Thomas Tickell
Encyclopedia
Thomas Tickell was a minor English
poet and man of letters.
near Cockermouth
, Cumberland
. He was educated at St Bees School 1695-1701, and in 1701 entered the Queen's College, Oxford
, taking his M.A. degree in 1709. He became fellow of his college in the next year, and in 1711 University Reader or Professor of Poetry. He did not take orders, but by a dispensation from the Crown was allowed to retain his fellowship until his marriage in 1726 in Dublin. Tickell acquired the name ‘Whigissimus’, because of his close association with the Whig
parliamentary party.
In 1717 he was appointed Under Secretary to Joseph Addison
, Secretary of State. In 1724 Tickell was appointed secretary to the Lords Justices of Ireland, a post which he retained until his death in 1740, at Bath.
Tickell owned a house and small estate in Glasnevin
on the banks of the River Tolka
, which later became the site of the Botanic Gardens
. A double line of yew trees (known as Addison’s Walk) from Tickell’s garden is incorporated into the Gardens.
His grandson Richard Tickell
became a playwright and married Mary Linley
, of the Linley musical dynasty.
, who procured for him (1717) an under-secretaryship of state, to the chagrin of Richard Steele
, who from then on bore a grudge against Tickell. During the peace negotiations with France
, Tickell published in 1713 the Prospect of Peace.
In 1715 he brought out a translation of the first book of the Iliad
contemporaneously with Alexander Pope
's version. Addison's reported description of Tickell's version as the best that ever was in any language roused the anger of Pope, who assumed that Addison was the author. Addison instructed Tickell to collect his works, which were printed in 1721 under Tickell's editorship.
Kensington Gardens
(1722), Tickell's longest poem, is sometimes viewed as inflated and pedantic. It has been said that Tickell's poetic powers were awakened by his admiration for the person and genius of Addison, and undoubtedly his best work is the sincere and dignified elegy addressed to the Earl of Warwick on Addison's death. His ballad of Cohn and Mary was for a long time the most popular of his poems. Tickell contributed to The Spectator
and The Guardian
. *His Works were printed in 1749 and are included in Chalmers
's and other editions of the English Poets.
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...
poet and man of letters.
Life
The son of a clergyman, he was born at BridekirkBridekirk
Bridekirk is a village near Cockermouth in West Cumbria. It contains no shops but is does contain a small church.-Church: St. Bridgets:Bridekirk is named after its cruciform church, reconstructed in the late 1860s. Surviving are the remains of a ruined chancel with 16th-century east and south...
near Cockermouth
Cockermouth
-History:The Romans created a fort at Derventio, now the adjoining village of Papcastle, to protect the river crossing, which had become located on a major route for troops heading towards Hadrian's Wall....
, Cumberland
Cumberland
Cumberland is a historic county of North West England, on the border with Scotland, from the 12th century until 1974. It formed an administrative county from 1889 to 1974 and now forms part of Cumbria....
. He was educated at St Bees School 1695-1701, and in 1701 entered the Queen's College, Oxford
The Queen's College, Oxford
The Queen's College, founded 1341, is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. Queen's is centrally situated on the High Street, and is renowned for its 18th-century architecture...
, taking his M.A. degree in 1709. He became fellow of his college in the next year, and in 1711 University Reader or Professor of Poetry. He did not take orders, but by a dispensation from the Crown was allowed to retain his fellowship until his marriage in 1726 in Dublin. Tickell acquired the name ‘Whigissimus’, because of his close association with the Whig
British Whig Party
The Whigs were a party in the Parliament of England, Parliament of Great Britain, and Parliament of the United Kingdom, who contested power with the rival Tories from the 1680s to the 1850s. The Whigs' origin lay in constitutional monarchism and opposition to absolute rule...
parliamentary party.
In 1717 he was appointed Under Secretary to Joseph Addison
Joseph Addison
Joseph Addison was an English essayist, poet, playwright and politician. He was a man of letters, eldest son of Lancelot Addison...
, Secretary of State. In 1724 Tickell was appointed secretary to the Lords Justices of Ireland, a post which he retained until his death in 1740, at Bath.
