Laurence Eusden was born in Spofforth in the West Riding of Yorkshire in 1688 (date unknown) to the Rev. Laurence Eusden, rector of Spofforth, Yorkshire. Eusden was baptized on 6 September 1688. He received his education at St Peter's School, York, and at Trinity College, Cambridge.[1] He became a minor fellow of his college in 1711, and in the next year was admitted to a full fellowship.
Early on, Eusden had decided upon building a career through influence. For someone like him, well-educated, with a fellowship at Trinity, but without family money and without well-placed relations, there was no other way to advance in the world. He began to write, with the intention of using his ability to attract notice to himself.[2] And with Newcastle's marriage he succeeded, as he was made Poet Laureate in 1718 by the Lord Chamberlain, Thomas Pelham-Holles, 1st Duke of Newcastle, as a reward for a flattering poem on Pelham-Holles' marriage.[3]
Eusden, who was thirty years old at the time of his appointment was also the youngest Poet Laureate. Eusden secured this post due to the death of the previous Poet Laureate, Nicholas Rowe, and the recommendation of Joseph Addison. Upon his appointment, Eusden produced Birthday and New Year Odes for twelve years.[4]
The last few years of his life were unhappy.[5] He was ordained as a cleric in the 1720s,[1] and assumed the office of rector of Coningsby, Lincolnshire, but his elevation to Poet Laureate brought him derision from his social and literary peers.[5] Eusden died at Coningsby on 27 September 1730. He was buried at his church, St Michael and All Angels, in Coningsby.
Poetry and criticismedit
Eusden's work is difficult to find.[5] However, his The Origin Of The Knights Of The Bath[permanent dead link],[6] dedicated to the young William Augustus, later Duke of Cumberland, is available online. Its first twelve lines are reproduced below as an instance of Eusden's laudatory style:
The Origin Of The Knights Of The Bath
HAIL glorious Off-spring of a glorious Race! Britannia's other Hope, and blooming Grace! Thou smil'st already on the burnished Shield, And thy weak Hand the little Sword can wield: Already, clad in Arms, Thou mov'st along, The Love and Wonder of each ravish'd Throng! A-while vouchsafe, young Hero, to retire 'Mid Streams, and Grottos, and th'Aonian Choir: Apollo, God of Fore-sight, who with Ease Thy distant, ripen'd Years, as present, sees, Bids all the Muses Thee receive with Pride, To all the Muses by all Arts ally'd.
Though he produced many translations and gratulatory poems, Eusden's literary reputation is dominated by the satirical allusions of Alexander Pope's satire The Dunciad:[3] e.g., "Know, Eusden thirsts no more for sack or praise; He sleeps among the dull of ancient days."
In addition to Pope's skewering of Eusden's abilities, Thomas Gray, author of "Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard", said that "Eusden set out well in life, but afterward turned out a drunkard and besotted his faculties".[2]
Notesedit
^ ab"Laurence Eusden (ESDN704L)". A Cambridge Alumni Database. University of Cambridge.
laurence, eusden, bapt, september, 1688, september, 1730, english, poet, became, britain, youngest, poet, laureate, 1718, poet, laureate, united, kingdomin, office, december, 1718, september, 1730monarchgeorge, ipreceded, bynicholas, rowesucceeded, bycolley, c. Laurence Eusden bapt 6 September 1688 27 September 1730 was an English poet who became Britain s youngest Poet Laureate in 1718 Laurence EusdenPoet Laureate of the United KingdomIn office 10 December 1718 27 September 1730MonarchGeorge IPreceded byNicholas RoweSucceeded byColley CibberPersonal detailsBorn1688 baptized 6 September Spofforth West Riding of Yorkshire EnglandDied27 September 1730 aged 41 42 Coningsby England Contents 1 Life 2 Poetry and criticism 3 Notes 4 References 5 External linksLife editLaurence Eusden was born in Spofforth in the West Riding of Yorkshire in 1688 date unknown to the Rev Laurence Eusden rector of Spofforth Yorkshire Eusden was baptized on 6 September 1688 He received his education at St Peter s School York and at Trinity College Cambridge 1 He became a minor fellow of his college in 1711 and in the next year was admitted to a full fellowship Early on Eusden had decided upon building a career through influence For someone like him well educated with a fellowship at Trinity but without family money and without well placed relations there was no other way to advance in the world He began to write with the intention of using his ability to attract notice to himself 2 And with Newcastle s marriage he succeeded as he was made Poet Laureate in 1718 by the Lord Chamberlain Thomas Pelham Holles 1st Duke of Newcastle as a reward for a flattering poem on Pelham Holles marriage 3 Eusden who was thirty years old at the time of his appointment was also the youngest Poet Laureate Eusden secured this post due to the death of the previous Poet Laureate Nicholas Rowe and the recommendation of Joseph Addison Upon his appointment Eusden produced Birthday and New Year Odes for twelve years 4 The last few years of his life were unhappy 5 He was ordained as a cleric in the 1720s 1 and assumed the office of rector of Coningsby Lincolnshire but his elevation to Poet Laureate brought him derision from his social and literary peers 5 Eusden died at Coningsby on 27 September 1730 He was buried at his church St Michael and All Angels in Coningsby Poetry and criticism editEusden s work is difficult to find 5 However his The Origin Of The Knights Of The Bath permanent dead link 6 dedicated to the young William Augustus later Duke of Cumberland is available online Its first twelve lines are reproduced below as an instance of Eusden s laudatory style The Origin Of The Knights Of The Bath HAIL glorious Off spring of a glorious Race Britannia s other Hope and blooming Grace Thou smil st already on the burnished Shield And thy weak Hand the little Sword can wield Already clad in Arms Thou mov st along The Love and Wonder of each ravish d Throng A while vouchsafe young Hero to retire Mid Streams and Grottos and th Aonian Choir Apollo God of Fore sight who with Ease Thy distant ripen d Years as present sees Bids all the Muses Thee receive with Pride To all the Muses by all Arts ally d Though he produced many translations and gratulatory poems Eusden s literary reputation is dominated by the satirical allusions of Alexander Pope s satire The Dunciad 3 e g Know Eusden thirsts no more for sack or praise He sleeps among the dull of ancient days In addition to Pope s skewering of Eusden s abilities Thomas Gray author of Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard said that Eusden set out well in life but afterward turned out a drunkard and besotted his faculties 2 Notes edit a b Laurence Eusden ESDN704L A Cambridge Alumni Database University of Cambridge a b Lincolnshire a b Chisholm Hugh ed 1911 Eusden Laurence Encyclopaedia Britannica Vol 9 11th ed Cambridge University Press p 953 University of Otago Library The Office of the Poet Laureate Laurence Eusden amp Colley Cibber Archived from the original on 4 October 2006 Retrieved 27 August 2012 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint bot original URL status unknown link a b c Laurence Eusden Lincolnshire web Archived from the original on 27 October 2005 http quartet cs unb ca tapor cgi bin view works cgi c eusdenla 1564 amp pos 7 permanent dead link References editOtago U Archived 23 May 2010 at the Wayback Machine Laurence Eusden archive of Lincolnshire webExternal links edit nbsp Works by or about Laurence Eusden at Wikisource THE ORIGIN OF THE KNIGHTS OF THE BATH permanent dead link Court offices Preceded byNicholas Rowe British Poet Laureate1718 1730 Succeeded byColley Cibber Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Laurence Eusden amp oldid 1217514600, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
