Benjamin Stillingfleet
Encyclopedia
Benjamin Stillingfleet was a botanist, translator and author. He is said to be the first Blue Stocking, a phrase from which is derived the term bluestocking now used to describe a learned woman.
, Norfolk in 1702 to Mary Ann and Edward Stillingfleet
, a physician. He was one of four children, but the only son. His grandfather
, a Bishop, had died in 1699, but left no money to Benjamin's father as he disapproved of his father's opinions and his marriage to his mother. He was educated at Norwich school before obtaining a B.A. at Trinity College, Cambridge
in 1723. He failed to become a Fellow as he was thought too much of a gentleman. He served as a tutor to bring in income. He was tutor to his relative William Windham at Felbrigg Hall
and he taught him from the age of seven to twenty. He then set out to accompany William Windham on the Grand Tour
returning several years later in 1742. Whilst in Switzerland they had organised over several winters a set of pantomimes using other "tourists" as cast helpers and audience. Stillingfleet was in charge of the music and the scenery. This group was known as the "Common Room". During the summers the same group would set out on scientific explorations finding the undocumented glaciers of the Alps.
Finally they returned to England, Stillingfleet, now out of work, was awarded a pension of 100 pounds per year for the next seven years by the Windham family. This gratitude was not entirely undeserved. Windham was to become a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1744 based on the explorations that he, Stillingfleet (and others) had made of glaciers in Switzerland and his mathematical abilities which Stillingfleet had tutored.
Stillingfleet was again noted for his contribution when William Hudson
FRS was lauded for his publication of Flora Anglica in 1761, said to be the first application of Linnean
principles to botany in England. Others however have pointed to Stillingfleet's earlier work as the first.
A society was founded in the early 1750s by Elizabeth Montagu
, Elizabeth Vesey
and others as a literary discussion group primarily for women. The society was noted for wanting conversation and did not encourage card playing. They invited various people to attend including Anna Letitia Barbauld, Catharine Macaulay, Elizabeth Griffith
, Hannah More
, Elizabeth Ann Linley
, Charlotte Lennox
and Stillingfleet. One story tells that Stillingfleet was not rich enough to have the proper formal dress, which included black silk
stocking
s, so he attended in everyday blue worsted
stockings. James Boswell
records that during a period of poor conversation when Stillingfleet was absent that it was remarked that they were "nowhere without blue stockings". The term came to refer to the informal quality of the gatherings and the emphasis on conversation over fashion. The word bluestocking today is used to mean any learned woman. It should be pointed out that other derivations of the term have also been suggested.
Stillingfleet died at his lodgings in Piccadilly
and his papers were burnt following his own instructions. He left his estate to his one remaining sister. A monument was erected only after some years to his memory at nearby St. James church by his nephew.
Life
Benjamin Stillingfleet was born in Wood NortonWood Norton, Norfolk
Wood Norton is a village and civil parish in the English county of Norfolk. It is located some east of Fakenham and north-west of Norwich.The civil parish has an area of and in the 2001 census had a population of 221 in 94 households...
, Norfolk in 1702 to Mary Ann and Edward Stillingfleet
Edward Stillingfleet (physician)
-Life:He was the eldest son of Edward Stillingfleet, bishop of Worcester, educated at St Paul's School. He was a Lady Margaret scholar of St. John's College, Cambridge, matriculating 1678, graduating B.A. in 1682, M.A. in 1685, and M.D. in 1692....
, a physician. He was one of four children, but the only son. His grandfather
Edward Stillingfleet
Edward Stillingfleet was a British theologian and scholar. Considered an outstanding preacher as well as a strong polemical writer defending Anglicanism, Stillingfleet was known as "the beauty of holiness" for his good looks in the pulpit, and was called by John Hough "the ablest man of his...
, a Bishop, had died in 1699, but left no money to Benjamin's father as he disapproved of his father's opinions and his marriage to his mother. He was educated at Norwich school before obtaining a B.A. at Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Trinity has more members than any other college in Cambridge or Oxford, with around 700 undergraduates, 430 graduates, and over 170 Fellows...
in 1723. He failed to become a Fellow as he was thought too much of a gentleman. He served as a tutor to bring in income. He was tutor to his relative William Windham at Felbrigg Hall
Felbrigg Hall
Felbrigg Hall is a 17th-century country house located in Felbrigg, Norfolk, England. Part of a National Trust property, the unaltered 17th-century house is noted for its Jacobean architecture and fine Georgian interior...
and he taught him from the age of seven to twenty. He then set out to accompany William Windham on the Grand Tour
Grand Tour
The Grand Tour was the traditional trip of Europe undertaken by mainly upper-class European young men of means. The custom flourished from about 1660 until the advent of large-scale rail transit in the 1840s, and was associated with a standard itinerary. It served as an educational rite of passage...
returning several years later in 1742. Whilst in Switzerland they had organised over several winters a set of pantomimes using other "tourists" as cast helpers and audience. Stillingfleet was in charge of the music and the scenery. This group was known as the "Common Room". During the summers the same group would set out on scientific explorations finding the undocumented glaciers of the Alps.
