Benjamin Heath Malkin ((1769-03-23)23 March 1769 – 26 May 1842(1842-05-26) (aged 73)[1]) was a British scholar and writer notable for his connection to the artist and poet William Blake.
William Blake's frontispiece to A Father's Memoirs of his Child (1806), combining a portrait with a symbolic image of the child's soul departing the earth
Benjamin Heath Malkin
Benjamin Heath Malkin by Sir Francis Leggatt Chantrey, pencil, circa 1818
Malkin was born in London, and was educated at Harrow School and Cambridge University, receiving his MA in 1802 and his doctorate in 1810. In 1795 he published Essays on Subjects connected with Civilization (C. Dilly, London). From 1809 to 1828 he was headmaster of Bury St Edmunds Free School, where he taught a number of pupils who would later go on to become Cambridge Apostles.[2] In 1829, Malkin became the first professor of history in the newly formed London University.[1] During his scholarly career he published both historical and creative works on many subjects, including the history of South Wales, a translation of Gil Blas, and the play Almahide and Hamet.[3] He contributed biographies to Rees's Cyclopædia.
Connections with Blake
Today he is remembered for his 1806 book A Father's Memoirs of his Child, which leads off with a 48-page introduction consisting of a dedication to his friend Thomas Johnes and the earliest biographical account of Blake. Blake had designed (though it was engraved by Robert Cromek) the frontispiece depicting Malkin's deceased son.[1] G. E. Bentley suggests that Malkin met Blake in 1803, soon after Blake returned to London from his three years in Felpham.[4] It is also possible that the two men were acquainted via the publisher Joseph Johnson for whom Blake had worked. William Godwin reports meeting Malkin at dinner at Horne Tooke's in 1796 and 1797 and at Fuseli's Milton Gallery in 1800.[5] It is therefore likely that Blake and Malkin shared radical sympathies. Malkin also lived close to Blake's patron Thomas Butts in Hackney, London and knew George Cumberland, another friend.[6]
In addition to a short biography of Blake, Malkin published a number of Blake's lyric poems. This was the first time they had been published other than in Blake's own original illuminated etchings. Before the publication of Alexander Gilchrist's Life of William Blake in 1863, Malkin's book was the principal means of public knowledge of Blake's poetry. William Wordsworth copied poems from it.
A Father's Memoirs of His Child
A Father's Memoirs of His Child is an account of the life and death of Malkin's son Thomas Williams Malkin, who along with his brother Benjamin is described as a child prodigy with an insatiable thirst for knowledge. He apparently learned the alphabet from blocks as an infant and would point to the correct letters when they were named. He did not speak until he was about two years old. Before he was three, he taught himself to write by copying print in books. Malkin insists that he did not push Thomas but followed his lead and taught him subjects such as Latin or mathematics only by request. Thomas also invented an imaginary country called Allestone, including details of its history, geography and monetary system, and an elaborate (for a five-year-old) map. Much of this material is included in the book, partly as proof that Thomas acted independently and was not coerced to achievements.
The book was written in part because of a confrontation with a "medical expert" the day after Thomas' death. It was his stated belief that Thomas had died of so-called "water on the brain", citing Thomas' "large head" and high intelligence as symptomatic of this disease. In effect, he accused Malkin of causing his son's death through having allowed him to overindulge in mental activity. Thus, Malkin includes the medical details of Thomas' final illness. He also ordered an autopsy, which he says proved conclusively that Thomas died of inflammatory bowel disease and peritonitis, and that his brain was perfectly normal. Malkin's grief and frustration are expressed vividly in this part of the text.[7]
Legacy
Malkin died at Cowbridge, where he is commemorated at Holy Cross Church.[8] Malkin's other children survived to adulthood. Benjamin Jr. became a barrister. He worked in the Imperial legal service, first as Recorder of Penang, and later as one of the Puisne Judges of Calcutta, for which he was knighted. He was noted for his high intelligence and pleasant manner. He married and had two children, including Herbert Malkin, lawyer and cricketer. He died in 1838.
Frederic, who was an infant when Thomas died, wrote several books on history including a history of Greece. Arthur, the youngest, also wrote historical textbooks.[9][10] Thomas' "Allestone" paracosm came to the attention of fantasy fans in 1973 when the map was reprinted in An Atlas of Fantasy by Jeremiah Post.
References
Wikisource has original works by or about: Benjamin Heath Malkin
^Dinah Craik, "A Child's Life Sixty Years Ago." In The Unkind Word & Other Stories. London: Hurst and Blackett, Publishers, 13, Great Marlborough Street, 1870. Craik criticizes Malkin for acceding to Thomas' requests to be educated at an early age and believes it did overtax his brain and contribute to his death; but she also admits that the other boys did well in life.
^Frederic Malkin, History of Greece from the earliest times to its final subjection to Rome. London: Baldwin & Craddock, Paternoster Row, 1829.
