Thomas Whately: Difference between revisions
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Among gardeners, Whately is largely remembered as the author of ''Observations on Modern Gardening, illustrated by descriptions'' (London, 1770), written while living in the Mansion House in [[Nonsuch Park]]. Close on the heels of [[George Mason (1735-1806)|George Mason]]'s<!--not the Virginian patriot--> ''Essay on Design in Gardening'', Whately's ''Observations'' provide the most comprehensive work on the theory and practice of English [[landscape gardening]] in the naturalistic taste before [[Horace Walpole]]'s brief ''Essay on Modern Gardening'' (1782) and the writings of [[Humphry Repton]]. The [[picturesque]] landscape style in the manner of idealized landscapes by [[Salvator Rosa]] or [[Claude Lorraine]], had been pioneered by [[Charles Bridgeman]] in the 1720s, improved by [[William Kent]] and eventually dominated by [[Lancelot "Capability" Brown]], but neither had put their thoughts into print. |
Among gardeners, Whately is largely remembered as the author of ''Observations on Modern Gardening, illustrated by descriptions'' (London, 1770), written while living in the Mansion House in [[Nonsuch Park]]. Close on the heels of [[George Mason (1735-1806)|George Mason]]'s<!--not the Virginian patriot--> ''Essay on Design in Gardening'', Whately's ''Observations'' provide the most comprehensive work on the theory and practice of English [[landscape gardening]] in the naturalistic taste before [[Horace Walpole]]'s brief ''Essay on Modern Gardening'' (1782) and the writings of [[Humphry Repton]]. The [[picturesque]] landscape style in the manner of idealized landscapes by [[Salvator Rosa]] or [[Claude Lorraine]], had been pioneered by [[Charles Bridgeman]] in the 1720s, improved by [[William Kent]] and eventually dominated by [[Lancelot "Capability" Brown]], but neither had put their thoughts into print. |
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By 1783, [[polymath]] [[Thomas Jefferson]], the future third [[President of the United States]], already had a copy of Whately's book in his library at [[Monticello]].<ref>Thomas Jefferson Papers, [http://www.masshist.org/thomasjeffersonpapers/cfm/doc.cfm?id=catalog1783_174&mode=lg 1783 Catalog of Books, [circa 1775-1812], p. 174]</ref> During his [[Europe|European]] years as Minister to France, he also visited England. Eager to explore and gain practical knowledge for his own garden designs, in April 1786, Jefferson set out for a tour of English gardens in the company of his close friend and future second President of the USA, [[John Adams]].<ref>{{cite book|ref=harv |last=Adams |first=John |last2=Adams |first2=Charles Francis |year= 1851 |title=The Works of John Adams, Second President of the United States: Autobiography, continued. Diary. Essays and controversial papers of the Revolution |volume=3 |series=The Works of John Adams, Second President of the United States |publisher=Little, Brown, |page=[http://books.google.co.nz/books?id=lWcsAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA394#v=onepage&q&f=false 394]}}</ref> Whately's [[treatise]] guiding him every step of the way, Jefferson's near contemporary statement attests to the accuracy and |
By 1783, [[polymath]] [[Thomas Jefferson]], the future third [[President of the United States]], already had a copy of Whately's book in his library at [[Monticello]].<ref>Thomas Jefferson Papers, [http://www.masshist.org/thomasjeffersonpapers/cfm/doc.cfm?id=catalog1783_174&mode=lg 1783 Catalog of Books, [circa 1775-1812], p. 174]</ref> During his [[Europe|European]] years as Minister to France, he also visited England. Eager to explore and gain practical knowledge for his own garden designs, in April 1786, Jefferson set out for a tour of English gardens in the company of his close friend and future second President of the USA, [[John Adams]].<ref>{{cite book|ref=harv |last=Adams |first=John |last2=Adams |first2=Charles Francis |year= 1851 |title=The Works of John Adams, Second President of the United States: Autobiography, continued. Diary. Essays and controversial papers of the Revolution |volume=3 |series=The Works of John Adams, Second President of the United States |publisher=Little, Brown, |page=[http://books.google.co.nz/books?id=lWcsAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA394#v=onepage&q&f=false 394]}}</ref> Whately's [[treatise]] guiding him every step of the way, Jefferson's near contemporary statement attests to the accuracy and reliability of Whately's description: |
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<blockquote>[[Memorandums]] made on a tour to some of the gardens in England described by Whateley in his book on gardening. While his descriptions in point of style are models of perfect elegance and classical correctness, they are as remarkeable for their exactness. I always walked over the gardens with his book in my hand, examined with attention the particular spots he described, found them so justly characterised by him as to be easily recognised, and saw with wonder, that his fine imagination had never been able to seduce him from the truth.<ref>The Papers of Thomas Jefferson Digital Edition, ed. Barbara B. Oberg and J. Jefferson Looney. [[Charlottesville]]: [[University of Virginia Press]], Rotunda, 2008, pp. 369. [http://rotunda.upress.virginia.edu/founders/TSJN-01-09-02-0328 Online edition] accessed 14 Aug 2012.</ref></blockquote> |
<blockquote>[[Memorandums]] made on a tour to some of the gardens in England described by Whateley in his book on gardening. While his descriptions in point of style are models of perfect elegance and classical correctness, they are as remarkeable for their exactness. I always walked over the gardens with his book in my hand, examined with attention the particular spots he described, found them so justly characterised by him as to be easily recognised, and saw with wonder, that his fine imagination had never been able to seduce him from the truth.<ref>The Papers of Thomas Jefferson Digital Edition, ed. Barbara B. Oberg and J. Jefferson Looney. [[Charlottesville]]: [[University of Virginia Press]], Rotunda, 2008, pp. 369. [http://rotunda.upress.virginia.edu/founders/TSJN-01-09-02-0328 Online edition] accessed 14 Aug 2012.</ref></blockquote> |
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Revision as of 17:54, 17 August 2012
Thomas Whately (1726 – June 1772), an English politician and writer, was a Member of Parliament (1761–1768), who served as Commissioner on the Board of Trade, as Secretary to the Treasury under Lord Grenville, and as Under- secretary of State under Lord North (1771–1772). As an M.P. he published a letter on the reasonableness of the Stamp Act, 1765, which earns him a place in the events that led to the American Revolution.
Observations on Modern Gardening
Among gardeners, Whately is largely remembered as the author of Observations on Modern Gardening, illustrated by descriptions (London, 1770), written while living in the Mansion House in Nonsuch Park. