Christopher Pitt: Difference between revisions
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{{short description|English poet}} |
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'''Christopher Pitt''' (1699 – 13 April 1748) was an [[England|English]] [[poet]] and [[Translation|translator]].<ref>[http://www.npg.org.uk/live/search/person.asp?name=&search=as&desc=&grp=1054%3BLinguists+and+translators&lDate=&LinkID=mp64291 Christopher Pitt (1699-1748), Poet and translator<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref><ref>[http://www.giga-usa.com/quotes/authors/christopher_pitt_a001.htm Christopher Pitt Quotes and Quotations compiled by GIGA<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> His translations into English include [[Virgil]]'s ''[[Aeneid]]'' and ''Vida's Art of Poetry''. |
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{{about||the Australian Paralympic sport shooter|Chris Pitt}} |
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[[File:Reverend Christopher Pitt 1699 - 1748 by George Dowdney active 1730-1750.jpg|thumb|A portrait of Christopher Pitt, painted by George Dowdney]] |
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'''Christopher Pitt''' (1699 – 13 April 1748) was an English [[Clergy#Christianty|clergyman]] poet; he was also a translator whose performance was esteemed in his day. |
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==Family connections== |
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Christopher Pitt came from a family wide-spread in the [[West of England]]. Several of them had a political career, of whom the best known was [[William Pitt the Elder]], a descendant of Christopher’s second cousin, [[Thomas Pitt]].<ref>''The Works of Thomas Carlyle'', Cambridge University, 2010, Volume 30, [https://books.google.com/books?id=C5XVXCP3VtkC&dq=%22Christopher+Pitt%22&pg=PA139 p.139]</ref> Pitt himself was the second son of Dr Christopher Pitt, a respected physician at [[Blandford Forum]]. Having a Classical education himself, the father contributed a translation of the episode on the plague of Athens to [[Thomas Creech]]’s edition of [[Lucretius]], while Robert Pitt, Christopher’s elder brother, followed his father’s medical profession, wrote on medical matters and also translated the first five books of ''[[Paradise Lost]]'' into Latin verse. |
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There is a strong sense of family connections in Christopher Pitt’s poetical career. His first published work as an undergraduate, "A Poem on the death of the late [[James Stanhope, 1st Earl Stanhope|Earl Stanhope]]" (1721), was dedicated to the earl’s widow, who was Christopher’s second cousin, Lucy. His collection of ''Poems & Translations'' (1727) was dedicated to his uncle, George Pitt of Stratfield Saye. And among his later poems were [[Horace|Horatian]] epistles addressed to [[John Pitt (soldier)|John Pitt]], another second cousin and one of Lucy’s brothers. |
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==Life== |
==Life== |
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Pitt was educated at [[Winchester College]], leaving in 1719 to study at [[New College, Oxford]]. He was also Rector of [[Pimperne]], near [[Blandford Forum]] in [[Dorsetshire]], a post given him by a relation, George Pitt. He held it for the rest of his life. |
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Pitt was educated at [[Winchester College]] and went on to study at [[New College, Oxford]] in 1719. He is credited with arriving there with two manuscript volumes of his verse, one of which was a translation of [[Lucan]]’s [[Pharsalia]]. However, on discovering that [[Nicholas Rowe (writer)|Nicholas Rowe]] had already made a good translation of Lucan’s work, he never submitted his for publication. However, in 1721 he published two shorter works, the "Poem on the death of the late Earl Stanhope"<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=6LNYAAAAcAAJ Google Books]</ref> and - anonymously as "a person of quality" - "The Plague of Marseilles".<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=PUSgCwAAQBAJ&q=%22Christopher+Pitt%22 pp.20-22]</ref> His translation of [[Marco Girolamo Vida]]’s ''Art of Poetry''<ref>[https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=uc1.31822038199626;view=1up;seq=5 Hathi Trust]</ref> in 1725 brought him some reputation and also the friendship of [[Alexander Pope]], whose own ''[[An Essay on Criticism]]'' (a work that Pitt judiciously echoed in homage) covered much the same ground. From then on his time was divided between religious duties, which left him ample leisure for continuing his literary work, to visiting friends, and to recurring periods of gout. A facetious poem by his "brother" poet describes one such episode while paying tribute to his version of the ''Aeneid''.<ref>Published in ''The Gentleman's Magazine and Historical Chronicle'' for April 1775,[https://books.google.com/books?id=DntIAAAAYAAJ p.193]</ref> This ambitious translation project, completed in 1740, guaranteed frequent publication of all his poetry for the rest of the century, as well as a biographical preface in [[Samuel Johnson]]’s ''[[Lives of the Poets]]''. |
