James Davis (satirist)
Encyclopedia
James Davis was a Welsh
physician and satirist.
, Monmouthshire
, Wales
, and, on 18 February 1723 at the age of sixteen, he matriculated
at Jesus College, Oxford
. He obtained his Bachelor of Arts
degree on 13 October 1726, advancing to Master of Arts on 9 July 1729. He then studied medicine, obtaining a Bachelor of Medicine degree on 7 December 1732. He then worked as a physician in Devizes
, Wiltshire
until his death there on 13 July 1755.
His work Origines Divisianae, or, The antiquities of the Devizes in some familiar letters to a friend wrote in the years 1750 and 1751 was published in 1754. It caricatured the antiquarian studies of William Stukeley
(who pioneered the archeological investigation of Stonehenge
) and his contemporaries, presenting various fancies as facts of local history. Some of these tricks deceived later writers.
Davis showed his sense of humour with turns of phrase such as:
and finished his book by writing:
Welsh people
The Welsh people are an ethnic group and nation associated with Wales and the Welsh language.John Davies argues that the origin of the "Welsh nation" can be traced to the late 4th and early 5th centuries, following the Roman departure from Britain, although Brythonic Celtic languages seem to have...
physician and satirist.
Life
Davis was born in ChepstowChepstow
Chepstow is a town in Monmouthshire, Wales, adjoining the border with Gloucestershire, England. It is located on the River Wye, close to its confluence with the River Severn, and close to the western end of the Severn Bridge on the M48 motorway...
, Monmouthshire
Monmouthshire (historic)
Monmouthshire , also known as the County of Monmouth , is one of thirteen ancient counties of Wales and a former administrative county....
, Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
, and, on 18 February 1723 at the age of sixteen, he matriculated
Matriculation
Matriculation, in the broadest sense, means to be registered or added to a list, from the Latin matricula – little list. In Scottish heraldry, for instance, a matriculation is a registration of armorial bearings...
at Jesus College, Oxford
Jesus College, Oxford
Jesus College is one of the colleges of the University of Oxford in England. It is in the centre of the city, on a site between Turl Street, Ship Street, Cornmarket Street and Market Street...
. He obtained his Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree on 13 October 1726, advancing to Master of Arts on 9 July 1729. He then studied medicine, obtaining a Bachelor of Medicine degree on 7 December 1732. He then worked as a physician in Devizes
Devizes
Devizes is a market town and civil parish in Wiltshire, England. The town is about southeast of Chippenham and about east of Trowbridge.Devizes serves as a centre for banks, solicitors and shops, with a large open market place where a market is held once a week...
, Wiltshire
Wiltshire
Wiltshire is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. It contains the unitary authority of Swindon and covers...
until his death there on 13 July 1755.
His work Origines Divisianae, or, The antiquities of the Devizes in some familiar letters to a friend wrote in the years 1750 and 1751 was published in 1754. It caricatured the antiquarian studies of William Stukeley
William Stukeley
William Stukeley FRS, FRCP, FSA was an English antiquarian who pioneered the archaeological investigation of the prehistoric monuments of Stonehenge and Avebury, work for which he has been remembered as "probably... the most important of the early forerunners of the discipline of archaeology"...
(who pioneered the archeological investigation of Stonehenge
Stonehenge
Stonehenge is a prehistoric monument located in the English county of Wiltshire, about west of Amesbury and north of Salisbury. One of the most famous sites in the world, Stonehenge is composed of a circular setting of large standing stones set within earthworks...
) and his contemporaries, presenting various fancies as facts of local history. Some of these tricks deceived later writers.
Davis showed his sense of humour with turns of phrase such as:
and finished his book by writing: