Patronage, punch-ups, and polite correspondence: the radical background of James Woodhouse’s early poetry

Adam Bridgen

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

In this essay, Adam Bridgen argues that the oft-condemned “sycophancy” of James Woodhouse’s early poetry is a misapprehension that overlooks the emergence of his evangelical, egalitarian beliefs in the mid-1760s. Reconsidering the letters between Woodhouse and his patrons reveals not only the influential friendships he cultivated as a plebeian poet but also the class prejudices he continued to encounter and resist, often forcefully. Although he conformed to a humble self-portrayal in his 1764 and 1766 Poems, Woodhouse’s subversion of praise allowed him to criticize as well as commend elite behavior; viewing benevolence as a Christian duty faithful to the more equal society that God had intended, he praised patronage, in fact, for its leveling potential.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)99-134
Number of pages36
JournalHuntington Library Quarterly
Volume80
Issue number1
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 22 Mar 2017

Keywords

  • Eighteenth century
  • Patronage
  • Poetry
  • Social class and status
  • Epistolary Cultures
  • Radicalism
  • Gardens
  • Methodism

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