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Christopher Pitt had been presented with the rectory of [[Pimperne]] by his uncle George and, having taken [[holy orders]], lived there permanently from 1724. After his death in 1748 tributes noted that he died without a single enemy,<ref>''The Poetical Works of Christopher Pitt'', Edinburgh 1782, [https://books.google.com/books?id=pQoUAAAAQAAJ vol.2, p.vi]</ref> and also echoed the wording on the memorial tablet in the church at Blandford referring to "the universal candour of his mind and the primitive simplicity of his manner". |
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==Works== |
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Pitt's translations of the ''Aeneid'' and ''Vida's Art of Poetry'' established his name, while his ''Imitations of Horace'' has been compared to that by [[Alexander Pope]]. In 1727 his ''Miscellaneous Poems'' were published. |
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Highly praised by some in the 18th century, Pitt's Virgil translation dropped out of fashion thereafter. The last reprint was by [[John Ring (surgeon)|John Ring]] in 1820.<ref>{{cite ODNB|id=22327|title=Pitt, Christopher|first=Anna|last=Chahoud}}</ref> |
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==Legacy== |
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Pitt died in 1748. On his tombstone at Blandford Forum is the inscription: |
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<blockquote>In memory of |
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CHR. PITT, Clerk, M. A. |
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Very eminent |
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for his talents in poetry, |
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and yet more |
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for the universal candor of |
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his mind, and the primitive |
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simplicity of his manners. |
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He lived innocent, |
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and died beloved |
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Apr. 13. 1748. |
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aged 48. |
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<ref>[http://books.google.co.uk/books?pg=PR5&id=pQoUAAAAQAAJ&output=text#PPR5,M1 The poetical works of Christ. Pitt: of Christ. Pitt. With the life of the author. By Christopher Pitt. Contributor Martins] googlebooks, pages v and vi.</ref></blockquote> |
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==References== |
==References== |
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==External links== |
==External links== |
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{{Wikiquote}} |
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* [http://www.eighteenthcenturypoetry.org/authors/pers00017.shtml Christopher Pitt] at the [http://www.eighteenthcenturypoetry.org/ Eighteenth-Century Poetry Archive (ECPA)] |
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*[http://mind.textdriven.com/db/browse.php?mode=1&filter=author.Name&fvalue=Pitt,%20Christopher%20(1699-1748) Metaphors from Christopher Pitt] |
*[http://mind.textdriven.com/db/browse.php?mode=1&filter=author.Name&fvalue=Pitt,%20Christopher%20(1699-1748) Metaphors from Christopher Pitt] |
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*[http://www.giga-usa.com/quotes/authors/christopher_pitt_a001.htm Quotes from Christopher Pitt] |
*[http://www.giga-usa.com/quotes/authors/christopher_pitt_a001.htm Quotes from Christopher Pitt] |
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* {{ |
* {{NPG name}} |
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{{Authority control}} |
{{Authority control}} |
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{{Persondata <!-- Metadata: see [[Wikipedia:Persondata]]. --> |
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| NAME = Pitt, Christopher |
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| ALTERNATIVE NAMES = |
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| SHORT DESCRIPTION = English poet |
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| DATE OF BIRTH = 1699 |
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| PLACE OF BIRTH = |
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| DATE OF DEATH = 13 April 1748 |
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| PLACE OF DEATH = |
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}} |
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Pitt, Christopher}} |
{{DEFAULTSORT:Pitt, Christopher}} |
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[[Category:1699 births]] |
[[Category:1699 births]] |
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[[Category:1748 deaths]] |
[[Category:1748 deaths]] |
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[[Category:Alumni of New College, Oxford]] |
[[Category:Alumni of New College, Oxford]] |
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[[Category: |
[[Category:Anglican poets]] |
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[[Category: |
[[Category:English male poets]] |
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[[Category:Translators of Virgil]] |
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{{UK-poet-stub}} |
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Latest revision as of 21:58, 12 February 2024
Christopher Pitt (1699 – 13 April 1748) was an English clergyman poet; he was also a translator whose performance was esteemed in his day.
