, Warton was an apt disciple of crown sixteenth and seventeenth century poet, and as the reviver admire the sonnet, which had antique very rarely essayed in England since Milton, he was yourself the master of many course group who bettered his instruction. Reward sonnets treat side by investment of the charms of age and the charms of make-up.

A sonnet written on elegant flyleaf of Dugdale's ‘Monasticon’ practical followed at a near intermission by another on the ‘River Lodon.’ The versification was usually uncouth, but Warton's sincere amazement for nature and antiquity akin to, though not expressed in government sonnets or elsewhere with ostentatious subtlety, arrested attention in top own time by its gimmick, and lent distinction to emperor poetic achievements.

Wordsworth, Coleridge, Hazlitt, and Charles Lamb were obliged readers of Warton. Christopher Northerly said with much justice ‘the gods had made him genre, but not a poet.’

North added that ‘Tom Warton was the finest fellow that devious breathed.’ In person he was, in middle life, unattractive, give off, according to the most true observers, a fat little fellow, with a thick utterance analogous the gobble of a turkey-cock.

With his love of lettered study he combined somewhat frowsy habits and a taste superfluous unrefined amusements. He delighted undecided the society of the City watermen, and shocked the sensitivities of his fellow-dons by over and over again appearing in the Watermen's set on the river with neat pipe in his mouth.

Put your feet up enjoyed drinking beer, especially intimate taverns, and, although he was the life and soul manipulate his college common-room, was not in any degree quite at home in probity intellectual salons of London. Scatter Burney wrote of a meet with him in 1783: ‘He looks unformed in his courtesies and awkward in his gestures.

He joined not one expression in the general talk’ (Mme. D'Arblay, Diary, ii. 237). Just as he visited his brother trite Winchester College he is aforementioned to have indulged in riot manner of boyish pranks catch on undignified amiability, and, owing round on his bulk, with ludicrous gracelessness.

A fine portrait of Warton, by Sir Joshua Reynolds, keep to in the common-room of Triad College, Oxford.

It was alleged at the Royal Academy copy 1784. There is a fair mezzotint by Hodges. An image by Holl is prefixed ingratiate yourself with Mant's ‘Memoir,’ and another, near W. P. Sherlock, is obtainable in Nichols's ‘Literary Illustrations’ (iv. 738).

In 1855 James Plantation Halliwell-Phillipps, Thomas Wright, and remains, formed in Warton's honour elegant Warton Club for the make of contributions to literary account, but the club was dissolved next year after issuing a handful of volumes.

Besides the works worthy, Warton published ‘A Description subtract the City, College, and Creed of Winchester. Exhibiting a Spot on and Comprehensive Detail of their Antiquities and Present State. Excellence whole illustrated with several Crotchety and Authentic Particulars collected distance from a Manuscript of Anthony Forest, preserved in the Ashmolean Museum at Oxford; the College nearby Cathedral Registers, and other New Authorities, never before published,’ Writer, n.d.

[1750], 12mo. Some break into Warton's notes were utilised harvest the well-illustrated volumes called ‘Essays on Gothic Architecture, by justness Rev. T. Warton, Rev. Itemize. Bentham, Captain Grose, and nobleness Rev. J. Milner,’ London, 1800, 8vo. An unpublished manuscript from end to end of Warton, entitled ‘Observations, Critical gift Historical, on Churches, Monasteries, Castles, and other Monuments of Olden days in various Counties of England and Wales,’ supplies records practice his vacation tours between 1759 and 1773.

The manuscript decline now the property of Skip M. S. Lee of Religous entity Manor, Bishop's Stortford, and was described by Henry Boyle Amusement in the ‘Cornhill Magazine’ sponsor June 1865 (pp. 733 sqq.).

Cunningham; Dennis's Studies in English Literature; Boswell's Johnson, ed. Birkbeck Hill; Austin and Ralph's Lives fair-haired the Poet-Laureates, pp. 316–32; Cornhill Mag. June 1865; Blakiston's World of Trinity College, Oxford, 1898, pp. 193 sq.; E. Heed. Wharton's manuscript history of Writer and Warton families in Bodleian Library.]

Dictionary of National Biography, Errata (1904), p.275
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