Lives of the English Poets: From Johnson to Kirke White, Designed as a Continuation of Johnson's LivesCary, Henry Francis
General
Lives of the English Poets: From Johnson to Kirke White, Designed as a Continuation of Johnson's Lives
Cary, Henry Francis
Poets, English -- Biography
There is no instance in this country of two brothers having been equally
celebrated for their skill in poetry with Joseph and Thomas Warton. What
has been already told of the parentage of the one renders it unnecessary
to say more in this respect of the other. He was born at Dunsfold, in
Surrey, under the roof of his maternal grandfather, in the beginning of
1722. Like his brother, he experienced the care of an affectionate
parent, who did the utmost his scanty means would allow to educate them
both as scholars; but with this difference, that Joseph being three-and
-twenty years old at the time of Mr. Warton's decease, whereas Thomas was
but seventeen, was more capable of appreciating, as it deserved, the
tenderness of such a father. To what has been before said of this
estimable man, I have to add, that his poems, of which I had once a
cursory view, appeared to me to merit more notice than they have
obtained; and that his version of Fracastorio's pathetic lamentation on
the death of his two sons particularly engaged my attention. Suavis adeo
poeta ac doctus, is the testimony borne to him by one[1] who will
himself have higher claims of the same kind on posterity.
Having been some time at New College school, but principally taught by
his father till he was fourteen years old, Joseph was then admitted on
the foundation of Winchester, under Dr. Sandby. Here, together with two
of his school-fellows, of whom Collins was one, he became a contributor
to the Gentleman's Magazine. Johnson, who then assisted in editing that
miscellany, had sagacity enough to distinguish, from the rest, a few
lines that were sent by Collins, which, though not remarkable for
excellence, ought now to take their place among his other poems.
In 1740, Warton being superannuated at Winchester, was entered of Oriel
College, Oxford; and taking his bachelor's degree, in 1744, was ordained
to his father's curacy at Basingstoke. Having lost his father about a
year after, he removed to the curacy of Chelsea, in February, 1746. Near
this time, I suppose a letter, that is without date of time or place, to
have been written to his brother. As it informs us of some particulars
relating to Collins, of whom it is to be wished that more were known, I
am tempted to transcribe it.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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