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Leonard Potts

January 01, 1970

Leonard James Potts (3 December 1897 – 31 August 1960) was an English academic, translator, and specialist in literary comedy. As an author he was usually credited as L. J. Potts.

A fellow of Queens' College, Cambridge, Potts translated works by Aristotle and Strindberg, and his long correspondence with T. H. White has been published.

Early life edit

Born in Stanground, Huntingdonshire, Potts was a son of the Rev. J. E. Potts, later Rector of Thurcaston. He was educated at Harrow School and Trinity College, Cambridge, where he graduated B.A. in 1922,[1] gaining a First in the English Tripos.[2] This was later promoted to M.A. by seniority.[3]

Between school and college Potts was commissioned as a second lieutenant into the Royal Garrison Artillery, seeing active service during the First World War.[4] In May 1918 he was promoted to lieutenant.[5]

Career edit

Potts spent two years as a lector at Uppsala University, which resulted in a translation into English of the Sagor (Tales) of August Strindberg.[1]

In 1924, Potts was elected as a fellow of Queens' College, Cambridge, and was later its Senior Tutor and Librarian.[1] In 1928 he became a university lecturer in English.[3]

Among the undergraduates Potts tutored was T. H. White, who graduated in 1928 and looked on Potts as "the great literary influence in my life." They wrote to each other until Potts’s death, and the result was Letters to a Friend: The Correspondence Between T. H. White and L. J. Potts (1984).[6]

Potts’s major critical publication was Comedy (1948),[1] a study of comedy as seen in drama and narrative works, mainly in English, from Geoffrey Chaucer to George Bernard Shaw.[7] In 1953, he published a full translation of the Poetics of Aristotle,[1] explaining in his introduction that by "poetics" Aristotle meant simply "fiction".[8] He was criticized by philosophy scholar D. A. Rees in the Philosophy journal for using the English title Aristotle on the Art of Fiction, as it was "to narrow dangerously the wide gap between Aristotle and ourselves",[9] but was later praised by W. S. Howell for having the "creative genius to bring his translation out under the title".[8]

When he died in 1960, an obituary said of Potts that he was "an attractive and lovable person, an ideal conversationalist".[1]

Personal life edit

On 12 August 1930, in the Presbyterian Church of England at Egremont, Merseyside, Potts married Mary Winifred Crighton, of Wallasey.[10] They lived in Bateman Street, Cambridge. Potts died in August 1960, at Saint-Cernin, in the Auvergne, France, leaving an estate valued at £6,615.[11] His widow, who had been born in 1905, remained in Cambridge and survived him until 1982.[12]

Selected publications edit

  • Tales by August Strindberg, translated by L. J. Potts (Phoenix Library, 1930)
  • Comedy (Hutchinson's University Library, 1948)
  • Aristotle on the Art of Fiction: an English translation of Aristotle's Poetics with an Introductory Essay and Explanatory Notes (Cambridge University Press, 1953; second edition, 1959)
  • Letters to a Friend: The Correspondence Between T. H. White and L. J. Potts, ed. François Gallic (New York: G. P. Putnam's Sons, 1982), ISBN 0-399-12693-7.

Notes edit

  1. ^ a b c d e f "Mr Potts" (obituary) in Queens' College 1959–1960 (Cambridge: Queens' College, 1961), pp. 3–4
  2. ^ The Historical Register Supplement 1921–30 (Cambridge University Press, January 1932), p. 325
  3. ^ a b The Historical Register Supplement 1921–30 (1932), p. 38
  4. ^ "Leonard James Potts", National Archives, accessed 6 December 2022
  5. ^ The London Gazette, Issue 30763 (Supplement), 25 June 1918, p. 7455
  6. ^ Patricia Craig, "Lives and letters", The Times Literary Supplement, 7 April 1989, p. 362
  7. ^ Comedy by L. J. Potts, routledge.com, accessed 6 December 2022
  8. ^ a b W. S. Howell, "Poetics, rhetoric, and logic in Renaissance criticism" in Robert Ralph Bolgar, ed., Classical Influences on European Culture, A.D. 1500-1700: 2nd International Conference on Classical Influences, King's College, Cambridge, 1974 (1976), pp. 159–160
  9. ^ D. A. Rees, "Aristotle on the Art of Fiction. By L. J. Potts. (Cambridge University Press, 1953. Pp. 94. Price 6s.)", in Philosophy, Vol. 29, Issue 111, October 1954, pp. 380-381
  10. ^ "POTTS–CRIGHTON" in Priors Field Magazine, No. 41, Christmas 1930 (Prior's Field School, 1930), p. 32
  11. ^ "POTTS Leonard James of 54 Bateman Street Cambridge died 31 August 1960 at St Cernin Cantal France" in Wills and Administrations 1960 (England and Wales) (Probate Office, 1961), p. 735
  12. ^ "Mary Winifred Potts, death age 77, birth date 16 Apr 1905" in England & Wales, Civil Registration Death Index, 1916–2007, ancestry.co.uk, accessed 6 December 2022, (subscription required)