March 11, 2023
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Benjamin Heath Malkin 1769 03 23 23 March 1769 26 May 1842 1842 05 26 aged 73 1 was a British scholar and writer notable for his connection to the artist and poet William Blake William Blake s frontispiece to A Father s Memoirs of his Child 1806 combining a portrait with a symbolic image of the child s soul departing the earth Benjamin Heath MalkinBenjamin Heath Malkin by Sir Francis Leggatt Chantrey pencil circa 1818Born23 March 1769LondonDied26 May 1842CowbridgeAcademic backgroundAlma materHarrow SchoolAcademic workMain interestsWilliam Blake history of South Wales Gil BlasNotable worksEssays on Subjects connected with Civilization A Father s Memoirs of his Child Contents 1 Career and education 2 Connections with Blake 3 A Father s Memoirs of His Child 4 Legacy 5 ReferencesCareer and education EditMalkin was born in London and was educated at Harrow School and Cambridge University receiving his MA in 1802 and his doctorate in 1810 In 1795 he published Essays on Subjects connected with Civilization C Dilly London From 1809 to 1828 he was headmaster of Bury St Edmunds Free School where he taught a number of pupils who would later go on to become Cambridge Apostles 2 In 1829 Malkin became the first professor of history in the newly formed London University 1 During his scholarly career he published both historical and creative works on many subjects including the history of South Wales a translation of Gil Blas and the play Almahide and Hamet 3 He contributed biographies to Rees s Cyclopaedia Connections with Blake EditToday he is remembered for his 1806 book A Father s Memoirs of his Child which leads off with a 48 page introduction consisting of a dedication to his friend Thomas Johnes and the earliest biographical account of Blake Blake had designed though it was engraved by Robert Cromek the frontispiece depicting Malkin s deceased son 1 G E Bentley suggests that Malkin met Blake in 1803 soon after Blake returned to London from his three years in Felpham 4 It is also possible that the two men were acquainted via the publisher Joseph Johnson for whom Blake had worked William Godwin reports meeting Malkin at dinner at Horne Tooke s in 1796 and 1797 and at Fuseli s Milton Gallery in 1800 5 It is therefore likely that Blake and Malkin shared radical sympathies Malkin also lived close to Blake s patron Thomas Butts in Hackney London and knew George Cumberland another friend 6 In addition to a short biography of Blake Malkin published a number of Blake s lyric poems This was the first time they had been published other than in Blake s own original illuminated etchings Before the publication of Alexander Gilchrist s Life of William Blake in 1863 Malkin s book was the principal means of public knowledge of Blake s poetry William Wordsworth copied poems from it A Father s Memoirs of His Child EditA Father s Memoirs of His Child is an account of the life and death of Malkin s son Thomas Williams Malkin who along with his brother Benjamin is described as a child prodigy with an insatiable thirst for knowledge He apparently learned the alphabet from blocks as an infant and would point to the correct letters when they were named He did not speak until he was about two years old Before he was three he taught himself to write by copying print in books Malkin insists that he did not push Thomas but followed his lead and taught him subjects such as Latin or mathematics only by request Thomas also invented an imaginary country called Allestone including details of its history geography and monetary system and an elaborate for a five year old map Much of this material is included in the book partly as proof that Thomas acted independently and was not coerced to achievements The book was written in part because of a confrontation with a medical expert the day after Thomas death It was his stated belief that Thomas had died of so called water on the brain citing Thomas large head and high intelligence as symptomatic of this disease In effect he accused Malkin of causing his son s death through having allowed him to overindulge in mental activity Thus Malkin includes the medical details of Thomas final illness He also ordered an autopsy which he says proved conclusively that Thomas died of inflammatory bowel disease and peritonitis and that his brain was perfectly normal Malkin s grief and frustration are expressed vividly in this part of the text 7 Legacy EditMalkin died at Cowbridge where he is commemorated at Holy Cross Church 8 Malkin s other children survived to adulthood Benjamin Jr became a barrister He worked in the Imperial legal service first as Recorder of Penang and later as one of the Puisne Judges of Calcutta for which he was knighted He was noted for his high intelligence and pleasant manner He married and had two children including Herbert Malkin lawyer and cricketer He died in 1838 Frederic who was an infant when Thomas died wrote several books on history including a history of Greece Arthur the youngest also wrote historical textbooks 9 10 Thomas Allestone paracosm came to the attention of fantasy fans in 1973 when the map was reprinted in An Atlas of Fantasy by Jeremiah Post References Edit Wikisource has original works by or about Benjamin Heath Malkin a b c G Martin Murphy Oxford Dictionary of National Biography G E Bentley Jr Blake Records 285 fn Obituary The Gentleman s Magazine 1842 p 211 Bentley 223 Bentley 223 fn Bentley 285 fn Malkin Benjamin Heath A Father s Memoirs of His Child Published 1806 and available at the Internet Archive as of 2009 03 06 Benjamin Heath Malkin Memorial People s Collection Wales Retrieved 19 October 2021 Dinah Craik A Child s Life Sixty Years Ago In The Unkind Word amp Other Stories London Hurst and Blackett Publishers 13 Great Marlborough Street 1870 Craik criticizes Malkin for acceding to Thomas requests to be educated at an early age and believes it did overtax his brain and contribute to his death but she also admits that the other boys did well in life Frederic Malkin History of Greece from the earliest times to its final subjection to Rome London Baldwin amp Craddock Paternoster Row 1829 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Benjamin Heath Malkin amp oldid 1094400160, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
