James Hervey
Encyclopedia
James Hervey was an English
clergyman and writer.
, near Northampton
, and was educated at the grammar school of Northampton
, and at Lincoln College, Oxford
. Here he came under the influence of John Wesley
and the Oxford Methodists, especially since he was a member of the Holy Club
. Ultimately, however, while retaining his regard for the men and his sympathy with their religious aims, he adopted a thoroughly Calvinistic
creed, and resolved to remain in the Anglican Church.
Having taken orders in 1737, he held several curacies, and in 1752 succeeded his father in the family livings of Weston Favell
and Collingtree
. He was never robust, but was a good parish
priest
and a zealous writer
.
's Occasional Reflexions on various Subjects, within fourteen years passed through as many editions.
Theron and Aspasio, or a series of Letters upon the most important and interesting Subjects, which appeared in 1755, and was equally well received, called forth some adverse criticism even from Calvinists, on account of tendencies which were considered to lead to antinomianism
, and was strongly objected to by Wesley in his Preservative against unsettled Notions in Religion. Besides carrying into England
the theological disputes to which the Marrow of Modern Divinity had given rise in Scotland
(the Marrow Controversy
), it also led to what is known as the Sandemanian
controversy as to the nature of saving faith.
A new and complete edition of his Works, with a memoir
, appeared in 1797. See also Collection of the Letters of James Hervey, to which is prefixed an account of his Life and Death, by Thomas Birch
(1760).
Hervey had a lasting impact on art through William Blake
, who was an admirer of his. Blake painted Epitome of James Hervey's Meditations among the Tombs between 1820 and 1825.
Hervey is also mentioned in Blake's work as one of the holy guards to the 'four-fold gate', and his influence on Blake's poem The Tyger
has also been noted.
In addition to this, the sombre and sweeping tone of his Meditations Among The Tombs (for example, "the dreadful pleasure inspired by gazing at fallen monuments and mouldering tombs") has led to his being placed amongst the 18th Century 'Graveyard School' of poets, rendering his work an important influence on Horace Walpole’s 'The Castle of Otranto
' of 1764 and consequently, the entire genre of Gothic Literature and the later Romanticism
which the genre fuelled.
An online edition of Hervey's Theron and Aspasio http://books.google.com/books?id=7YU7AAAAcAAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=james+hervey+Theron&cd=8#v=onepage&q&f=false
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
clergyman and writer.
Life
He was born at HardingstoneHardingstone
Hardingstone is a village in Northamptonshire, England. It is on the southern edge of Northampton, and now forms a suburb of the town within the Northampton Borough Council area. It is about from the town centre...
, near Northampton
Northampton
Northampton is a large market town and local government district in the East Midlands region of England. Situated about north-west of London and around south-east of Birmingham, Northampton lies on the River Nene and is the county town of Northamptonshire. The demonym of Northampton is...
, and was educated at the grammar school of Northampton
Northampton School For Boys
Northampton School for Boys is a secondary school in Northampton, England.- Foundation and History :The school was originally founded in 1541 by mayor Thomas Chipsey, as the town's free boys grammar school. In 1557, the school moved to St. Gregory's church, which was adapted for its use...
, and at Lincoln College, Oxford
Lincoln College, Oxford
Lincoln College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. It is situated on Turl Street in central Oxford, backing onto Brasenose College and adjacent to Exeter College...
. Here he came under the influence of John Wesley
John Wesley
John Wesley was a Church of England cleric and Christian theologian. Wesley is largely credited, along with his brother Charles Wesley, as founding the Methodist movement which began when he took to open-air preaching in a similar manner to George Whitefield...
and the Oxford Methodists, especially since he was a member of the Holy Club
Holy Club
The Holy Club was an organisation at Christ Church, Oxford, set up by brothers John and Charles Wesley in 1729, who later contributed to the formation of the Methodist Church....
. Ultimately, however, while retaining his regard for the men and his sympathy with their religious aims, he adopted a thoroughly Calvinistic
Calvinism
Calvinism is a Protestant theological system and an approach to the Christian life...
creed, and resolved to remain in the Anglican Church.
Having taken orders in 1737, he held several curacies, and in 1752 succeeded his father in the family livings of Weston Favell
Weston Favell
Weston Favell is a former village in the English town of Northampton, Northamptonshire.-Location:Since the Industrial Revolution and 20th Century, the town of Northampton has grown closer and closer to the village boundaries, such that it is an outer district of Northampton, near to several other...
and Collingtree
Collingtree
Collingtree is a village within the Borough of Northampton and a civil parish in Northamptonshire, England.- Location and context :The village is about from Northampton town centre, close to the A45 trunk road which heads east to Wellingborough and Peterborough...
