Devonshire Characters and Strange EventsBaring-Gould, S. (Sabine)
History
Devonshire Characters and Strange Events
Baring-Gould, S. (Sabine)
Devon (England) -- Biography; Devon (England) -- History
In 1802, Gifford published his principal work, his English version of
_Juvenal_, the production of which had engrossed the greater part of
his life, and which was issued with a dedication to Earl Grosvenor.
Soon after the publication of the _Baviad_, and the _Mæviad_, Gifford
issued, as editor, the _Anti-Jacobin_ (1797-8). In 1805, he published
an edition of Massinger; in 1816, an edition of Ben Jonson. His version
of Persius did not appear till 1821, after which date he completed an
edition of Ford.
In 1814, he was at Ryde, whither he had taken his old housekeeper.[21]
He wrote: “My poor housekeeper is going fast. Nothing can save her, and
I lend all my care to soften her declining days. She has a physician
every second day, and takes a world of medicines, more for their profit
than her own, poor thing. Guess at my expenses, but I owe in some
measure the extension of my feeble life to her care through a long
succession of years, and I would cheerfully divide my last farthing
with her.”
When the scheme was first started to issue the _Quarterly Review_, to
counteract the influence of the _Edinburgh Review_, Gifford was at once
proposed as editor. Sir Walter Scott, 25 October, 1808, wrote of the
selection: “Gifford will be admirable at service, but will require,
or I mistake him much, both a spur and a bridle--a spur on account of
habits of literary indolence, induced by weak health, and a bridle
because, having renounced in some degree general society, he cannot be
supposed to have the habitual and distinctive feeling enabling him to
judge at once and decidedly on the mode of letting his shafts fly down
the breeze of popular opinion. But he has worth, wit, learning, and
extensive information.”
From this time the influence and celebrity of Gifford may be deemed
established; nor were his services as a party man forgotten by those
who could reward him, as he possessed two sinecures, the controllership
of the lottery, at a salary of £600 per annum, and paymastership of
the band of gentlemen pensioners, at £300 per annum. As editor of
the _Quarterly_, he received a salary of £900 per annum, and also a
pension of £400 from his former pupil, now Earl Grosvenor. He bitterly
lamented, long ere this, that before the means of helping his little
brother, nursed in the almshouse at Ashburton, was in his power, that
little brother had died.
He was alone in the world, and his early trials, his loss of the only
beings whom he had loved, soured his temper, and made him savage and
virulent in his treatment of such as differed from him. One great
defect he showed as editor. He would not consider a work to be
reviewed on its own merits, but looked first to see what were the
politics of the author before he praised or condemned the book.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account