James Miller (playwright)
Encyclopedia
James Miller was an English playwright
, poet, librettist, and minister.
, and while there wrote part of his famous comedy
, The humours of Oxford, which contained music by Richard Charke
and was first performed on January 9, 1730 to great success.
Miller's family was somewhat unsupportive of his theatrical endeavors. They had wanted him to pursue a career in business but Miller showed a reversion to such a path. He therefore was persuaded to follow in his father's profession as a minister, taking holy orders soon after he left Wadham. Miller became a lecturer at Trinity College, Conduit Street and a preacher at Roehampton Chapel. The livings for these positions however did not provide for the lifestyle that Miller was accustomed to, so he continued to write for the stage to supplement his income. This decision was met by some hostility by his colleagues in the church and his career as a clergymen suffered to some extent. Regardless, he went on to write eight more plays, many of which premiered at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane
and contained incidental music by Thomas Arne.
Miller died in 1744. He was married and had one son.
's Joseph and his Brethren
(1744) and translated Molière
's comedies for their first publication into the English language.
Miller was also a celebrated and prolific poet, of which the satirical poem Harlequin Horace is his most well known work. Miller dedicated the poem to its subject, Mr. Rich, who was the manager of the Covent Garden Theatre
at that time. The poem, an ironic portrait and arch mockery of Rich, was payback to a man who had offended Miller. Several of his poems were published in Gentleman's Magazine.
Miller also contributed some religious writings, publishing a volume of his sermons. His sermons display an air of distinguished piety, and a zeal for the interest of what Miller called 'true religion'.
Playwright
A playwright, also called a dramatist, is a person who writes plays.The term is not a variant spelling of "playwrite", but something quite distinct: the word wright is an archaic English term for a craftsman or builder...
, poet, librettist, and minister.
Biography
Miller was born in Dorset, the son of a clergyman who possessed two considerable livings in the county. He studied at Wadham College in OxfordOxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
, and while there wrote part of his famous comedy
Comedy
Comedy , as a popular meaning, is any humorous discourse or work generally intended to amuse by creating laughter, especially in television, film, and stand-up comedy. This must be carefully distinguished from its academic definition, namely the comic theatre, whose Western origins are found in...
, The humours of Oxford, which contained music by Richard Charke
Richard Charke
Richard Charke was an English violinist, composer, operatic baritone, and playwright.-Biography:Charke was born in London. He initially worked as a dancing-master before being appointed by Colley Cibber as leader of the orchestra at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane in 1729...
and was first performed on January 9, 1730 to great success.
Miller's family was somewhat unsupportive of his theatrical endeavors. They had wanted him to pursue a career in business but Miller showed a reversion to such a path. He therefore was persuaded to follow in his father's profession as a minister, taking holy orders soon after he left Wadham. Miller became a lecturer at Trinity College, Conduit Street and a preacher at Roehampton Chapel. The livings for these positions however did not provide for the lifestyle that Miller was accustomed to, so he continued to write for the stage to supplement his income. This decision was met by some hostility by his colleagues in the church and his career as a clergymen suffered to some extent. Regardless, he went on to write eight more plays, many of which premiered at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane
Theatre Royal, Drury Lane
The Theatre Royal, Drury Lane is a West End theatre in Covent Garden, in the City of Westminster, a borough of London. The building faces Catherine Street and backs onto Drury Lane. The building standing today is the most recent in a line of four theatres at the same location dating back to 1663,...
and contained incidental music by Thomas Arne.
Miller died in 1744. He was married and had one son.
Works
Miller wrote mostly comedies for the stage and he was known for his use of intelligent parody and wry wit. His known dramatic works include: The humours of Oxford (1730), The Mother-in-Law, or the Doctor the Disease (1733), The Man of Taste (1736), Universal Passion (1736), Art and Nature (1737), The Coffee-House (1737), An Hospital for Fools (1739), The Picture, or Cuckold in Conceit (1745), and Mahomet the Impostor (1744). He also wrote the libretto to George Frideric HandelGeorge Frideric Handel
George Frideric Handel was a German-British Baroque composer, famous for his operas, oratorios, anthems and organ concertos. Handel was born in 1685, in a family indifferent to music...
's Joseph and his Brethren
Joseph and his Brethren
Joseph is an oratorio by George Frideric Handel in the summer of 1743. Joseph is composed on a libretto by James Miller. It received its premiere performance that following Lenten season on 2 March 1744 at the Covent Garden Theatre....
(1744) and translated Molière
Molière
Jean-Baptiste Poquelin, known by his stage name Molière, was a French playwright and actor who is considered to be one of the greatest masters of comedy in Western literature...
's comedies for their first publication into the English language.
Miller was also a celebrated and prolific poet, of which the satirical poem Harlequin Horace is his most well known work. Miller dedicated the poem to its subject, Mr. Rich, who was the manager of the Covent Garden Theatre
Royal Opera House
The Royal Opera House is an opera house and major performing arts venue in Covent Garden, central London. The large building is often referred to as simply "Covent Garden", after a previous use of the site of the opera house's original construction in 1732. It is the home of The Royal Opera, The...
at that time. The poem, an ironic portrait and arch mockery of Rich, was payback to a man who had offended Miller. Several of his poems were published in Gentleman's Magazine.
Miller also contributed some religious writings, publishing a volume of his sermons. His sermons display an air of distinguished piety, and a zeal for the interest of what Miller called 'true religion'.