External links edit

January 01, 1970
leonard, potts, leonard, james, potts, december, 1897, august, 1960, english, academic, translator, specialist, literary, comedy, author, usually, credited, potts, fellow, queens, college, cambridge, potts, translated, works, aristotle, strindberg, long, corre. Leonard James Potts 3 December 1897 31 August 1960 was an English academic translator and specialist in literary comedy As an author he was usually credited as L J Potts A fellow of Queens College Cambridge Potts translated works by Aristotle and Strindberg and his long correspondence with T H White has been published Contents 1 Early life 2 Career 3 Personal life 4 Selected publications 5 Notes 6 External linksEarly life editBorn in Stanground Huntingdonshire Potts was a son of the Rev J E Potts later Rector of Thurcaston He was educated at Harrow School and Trinity College Cambridge where he graduated B A in 1922 1 gaining a First in the English Tripos 2 This was later promoted to M A by seniority 3 Between school and college Potts was commissioned as a second lieutenant into the Royal Garrison Artillery seeing active service during the First World War 4 In May 1918 he was promoted to lieutenant 5 Career editPotts spent two years as a lector at Uppsala University which resulted in a translation into English of the Sagor Tales of August Strindberg 1 In 1924 Potts was elected as a fellow of Queens College Cambridge and was later its Senior Tutor and Librarian 1 In 1928 he became a university lecturer in English 3 Among the undergraduates Potts tutored was T H White who graduated in 1928 and looked on Potts as the great literary influence in my life They wrote to each other until Potts s death and the result was Letters to a Friend The Correspondence Between T H White and L J Potts 1984 6 Potts s major critical publication was Comedy 1948 1 a study of comedy as seen in drama and narrative works mainly in English from Geoffrey Chaucer to George Bernard Shaw 7 In 1953 he published a full translation of the Poetics of Aristotle 1 explaining in his introduction that by poetics Aristotle meant simply fiction 8 He was criticized by philosophy scholar D A Rees in the Philosophy journal for using the English title Aristotle on the Art of Fiction as it was to narrow dangerously the wide gap between Aristotle and ourselves 9 but was later praised by W S Howell for having the creative genius to bring his translation out under the title 8 When he died in 1960 an obituary said of Potts that he was an attractive and lovable person an ideal conversationalist 1 Personal life editOn 12 August 1930 in the Presbyterian Church of England at Egremont Merseyside Potts married Mary Winifred Crighton of Wallasey 10 They lived in Bateman Street Cambridge Potts died in August 1960 at Saint Cernin in the Auvergne France leaving an estate valued at 6 615 11 His widow who had been born in 1905 remained in Cambridge and survived him until 1982 12 Selected publications editTales by August Strindberg translated by L J Potts Phoenix Library 1930 Comedy Hutchinson s University Library 1948 Aristotle on the Art of Fiction an English translation of Aristotle s Poetics with an Introductory Essay and Explanatory Notes Cambridge University Press 1953 second edition 1959 Letters to a Friend The Correspondence Between T H White and L J Potts ed Francois Gallic New York G P Putnam s Sons 1982 ISBN 0 399 12693 7 Notes edit a b c d e f Mr Potts obituary in Queens College 1959 1960 Cambridge Queens College 1961 pp 3 4 The Historical Register Supplement 1921 30 Cambridge University Press January 1932 p 325 a b The Historical Register Supplement 1921 30 1932 p 38 Leonard James Potts National Archives accessed 6 December 2022 The London Gazette Issue 30763 Supplement 25 June 1918 p 7455 Patricia Craig Lives and letters The Times Literary Supplement 7 April 1989 p 362 Comedy by L J Potts routledge com accessed 6 December 2022 a b W S Howell Poetics rhetoric and logic in Renaissance criticism in Robert Ralph Bolgar ed Classical Influences on European Culture A D 1500 1700 2nd International Conference on Classical Influences King s College Cambridge 1974 1976 pp 159 160 D A Rees Aristotle on the Art of Fiction By L J Potts Cambridge University Press 1953 Pp 94 Price 6s in Philosophy Vol 29 Issue 111 October 1954 pp 380 381 POTTS CRIGHTON in Priors Field Magazine No 41 Christmas 1930 Prior s Field School 1930 p 32 POTTS Leonard James of 54 Bateman Street Cambridge died 31 August 1960 at St Cernin Cantal France in Wills and Administrations 1960 England and Wales Probate Office 1961 p 735 Mary Winifred Potts death age 77 birth date 16 Apr 1905 in England amp Wales Civil Registration Death Index 1916 2007 ancestry co uk accessed 6 December 2022 subscription required External links editLeonard James Potts 1897 1960 by Antony Barrington Brown at National Portrait Gallery London Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Leonard Potts amp oldid 1220938875, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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