Finally they returned to England, Stillingfleet, now out of work, was awarded a pension of 100 pounds per year for the next seven years by the Windham family. This gratitude was not entirely undeserved. Windham was to become a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1744 based on the explorations that he, Stillingfleet (and others) had made of glaciers in Switzerland and his mathematical abilities which Stillingfleet had tutored.
Stillingfleet was again noted for his contribution when William Hudson
William Hudson (botanist)
William Hudson FRS was a British botanist and apothecary based in London. His main work was Flora Anglica, published in 1762. He was elected a fellow of the Royal Society in 1761.- Life and work :...
FRS was lauded for his publication of Flora Anglica in 1761, said to be the first application of Linnean
Linnean
Linnean is closely associated to the alternative spelling Linnaean, and can refer to any of the following all of which are related to the original system of scientific taxonomy of biological species or its author:-Linnaean:*Carolus Linnaeus...
principles to botany in England. Others however have pointed to Stillingfleet's earlier work as the first.
A society was founded in the early 1750s by Elizabeth Montagu
Elizabeth Montagu
Elizabeth Montagu was a British social reformer, patron of the arts, salonist, literary critic, and writer who helped organize and lead the bluestocking society...
, Elizabeth Vesey
Elizabeth Vesey
Elizabeth Vesey was a wealthy English intellectual who is credited with fostering the Bluestockings, a society of women which hosted informal literary and political discussions of which she was an important member.-Life:Her girlish figure and flirtatious wit earned her the nickname of Sylph...
and others as a literary discussion group primarily for women. The society was noted for wanting conversation and did not encourage card playing. They invited various people to attend including Anna Letitia Barbauld, Catharine Macaulay, Elizabeth Griffith
Elizabeth Griffith
Elizabeth Griffith , sometimes also credited Elizabeth Griffiths, was an 18th-century Irish dramatist, fiction writer, essayist and actress, best known for her edition of Shakespeare's comedies published in 1775.- Biography :Griffith was born in Glamorgan, Glamorganshire, Wales to Dublin theatre...
, Hannah More
Hannah More
Hannah More was an English religious writer, and philanthropist. She can be said to have made three reputations in the course of her long life: as a poet and playwright in the circle of Johnson, Reynolds and Garrick, as a writer on moral and religious subjects, and as a practical...
, Elizabeth Ann Linley
Elizabeth Ann Linley
Elizabeth Ann Sheridan was the second daughter of the composer Thomas Linley and his wife Mary Johnson, and was herself the wife of the playwright Richard Brinsley Sheridan.-Life:Of the 7 Linley children destined for musical careers, it is said that Elizabeth had the greatest talent and beauty...
, Charlotte Lennox
Charlotte Lennox
Charlotte Lennox was an English author and poet. She is most famous now as the author of The Female Quixote and for her association with Samuel Johnson, Joshua Reynolds, and Samuel Richardson, but she had a long career and wrote poetry, prose, and drama.-Life:Charlotte Lennox was born in Gibraltar...
and Stillingfleet. One story tells that Stillingfleet was not rich enough to have the proper formal dress, which included black silk
Silk
Silk is a natural protein fiber, some forms of which can be woven into textiles. The best-known type of silk is obtained from the cocoons of the larvae of the mulberry silkworm Bombyx mori reared in captivity...
stocking
Stocking
A stocking, , is a close-fitting, variously elastic garment covering the foot and lower part of the leg. Stockings vary in color, design and transparency...
s, so he attended in everyday blue worsted
Worsted
Worsted , is the name of a yarn, the cloth made from this yarn, and a yarn weight category. The name derives from the village of Worstead in the English county of Norfolk...
stockings. James Boswell
James Boswell
James Boswell, 9th Laird of Auchinleck was a lawyer, diarist, and author born in Edinburgh, Scotland; he is best known for the biography he wrote of one of his contemporaries, the English literary figure Samuel Johnson....
records that during a period of poor conversation when Stillingfleet was absent that it was remarked that they were "nowhere without blue stockings". The term came to refer to the informal quality of the gatherings and the emphasis on conversation over fashion. The word bluestocking today is used to mean any learned woman. It should be pointed out that other derivations of the term have also been suggested.
Stillingfleet died at his lodgings in Piccadilly
Piccadilly
Piccadilly is a major street in central London, running from Hyde Park Corner in the west to Piccadilly Circus in the east. It is completely within the city of Westminster. The street is part of the A4 road, London's second most important western artery. St...
and his papers were burnt following his own instructions. He left his estate to his one remaining sister. A monument was erected only after some years to his memory at nearby St. James church by his nephew.
Legacy
Stillingfleet's habits are said to be the derivation of the name of the Blue Stockings Society. The phrase is the derivation of the English word bluestocking which is applied to a learned or intellectual woman. The word by Loan translation is also used in German as Blaustrumpf, in Dutch as blauwkous and in French as bas-bleu.Works
- ‘Miscellaneous Tracts Relating to Natural History, Husbandry and Physick' (1759)
- 'Paradise Lost: An Oratorio' (1760) words by Stillingfleet, music by John Christopher SmithJohn Christopher SmithJohn Christopher Smith [Johann Christoph Schmidt] was an English composer who, following in his father's footsteps, became George Frederic Handel's secretary and amanuensis.-Life:...
- 'Principles and Power of Harmony', (1771) - translation
- 'Literary life and select works of Benjamin Stillingfleet', (1811)