The Lives of the Poets of Great Britain and Ireland (1753) Volume II

In Short

This volume presents biographical accounts of prominent English and Irish poets from the seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries. It traces their careers, personal struggles, political allegiances, and literary outputs through historical anecdotes, critical commentaries, and contemporary records. The text explores how writers navigated the Civil War, the Restoration, and the shifting tastes of the reading public. It has endured as an essential historical chronicle of early English literary biography, preserving critical evaluations, rare local anecdotes, and personal histories that would otherwise have been lost to time.

The Story

The narrative arc of this biographical work moves through the turbulent seventeenth century, tracing how historical upheaval shaped literary production from the reign of Charles I through the Restoration. The volume begins by examining minor and mid-level poets who struggled against limited patronage, fast-moving publishing markets, and the distraction of civil conflict. Authors such as Thomas Nabbes and Barten Holyday illustrate the precarious nature of early literary careers, where translations of classical texts and short-lived stage plays rarely provided lasting security or unmixed praise from contemporary critics.

As the political climate darkens into civil war, the account shifts toward writers caught directly in the machinery of statecraft and war. Sir William Davenant travels on diplomatic missions between the exiled royal court and the King, while Abraham Cowley works in secret, publishing verse and managing covert communications. Literature in this era becomes inextricably linked to political survival and religious conviction. The book details how authors managed their public stances, often suffering exile, imprisonment, or financial ruin depending on which faction held power at Westminster.

The coverage expands to include central figures who defined the high literature and popular culture of the mid-to-late seventeenth century. John Milton’s life is detailed through his political tracts, contentious domestic conflicts, and vast educational works, set against the backdrop of a changing political landscape. The narrative contrasts severe intellectual figures with the rakish, chaotic environment of the Restoration court, epitomized by the Earl of Rochester’s wild escapades, satirical triumphs, and reckless lives of pleasure. Popular dramatists like Thomas Otway illustrate the heartbreaking gap between artistic genius and material success, rising to tragic heights on the stage while facing poverty in life.

The volume concludes by evaluating the critical legacies left behind by these writers. It moves through the courtly verse of Edmund Waller and the industrious output of John Ogilby to the critical translations of the Earl of Roscommon. The final section serves as a sober assessment of literary reputation, showing how temporary wit fades while genuine passion and clear craftsmanship survive. By the end, the arc demonstrates that true poetic enduring power relies not on court favor or temporary satire, but on the ability to move the human heart.

How It Unfolds

Early struggles for recognition The narrative opens with accounts of early seventeenth-century writers struggling against limited patronage and severe critical judgment. Authors publish translations and solitary plays with varying success, often ridiculed by peers for punning or relying on outdated classical models.

Poets in times of civil strife As war breaks out, writers are drawn into national politics, carrying secret messages for the Crown or defending their principles in public tracts. Royalist poets face exile and financial hardship, using their pens to navigate dangerous political shifts and maintain favor with changing regimes.

Domestic discord and major works The focal point shifts to major literary figures managing private turmoil alongside massive intellectual undertakings. Controversies over marriage, political treatises, and religious debates show how personal lives collided directly with public duty and artistic ambition.

Restoration wit and dramatic tragedy The atmosphere moves into the Restoration court, filled with theatrical comedy, high-stakes court pranks, and raw tragic drama. Writers achieve brilliant success in theatres and court circles, yet many remain vulnerable to sudden poverty, personal malice, and political rivalry.

Critical legacy and final reckoning The closing accounts evaluate the lasting worth of various poetic styles and translation theories. The narrative weighs popular success against enduring artistic merit, concluding that empty rules and temporary satire quickly fade compared to genuine passion and human feeling.

The People

• John Milton: A formidable scholar and uncompromising political thinker whose intense devotion to study and stern disposition create deep friction in his personal life. He seeks to defend his political and religious convictions through voluminous prose and poetry, ultimately enduring civil upheaval while securing an unassailable place in English letters.
• Sir William Davenant: A loyal and witty royalist envoy who attempts to navigate the treacherous political terrain between the King, the Queen, and foreign courts. He wants to serve his monarch through diplomacy and theatrical invention, though his efforts are often hampered by political misunderstandings and the hazards of civil war.
• The Earl of Rochester: A brilliant, cynical courtier and satirist who pursues endless pleasure and outrageous pranks, even against the King himself. He strives to expose hypocrisy through sharp wit, yet his chaotic lifestyle continually places him in dangerous and ridiculous predicaments.
• Thomas Otway: A gifted dramatic poet capable of moving audiences to tears through profound portrayals of human suffering and despair. Despite his extraordinary talent for capturing deep emotion, he struggles against public malevolence, critical hostility, and severe personal hardship.

In Its Own Voice

"To have committed no faults in this translation, says he, would have been to translate myself, and put off man."

Dr. Holyday offers this playful defense regarding the imperfections found within his published English translation of Persius.

"I look as if all hell were in my heart, / And I in hell."

These lines from Otway’s play illustrate the terrifying internal anguish of a desperate man caught inside a dark conspiracy.

"The merits of an author are seldom justly estimated, till the next age after his decease..."

This observation reflects on how personal malice, prejudice, and private follies obscure a writer's true genius during their lifetime.

What It's Really About

This volume explores the deep tension between artistic creation, personal character, and political survival. It argues that literary genius does not exist in an isolated sanctuary; rather, it is shaped, battered, and frequently damaged by the political storms and economic realities of its time. The text repeatedly examines what constitutes lasting literary value, contrasting cold adherence to rules or temporary courtly wit with genuine emotional truth and moral force. It questions how public memory treats its writers, showing that contemporary popularity often rewards superficial talent while true genius is left to suffer poverty and personal slander. Ultimately, the work serves as a meditation on the fleeting nature of court favor and the enduring power of human expression.

Why Read It Today

This volume offers a remarkably direct window into the lived realities of early modern writers, stripped of modern romanticization. Readers interested in literary history, the Restoration stage, and the political entanglements of the English Civil War will find immense value in its detailed accounts. The narrative carries a warm, conversational cadence, blending gossipy court anecdotes—such as royal pranks in London brothels—with serious literary criticism and biographical detail.

The reading experience requires some patience with eighteenth-century prose structures, archaic spellings, and dense lists of long-forgotten publications. It assumes a basic familiarity with the major political events of the era and does not hesitate to quote extensive verse or pass stern moral judgments on its subjects. Yet, what stays with the reader is the poignant contrast between the grand artistic achievements of these poets and the harsh, impoverished conditions under which so many of them lived and died.