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Richard Bentley (writer)

December 15, 2023

Richard Bentley (c. 1708 – c. 1782) was an English writer and designer who was friends with Thomas Gray and Horace Walpole.

1753 portrait of Bentley by John Giles Eccardt

Life edit

The son of Richard Bentley, Master of Trinity College, Cambridge, he was admitted to the college at age 10.[1] He entered the Middle Temple in 1720.[2] His father's influence saw him made fellow of Trinity in 1728; but he never settled to a career, endured financial troubles, and spent time in France and Jersey.[3]

During the 1750s Bentley developed significant friendships, with Horace Walpole and Thomas Gray;[3] in Jersey in 1754 he met also Johann Heinrich Müntz.[4] He fell out with Walpole in 1761.[5]

Works edit

 
Richard Bentley, 1753 design for Thomas Gray's Elegy in a Country Churchyard

Bentley made drawings for Gray's poems, and some were published in 1753, as Designs by Mr. Bentley, for Six Poems by Mr. T. Gray.[6][7][8] It was influenced by French style, a rococo work showing also Gothic aspects and traces of chinoiserie.[9] He was one of Walpole's group of advisers, with John Chute and Thomas Pitt, who steered the design for Strawberry Hill, Pitt being Bentley's successor on the "Committee of Taste" when he fell out of favour.[10][11] The poem illustrations have been thought connected with the style of Jean Bérain; Bentley's subsequent architectural designs were eclectic.[12]

Around 1761 Bentley turned playwright. His comedy The Wishes, or Harlequin's Mouth opened was acted at Drury Lane for three nights (27, 28, 80 July 1761), and at Covent Garden, 3 October 1761. It was written to ridicule the construction of Ancient Greek drama, especially the three unities and moralisings of the chorus: the chorus in the Wishes are informed that a madman, a torch in his hand, is just on the point of setting fire to a powder magazine, and commence in strophe and antistrophe to lament their own condition, proceeding to exclaim against the thrice-unhappy madman and against the six-times unhappy fate of themselves thus exposed to a madman's fury. His tragedy Philodamus (printed 1767), with its scenes of courtship, paternal vigilance, and spousal preparations, is said to have convulsed the house with laughter. A posthumous comedy of his, The Prophet, was acted for a few nights in 1788.[3]

Among Bentley's other writings were Patriotism, a Mock Heroic in five cantos, London, 1763; and A Letter to the Right Hon. C. F. Fox, 1793.[3] He also translated the travels of Paul Hentzner;[13] and verse for tomb inscription by Elizabeth Russell, Lady Russell.[14]

Notes edit

  1. ^ "Bentley, Richard (BNTY718R)". A Cambridge Alumni Database. University of Cambridge.
  2. ^ John Hutchinson (1 January 2003). A Catalogue of Notable Middle Templars: With Brief Biographical Notices. The Lawbook Exchange, Ltd. p. 17. ISBN 978-1-58477-323-8.
  3. ^ a b c d Wroth 1885, pp. 314–316
  4. ^ Watts, Teresa Sophia. "Müntz, Johann Heinrich". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/19552. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
  5. ^ Dr Marion Harney (28 January 2014). Place-making for the Imagination: Horace Walpole and Strawberry Hill. Ashgate Publishing, Ltd. p. 156. ISBN 978-1-4094-7006-9.
  6. ^ Online at the Thomas Gray Archive
  7. ^ Archana Srinivasan. 16th and 17th Century English Writers. Sura Books. p. 84. ISBN 978-81-7478-637-1.
  8. ^ Horace Walpole (March 2010). Designs by Mr. Bentley, for Six Poems by Mr. T. Gray. Pallas Athene Publ. ISBN 978-1-84368-058-1.
  9. ^ Gerald Newman; Leslie Ellen Brown (January 1997). Britain in the Hanoverian Age, 1714-1837: An Encyclopedia. Taylor & Francis. p. 66. ISBN 978-0-8153-0396-1.
  10. ^ Horace Walpole (2 January 2003). The Castle of Otranto and the Mysterious Mother. Broadview Press. p. 280. ISBN 978-1-55111-304-3.
  11. ^ Elizabeth A. Fay (January 2010). Fashioning Faces: The Portraitive Mode in British Romanticism. UPNE. p. 179. ISBN 978-1-58465-778-1.
  12. ^ John Summerson (1993). Architecture in Britain, 1530 to 1830. Yale University Press. p. 372. ISBN 978-0-300-05886-4.
  13. ^ Ford, L. L. "Bentley, Richard". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/92460. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
  14. ^ Louise Schleiner (22 November 1994). Tudor and Stuart Women Writers. Indiana University Press. p. 47. ISBN 0-253-11510-8.
Attribution

  This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Wroth, Warwick William (1885). "Bentley, Richard (1708-1782)". In Stephen, Leslie (ed.). Dictionary of National Biography. Vol. 4. London: Smith, Elder & Co. pp. 314–316.

External links edit

  • Hutchinson, John (1902). "Bentley, Richard" . A catalogue of notable Middle Templars, with brief biographical notices (1 ed.). Canterbury: the Honourable Society of the Middle Temple. p. 17.


