John Gilbert Cooper
Encyclopedia
John Gilbert Cooper or John Gilbert (24 August 1722 – 21 April 1769) was a British
poet and writer.
, Leicestershire. His father was left a legacy which included Thurgarton Priory which he was allowed if he changed his name to Cooper. John Gilbert Cooper was educated locally and then at Westminster School
.
He completed his education at Trinity College, Cambridge
.
Cooper first published poetry in 1742 occasionally until he became a regular contributor to The Museum which was published by Robert Dodsley
. His contributions to Dodsley's journal was under the nom de plume of Philaretes. Cooper's claim to notability comes from his prose, poetry and a public row he had with William Warburton
. The row arose from a book he published on Socrates
where his work ignored the established view of many including Warburton. Warburton responded to Cooper's 1749, Life of Socrates with an Essay on Criticism in 1751. Cooper unwisely accused Warburton of personal attack in Cursory Remarks on Mr Warburton's New Edition of Mr Pope's Works - it was unwise as he also made personal attacks on Warburton. Samuel Johnson
later described Cooper as the Punchinello of literature.
Cooper's 1754 Letters on Taste was said to be the first book on the subject of taste.
Cooper died in Mayfair
having devoted the last few years of his life to the Society for the Encouragement of the Arts, Manufactures, and Commerce, but he left when he failed to get elected as vice president. Cooper died early after suffering with kidney stones and was buried at Thurgarton.
. The painting entitled Miravan Breaking Open the Tomb of his Ancestors
was inspired by a story in Cooper's Letters of Taste. Cooper had recounted a story where a greedy nobleman despoils his ancestor's grave in search of riches to find himself cursed by his ancestor.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
poet and writer.
Biography
John Gilbert was born in LockingtonLockington, Leicestershire
Lockington is a village in the Leicestershire parish of Lockington cum Hemington. The village is close to the Derbyshire border.Although there isn't a rail station in the village, East Midlands Parkway opened nearby in 2008 at Ratcliffe-on-Soar which provides links to the Midland Main...
, Leicestershire. His father was left a legacy which included Thurgarton Priory which he was allowed if he changed his name to Cooper. John Gilbert Cooper was educated locally and then at Westminster School
Westminster School
The Royal College of St. Peter in Westminster, almost always known as Westminster School, is one of Britain's leading independent schools, with the highest Oxford and Cambridge acceptance rate of any secondary school or college in Britain...
.
He completed his education 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...
.
Robert Dodsley
Robert Dodsley was an English bookseller and miscellaneous writer.-Life:He was born near Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, where his father was master of the free school....
. His contributions to Dodsley's journal was under the nom de plume of Philaretes. Cooper's claim to notability comes from his prose, poetry and a public row he had with William Warburton
William Warburton
William Warburton was an English critic and churchman, Bishop of Gloucester from 1759.-Life:He was born at Newark, where his father, who belonged to an old Cheshire family, was town clerk. William was educated at Oakham and Newark grammar schools, and in 1714 he was articled to Mr Kirke, an...
. The row arose from a book he published on Socrates
Socrates
Socrates was a classical Greek Athenian philosopher. Credited as one of the founders of Western philosophy, he is an enigmatic figure known chiefly through the accounts of later classical writers, especially the writings of his students Plato and Xenophon, and the plays of his contemporary ...
where his work ignored the established view of many including Warburton. Warburton responded to Cooper's 1749, Life of Socrates with an Essay on Criticism in 1751. Cooper unwisely accused Warburton of personal attack in Cursory Remarks on Mr Warburton's New Edition of Mr Pope's Works - it was unwise as he also made personal attacks on Warburton. Samuel Johnson
Samuel Johnson
Samuel Johnson , often referred to as Dr. Johnson, was an English author who made lasting contributions to English literature as a poet, essayist, moralist, literary critic, biographer, editor and lexicographer...
later described Cooper as the Punchinello of literature.
Cooper's 1754 Letters on Taste was said to be the first book on the subject of taste.
Cooper died in Mayfair
Mayfair
Mayfair is an area of central London, within the City of Westminster.-History:Mayfair is named after the annual fortnight-long May Fair that took place on the site that is Shepherd Market today...
having devoted the last few years of his life to the Society for the Encouragement of the Arts, Manufactures, and Commerce, but he left when he failed to get elected as vice president. Cooper died early after suffering with kidney stones and was buried at Thurgarton.
Legacy
Besides Cooper's books he also inspired a noted painting by Joseph Wright of DerbyJoseph Wright of Derby
Joseph Wright , styled Wright of Derby, was an English landscape and portrait painter. He has been acclaimed as "the first professional painter to express the spirit of the Industrial Revolution"....
. The painting entitled Miravan Breaking Open the Tomb of his Ancestors
Miravan
Miravan Breaking Open the Tomb of his Ancestors is a painting by Joseph Wright of Derby originally completed in 1772 .-Description:The painting was titled Miravan Breaking Open the Tomb of his Ancestors and it shows a Persian nobleman, Miravan, who has discovered one of his ancestor's tombs...
was inspired by a story in Cooper's Letters of Taste. Cooper had recounted a story where a greedy nobleman despoils his ancestor's grave in search of riches to find himself cursed by his ancestor.