1761 in poetry
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| Years in poetry: | 1758 1759 1760 1761 1762 1763 1764 |
| Years in literature: | 1758 1759 1760 1761 1762 1763 1764 |
| Decades in poetry: | 1730s 1740s 1750s 1760s 1770s 1780s 1790s |
| Centuries in poetry: | 17th century 18th century 19th century |
| Centuries: | 17th century · 18th century · 19th century |
| Decades: | 1730s 1740s 1750s 1760s 1770s 1780s 1790s |
| Years: | 1758 1759 1760 1761 1762 1763 1764 |
Contents |
[edit] Events
[edit] Charles Churchill terrorises the London stage
In March, poet Charles Churchill's Rosciad was published at his own expense, after several publishers refused it. The reckless and amusing satire described with disconcerting accuracy the faults of various actors on the London stage, and the poem immediately became popular, both for its personal character, vigour and raciness. No leading London actor, with the exception of David Garrick, had escaped censure, and in the Apology Garrick was clearly threatened. The actor deflected criticism by showing every possible civility to Churchill, who became a terror to the stage. Actor Thomas Davies, in a letter to Garrick, wrote that he blundered in the part of Cymbeline owing "to my accidentally seeing Mr. Churchill in the pit, it rendering me confused and unmindful of my business".[1]
Churchill's satire made him many enemies, and brought reprisals. In Night, an Epistle to Robert Lloyd (also published this year), be answered the attacks made on him, offering by way of defence the argument that any faults were better than hypocrisy. Churchill received a considerable sum from sales of the poem, paid off all of his old creditors, and gave an allowance to his wife.[1]
[edit] James Macpherson "finds" the work of "Ossian"
This year James Macpherson announced the discovery of an epic on the subject of Fingal which Macpherson claimed was written by Ossian. In December he published Fingal, an Ancient Epic Poem in Six Books, together with Several Other Poems composed by Ossian, the Son of Fingal, translated from the Gaelic Language, written in the musical measured prose of which Macpherson had made use in his earlier volume. The authenticity of these so-called translations from the works of a 3rd century bard was immediately challenged in England, and Samuel Johnson, after some local investigation, would assert (in A Journey to the Western Islands of Scotland, 1775) that Macpherson had found fragments of ancient poems and stories, then wove into a romance of his own composition. Macpherson is said to have challenged Johnson, who replied that he was not to be deterred from detecting what he thought a cheat by the menaces of a ruffian. Macpherson never produced his originals, which he refused to publish on the grounds of expense. Modern scholars tend to agree with Johnson's assessment.
[edit] Works published
- Charles Churchill, The Rosciad and The Apology (see Events, above)
- John Cleland, The Times!, Volume 2, a verse satire
[edit] Births
- Anabella Plumptre
- John Williams
[edit] Deaths
- James Cawthorn
- William Oldys
[edit] See also
[edit] Notes
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