December 15, 2023
richard, bentley, writer, richard, bentley, 1708, 1782, english, writer, designer, friends, with, thomas, gray, horace, walpole, 1753, portrait, bentley, john, giles, eccardt, contents, life, works, notes, external, linkslife, editthe, richard, bentley, master. Richard Bentley c 1708 c 1782 was an English writer and designer who was friends with Thomas Gray and Horace Walpole 1753 portrait of Bentley by John Giles Eccardt Contents 1 Life 2 Works 3 Notes 4 External linksLife editThe son of Richard Bentley Master of Trinity College Cambridge he was admitted to the college at age 10 1 He entered the Middle Temple in 1720 2 His father s influence saw him made fellow of Trinity in 1728 but he never settled to a career endured financial troubles and spent time in France and Jersey 3 During the 1750s Bentley developed significant friendships with Horace Walpole and Thomas Gray 3 in Jersey in 1754 he met also Johann Heinrich Muntz 4 He fell out with Walpole in 1761 5 Works edit nbsp Richard Bentley 1753 design for Thomas Gray s Elegy in a Country ChurchyardBentley made drawings for Gray s poems and some were published in 1753 as Designs by Mr Bentley for Six Poems by Mr T Gray 6 7 8 It was influenced by French style a rococo work showing also Gothic aspects and traces of chinoiserie 9 He was one of Walpole s group of advisers with John Chute and Thomas Pitt who steered the design for Strawberry Hill Pitt being Bentley s successor on the Committee of Taste when he fell out of favour 10 11 The poem illustrations have been thought connected with the style of Jean Berain Bentley s subsequent architectural designs were eclectic 12 Around 1761 Bentley turned playwright His comedy The Wishes or Harlequin s Mouth opened was acted at Drury Lane for three nights 27 28 80 July 1761 and at Covent Garden 3 October 1761 It was written to ridicule the construction of Ancient Greek drama especially the three unities and moralisings of the chorus the chorus in the Wishes are informed that a madman a torch in his hand is just on the point of setting fire to a powder magazine and commence in strophe and antistrophe to lament their own condition proceeding to exclaim against the thrice unhappy madman and against the six times unhappy fate of themselves thus exposed to a madman s fury His tragedy Philodamus printed 1767 with its scenes of courtship paternal vigilance and spousal preparations is said to have convulsed the house with laughter A posthumous comedy of his The Prophet was acted for a few nights in 1788 3 Among Bentley s other writings were Patriotism a Mock Heroic in five cantos London 1763 and A Letter to the Right Hon C F Fox 1793 3 He also translated the travels of Paul Hentzner 13 and verse for tomb inscription by Elizabeth Russell Lady Russell 14 Notes edit Bentley Richard BNTY718R A Cambridge Alumni Database University of Cambridge John Hutchinson 1 January 2003 A Catalogue of Notable Middle Templars With Brief Biographical Notices The Lawbook Exchange Ltd p 17 ISBN 978 1 58477 323 8 a b c d Wroth 1885 pp 314 316 Watts Teresa Sophia Muntz Johann Heinrich Oxford Dictionary of National Biography online ed Oxford University Press doi 10 1093 ref odnb 19552 Subscription or UK public library membership required Dr Marion Harney 28 January 2014 Place making for the Imagination Horace Walpole and Strawberry Hill Ashgate Publishing Ltd p 156 ISBN 978 1 4094 7006 9 Online at the Thomas Gray Archive Archana Srinivasan 16th and 17th Century English Writers Sura Books p 84 ISBN 978 81 7478 637 1 Horace Walpole March 2010 Designs by Mr Bentley for Six Poems by Mr T Gray Pallas Athene Publ ISBN 978 1 84368 058 1 Gerald Newman Leslie Ellen Brown January 1997 Britain in the Hanoverian Age 1714 1837 An Encyclopedia Taylor amp Francis p 66 ISBN 978 0 8153 0396 1 Horace Walpole 2 January 2003 The Castle of Otranto and the Mysterious Mother Broadview Press p 280 ISBN 978 1 55111 304 3 Elizabeth A Fay January 2010 Fashioning Faces The Portraitive Mode in British Romanticism UPNE p 179 ISBN 978 1 58465 778 1 John Summerson 1993 Architecture in Britain 1530 to 1830 Yale University Press p 372 ISBN 978 0 300 05886 4 Ford L L Bentley Richard Oxford Dictionary of National Biography online ed Oxford University Press doi 10 1093 ref odnb 92460 Subscription or UK public library membership required Louise Schleiner 22 November 1994 Tudor and Stuart Women Writers Indiana University Press p 47 ISBN 0 253 11510 8 Attribution nbsp This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain Wroth Warwick William 1885 Bentley Richard 1708 1782 In Stephen Leslie ed Dictionary of National Biography Vol 4 London Smith Elder amp Co pp 314 316 External links editHutchinson John 1902 Bentley Richard A catalogue of notable Middle Templars with brief biographical notices 1 ed Canterbury the Honourable Society of the Middle Temple p 17 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Richard Bentley writer amp oldid 1173697176, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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