He was the son of Colonel Thomas Mottley, a Jacobite adherent of James II in his exile, who entered the service of Louis XIV, and was killed at the battle of Turin in 1706; his mother was Dionisia, daughter of John Guise of Ablode Court, Gloucestershire. John was born in London, was educated at Archbishop Thomas Tenison's grammar school in the parish of St Martin-in-the-Fields, and obtained a clerkship in the excise office in 1708. He was compelled to resign his post in 1720, and from that time gained a precarious subsistence by his pen.[1]
He died in 1750, having for some years previously been almost bedridden with gout.[1]
Works
Title page for Joe Miller's Jests (1739), written by Mottley as Elijah Jenkins.
He made his debut as a dramatic author with a tragedy in the pseudo-classic style, entitled The Imperial Captives, the scene of which is laid at Carthage, in the time of Genseric, who with the Empress Eudoxia and her daughter plays a principal part. The play was produced at the Theatre Royal, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in February 1719–20. At the same theatre was produced in April 1721 Mottley's only other effort in tragedy, Antiochus, based on the story of the surrender by Seleucus Nicator of his wife Stratonice to his son Antiochus. Both tragedies were printed on their production.[1]
In comedy Mottley was more successful. In a humorous vein are his dramatic opera, Penelope, in which he was assisted by Thomas Cooke (1703–1756), a satire on Alexander Pope's Odyssey, and his farce The Craftsman, or Weekly Journalist (both performed at the Haymarket, and printed in 1728 and 1729 respectively). His comedy, The Widow Bewitched, produced at Goodman's Fields Theatre in 1730, and printed, was a successful play.[1]
Mottley was joint author with Charles Coffey of the comic opera, The Devil to Pay, or The Wives Metamorphos'd, a ballad opera produced at Drury Lane on 6 August 1731, and frequently revived. Under the pseudonym of Robert Seymour he edited in 1734 (perhaps with the assistance of Thomas Cooke) John Stow's Survey of the Cities of London and Westminster (London, 2 volumes). Under the pseudonym of Elijah Jenkins he published in 1739 the classic jest-book, Joe Miller's Jests, or the Wit's Vade-Mecum (see Joe Miller).[1]
Mottley is also the author of two historical works: The History of the Life of Peter I, Emperor of Russia, London, 1739, 2 vols.; and The History of the Life and Reign of the Empress Catharine, containing a short History of the Russian Empire from its first Foundation to the Time of the Death of that Princess, London, 1744, 2 vols. He is the reputed author of the Compleat List of all the English Dramatic Poets and of all the Plays ever printed in the English Language to the Present Year 1747, appended to Thomas Whincop's Scanderbeg, from internal evidence it being clear he at least wrote the article on himself. A portrait is mentioned by Bromley.[1]
john, mottley, 1692, 1750, english, writer, known, dramatist, biographer, compiler, jokes, contents, life, works, references, external, linkslife, edithe, colonel, thomas, mottley, jacobite, adherent, james, exile, entered, service, louis, killed, battle, turi. John Mottley 1692 1750 was an English writer known as a dramatist biographer and compiler of jokes Contents 1 Life 2 Works 3 References 4 External linksLife EditHe was the son of Colonel Thomas Mottley a Jacobite adherent of James II in his exile who entered the service of Louis XIV and was killed at the battle of Turin in 1706 his mother was Dionisia daughter of John Guise of Ablode Court Gloucestershire John was born in London was educated at Archbishop Thomas Tenison s grammar school in the parish of St Martin in the Fields and obtained a clerkship in the excise office in 1708 He was compelled to resign his post in 1720 and from that time gained a precarious subsistence by his pen 1 He died in 1750 having for some years previously been almost bedridden with gout 1 Works Edit Title page for Joe Miller s Jests 1739 written by Mottley as Elijah Jenkins He made his debut as a dramatic author with a tragedy in the pseudo classic style entitled The Imperial Captives the scene of which is laid at Carthage in the time of Genseric who with the Empress Eudoxia and her daughter plays a principal part The play was produced at the Theatre Royal Lincoln s Inn Fields in February 1719 20 At the same theatre was produced in April 1721 Mottley s only other effort in tragedy Antiochus based on the story of the surrender by Seleucus Nicator of his wife Stratonice to his son Antiochus Both tragedies were printed on their production 1 In comedy Mottley was more successful In a humorous vein are his dramatic opera Penelope in which he was assisted by Thomas Cooke 1703 1756 a satire on Alexander Pope s Odyssey and his farce The Craftsman or Weekly Journalist both performed at the Haymarket and printed in 1728 and 1729 respectively His comedy The Widow Bewitched produced at Goodman s Fields Theatre in 1730 and printed was a successful play 1 Mottley was joint author with Charles Coffey of the comic opera The Devil to Pay or The Wives Metamorphos d a ballad opera produced at Drury Lane on 6 August 1731 and frequently revived Under the pseudonym of Robert Seymour he edited in 1734 perhaps with the assistance of Thomas Cooke John Stow s Survey of the Cities of London and Westminster London 2 volumes Under the pseudonym of Elijah Jenkins he published in 1739 the classic jest book Joe Miller s Jests or the Wit s Vade Mecum see Joe Miller 1 Mottley is also the author of two historical works The History of the Life of Peter I Emperor of Russia London 1739 2 vols and The History of the Life and Reign of the Empress Catharine containing a short History of the Russian Empire from its first Foundation to the Time of the Death of that Princess London 1744 2 vols He is the reputed author of the Compleat List of all the English Dramatic Poets and of all the Plays ever printed in the English Language to the Present Year 1747 appended to Thomas Whincop s Scanderbeg from internal evidence it being clear he at least wrote the article on himself A portrait is mentioned by Bromley 1 References Edit a b c d e f Rigg 1894 Attribution This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain Rigg James McMullen 1894 Mottley John In Lee Sidney ed Dictionary of National Biography Vol 39 London Smith Elder amp Co External links EditWorks by John Mottley at Project Gutenberg Works by or about John Mottley at Internet Archive Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title John Mottley amp oldid 979188039, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
