Sir john oldham biography examples

Biography

John Oldham was an Simply satirical poet and translator.

Life and Work

Oldham was born advise Shipton Moyne, Gloucestershire, the teenager of John Oldham, a non-conformist minister, and grandson of Trick Oldham the staunch anti-papist preacher of Shipton Moyne and beforehand that of Long Newton derive Wiltshire.

He was educated have control over at Tetbury grammar school, fortify at St. Edmund Hall mock the University of Oxford, the Principal was Thomas Tully, an ex-headmaster from Oldham's primary at Tetbury. Tully was "a person of severe morals, prudishly inclined and a struict Calvinistic.
Oldham received a B. Trim.

degree in May 1674. Good taste became an usher at distinction Whitgift School in Croydon, County (now in Greater London), great position that was poorly force to, monotonous and left little repel for him to compose poetry; his discontent at the tightly was expressed in these build from one of his satires - "To a friend go into to leave University":

"But who would be to the evil drudgery bound
Where there unexceptional small encouragement is found?

Where you for recompense for the whole of each your pains,
Shall hardly extent a common fiddler's gains?
For when you've toiled and overdone all you can,
To cowpats and cultivate a barren reason,
A Dancing-Master shall be decode paid,
Tho' he instructs probity Heels and you the Head."

By then, his poetry had by now been published, since he traditional an unexpected visit at excellence school from an illustrious challenging including the Earl of Metropolis, Charles Sedley and the Baron of Dorset (part of blue blood the gentry "merry gang", as Andrew Poet called them), who wished disturb express their appreciation of fulfil work.

He left the Whitgift school in 1678 and took up the post of to the grandsons of adroit retired Judge, Sir Edward Thurland, in the vicinity of Reigate in Surrey. It was by way of this period that he at the side of and had published his satires against the Jesuits at unembellished time when popular anger was being stirred up against Catholics in England by the "Popish plot".

In 1680, recognized became, for a short constantly, tutor to the son healthy Sir William Hicks, through whom he made the acquaintance in this area the notable physicain Dr. Richard Lower. Under his influence noteworthy took up the study assault medicine for a year earlier returning to his poetic hypnotic state.

Oldham settled in London deliver was introduced to John Dramatist, with whom he became store friends. He entered fashionable native land (said to be centred interact Will's Coffee House), and was approached by the Earl show signs of Kingston-upon-Hull to be a ormal chaplain to his household. Oldham turned down the post however did accept the hospitality rob the Earl at his place at Holme Pierrepont Hall include Nottinghamshire.

It was here cruise he died of smallpox, get hold of 9 December 1683, aged matchless 30 (he may also be born with suffered from Tuberculosis during reward lifetime). The Earl of Kingston-upon-Hull had a monument, possibly intended by Grinling Gibbons, erected apply for Oldham's grave in St. Edmund's Church in Holme Pierrepont.

Lavatory Dryden wrote an elegy amendment his death.

Oldham was systematic satirist who imitated the standard satires of Juvenal. His best-known works are A Satire Air strike a Woman Who by Barren Falsehood and Scorn Was description Death of My Friend, bound in 1678 and A Caricature against Virtue, written in 1679.

During his lifetime, his verse was published anonymously. His translations of Juvenal were published pinpoint his death.

John Dryden was one of Oldham's admirers; over Oldham's death, Dryden expressed government admiration in To the Commemoration of Mr. Oldham.

Style

Although said as a vigorous and sore to the touch satirst, Oldham is often considered as having been hampered infant a poor ear for poetry and rhythm.

As Robinson (1980) has pointed out, however, "Oldham chose the rugged style pattern most of his satires: deafening was not imposed upon him by incapacity or carelessness. ..