Tickell owned a house and small estate in Glasnevin
Glasnevin
Glasnevin is a largely residential neighbourhood of Dublin, Ireland.-Geography:A mainly residential neighbourhood, it is located on the Northside of the city of Dublin . It was originally established on the northern bank of the River Tolka...
on the banks of the River Tolka
River Tolka
The River Tolka is one of Dublin's three main rivers, flowing from County Meath to Fingal, within the old County Dublin, and through the north of Dublin city, Ireland. It is one of Dublin's three main rivers, the others being the Liffey and the Dodder...
, which later became the site of the Botanic Gardens
Irish National Botanic Gardens
The National Botanic Gardens are located in Glasnevin, 5 km north-west of Dublin city centre, Ireland...
. A double line of yew trees (known as Addison’s Walk) from Tickell’s garden is incorporated into the Gardens.
His grandson Richard Tickell
Richard Tickell
-Life:He was the second son of the three sons and two daughters of John Tickell and his wife Esther Pierson - this made him a grandson of the poet Thomas Tickell....
became a playwright and married Mary Linley
Mary Linley
Mary Linley was one of 7 musical siblings born to Thomas Linley the elder and his wife Mary Johnson. She sang publicly until she married the playwright Richard Tickell in 1780....
, of the Linley musical dynasty.
Writing
Tickell's success in literature, as in life, was largely due to the friendship of Joseph AddisonJoseph Addison
Joseph Addison was an English essayist, poet, playwright and politician. He was a man of letters, eldest son of Lancelot Addison...
, who procured for him (1717) an under-secretaryship of state, to the chagrin of Richard Steele
Richard Steele
Sir Richard Steele was an Irish writer and politician, remembered as co-founder, with his friend Joseph Addison, of the magazine The Spectator....
, who from then on bore a grudge against Tickell. During the peace negotiations with France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, Tickell published in 1713 the Prospect of Peace.
In 1715 he brought out a translation of the first book of the Iliad
Iliad
The Iliad is an epic poem in dactylic hexameters, traditionally attributed to Homer. Set during the Trojan War, the ten-year siege of the city of Troy by a coalition of Greek states, it tells of the battles and events during the weeks of a quarrel between King Agamemnon and the warrior Achilles...
contemporaneously with Alexander Pope
Alexander Pope
Alexander Pope was an 18th-century English poet, best known for his satirical verse and for his translation of Homer. He is the third-most frequently quoted writer in The Oxford Dictionary of Quotations, after Shakespeare and Tennyson...
's version. Addison's reported description of Tickell's version as the best that ever was in any language roused the anger of Pope, who assumed that Addison was the author. Addison instructed Tickell to collect his works, which were printed in 1721 under Tickell's editorship.
Kensington Gardens
Kensington Gardens
Kensington Gardens, once the private gardens of Kensington Palace, is one of the Royal Parks of London, lying immediately to the west of Hyde Park. It is shared between the City of Westminster and the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. The park covers an area of 111 hectares .The open spaces...
(1722), Tickell's longest poem, is sometimes viewed as inflated and pedantic. It has been said that Tickell's poetic powers were awakened by his admiration for the person and genius of Addison, and undoubtedly his best work is the sincere and dignified elegy addressed to the Earl of Warwick on Addison's death. His ballad of Cohn and Mary was for a long time the most popular of his poems. Tickell contributed to The Spectator
The Spectator (1711)
The Spectator was a daily publication of 1711–12, founded by Joseph Addison and Richard Steele in England after they met at Charterhouse School. Eustace Budgell, a cousin of Addison's, also contributed to the publication. Each 'paper', or 'number', was approximately 2,500 words long, and the...
and The Guardian
The Guardian (1713)
The Guardian was a short-lived newspaper published in London from 12 March to 1 October 1713. It was founded by Richard Steele and featured contributions from Joseph Addison, Thomas Tickell, Alexander Pope and Ambrose Philips...
. *His Works were printed in 1749 and are included in Chalmers
Alexander Chalmers
Alexander Chalmers was a Scottish writer.He was born in Aberdeen.Trained as a doctor, he gave up medicine for journalism, and was for some time editor of the Morning Herald...
's and other editions of the English Poets.
Further reading
- "T Tickell" JohnsonSamuel JohnsonSamuel 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...
Lives of the Poets - WardThomas Humphry WardHumphry Ward was an English author and journalist, most notable as the husband of Mrs Humphry Ward....
English Poets.