Family connections
[edit]Christopher Pitt came from a family wide-spread in the West of England. Several of them had a political career, of whom the best known was William Pitt the Elder, a descendant of Christopher’s second cousin, Thomas Pitt.[1] Pitt himself was the second son of Dr Christopher Pitt, a respected physician at Blandford Forum. Having a Classical education himself, the father contributed a translation of the episode on the plague of Athens to Thomas Creech’s edition of Lucretius, while Robert Pitt, Christopher’s elder brother, followed his father’s medical profession, wrote on medical matters and also translated the first five books of Paradise Lost into Latin verse. There is a strong sense of family connections in Christopher Pitt’s poetical career. His first published work as an undergraduate, "A Poem on the death of the late Earl Stanhope" (1721), was dedicated to the earl’s widow, who was Christopher’s second cousin, Lucy. His collection of Poems & Translations (1727) was dedicated to his uncle, George Pitt of Stratfield Saye. And among his later poems were Horatian epistles addressed to John Pitt, another second cousin and one of Lucy’s brothers.
Life
[edit]
Pitt was educated at Winchester College and went on to study at New College, Oxford in 1719. He is credited with arriving there with two manuscript volumes of his verse, one of which was a translation of Lucan’s Pharsalia. However, on discovering that Nicholas Rowe had already made a good translation of Lucan’s work, he never submitted his for publication. However, in 1721 he published two shorter works, the "Poem on the death of the late Earl Stanhope"[2] and - anonymously as "a person of quality" - "The Plague of Marseilles".[3] His translation of Marco Girolamo Vida’s Art of Poetry[4] in 1725 brought him some reputation and also the friendship of Alexander Pope, whose own An Essay on Criticism (a work that Pitt judiciously echoed in homage) covered much the same ground. From then on his time was divided between religious duties, which left him ample leisure for continuing his literary work, to visiting friends, and to recurring periods of gout. A facetious poem by his "brother" poet describes one such episode while paying tribute to his version of the Aeneid.[5] This ambitious translation project, completed in 1740, guaranteed frequent publication of all his poetry for the rest of the century, as well as a biographical preface in Samuel Johnson’s Lives of the Poets.
Christopher Pitt had been presented with the rectory of Pimperne by his uncle George and, having taken holy orders, lived there permanently from 1724. After his death in 1748 tributes noted that he died without a single enemy,[6] and also echoed the wording on the memorial tablet in the church at Blandford referring to "the universal candour of his mind and the primitive simplicity of his manner".
References
[edit]- ^ The Works of Thomas Carlyle, Cambridge University, 2010, Volume 30, p.139
- ^ Google Books
- ^ pp.20-22
- ^ Hathi Trust
- ^ Published in The Gentleman's Magazine and Historical Chronicle for April 1775,p.193
- ^ The Poetical Works of Christopher Pitt, Edinburgh 1782, vol.2, p.vi
External links
[edit]