. He was never robust, but was a good parish
Parish
A parish is a territorial unit historically under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of one parish priest, who might be assisted in his pastoral duties by a curate or curates - also priests but not the parish priest - from a more or less central parish church with its associated organization...
priest
Priest
A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...
and a zealous writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
.
Works
His style is often bombastic, but he displays a rare appreciation of natural beauty, and his simple piety made him many friends. His earliest work, Meditations and Contemplations, said to have been modelled on Robert BoyleRobert Boyle
Robert Boyle FRS was a 17th century natural philosopher, chemist, physicist, and inventor, also noted for his writings in theology. He has been variously described as English, Irish, or Anglo-Irish, his father having come to Ireland from England during the time of the English plantations of...
's Occasional Reflexions on various Subjects, within fourteen years passed through as many editions.
Theron and Aspasio, or a series of Letters upon the most important and interesting Subjects, which appeared in 1755, and was equally well received, called forth some adverse criticism even from Calvinists, on account of tendencies which were considered to lead to antinomianism
Antinomianism
Antinomianism is defined as holding that, under the gospel dispensation of grace, moral law is of no use or obligation because faith alone is necessary to salvation....
, and was strongly objected to by Wesley in his Preservative against unsettled Notions in Religion. Besides carrying into England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
the theological disputes to which the Marrow of Modern Divinity had given rise in Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
(the Marrow Controversy
Marrow Controversy
The Marrow Controversy was a Scottish ecclesiastical dispute occasioned by the republication in 1718 of The Marrow of Modern Divinity The Marrow Controversy was a Scottish ecclesiastical dispute occasioned by the republication in 1718 of The Marrow of Modern Divinity The Marrow Controversy was a...
), it also led to what is known as the Sandemanian
Glasite
The Glasites or Glassites were a Christian sect founded in about 1730 in Scotland by John Glas. Glas' faith, as part of the First Great Awakening, was spread by his son-in-law Robert Sandeman into England and America, where the members were called Sandemanians.Glas dissented from the Westminster...
controversy as to the nature of saving faith.
A new and complete edition of his Works, with a memoir
Memoir
A memoir , is a literary genre, forming a subclass of autobiography – although the terms 'memoir' and 'autobiography' are almost interchangeable. Memoir is autobiographical writing, but not all autobiographical writing follows the criteria for memoir set out below...
, appeared in 1797. See also Collection of the Letters of James Hervey, to which is prefixed an account of his Life and Death, by Thomas Birch
Thomas Birch
Thomas Birch was an English historian.-Life:He was the son of Joseph Birch, a coffee-mill maker, and was born at Clerkenwell....
(1760).
Hervey had a lasting impact on art through William Blake
William Blake
William Blake was an English poet, painter, and printmaker. Largely unrecognised during his lifetime, Blake is now considered a seminal figure in the history of both the poetry and visual arts of the Romantic Age...
, who was an admirer of his. Blake painted Epitome of James Hervey's Meditations among the Tombs between 1820 and 1825.
Hervey is also mentioned in Blake's work as one of the holy guards to the 'four-fold gate', and his influence on Blake's poem The Tyger
The Tyger
"The Tyger" is a poem by the English poet William Blake. It was published as part of his collection Songs of Experience in 1794 . It is one of Blake's best-known and most analyzed poems...
has also been noted.
In addition to this, the sombre and sweeping tone of his Meditations Among The Tombs (for example, "the dreadful pleasure inspired by gazing at fallen monuments and mouldering tombs") has led to his being placed amongst the 18th Century 'Graveyard School' of poets, rendering his work an important influence on Horace Walpole’s 'The Castle of Otranto
The Castle of Otranto
The Castle of Otranto is a 1764 novel by Horace Walpole. It is generally regarded as the first gothic novel, initiating a literary genre which would become extremely popular in the later 18th century and early 19th century...
' of 1764 and consequently, the entire genre of Gothic Literature and the later Romanticism
Romanticism
Romanticism was an artistic, literary and intellectual movement that originated in the second half of the 18th century in Europe, and gained strength in reaction to the Industrial Revolution...
which the genre fuelled.
Links
An online edition of Hervey's Meditations and Contemplations http://books.google.com/books?id=kFAJAAAAQAAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=james+hervey+meditations&cd=3#v=onepage&q&f=falseAn online edition of Hervey's Theron and Aspasio http://books.google.com/books?id=7YU7AAAAcAAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=james+hervey+Theron&cd=8#v=onepage&q&f=false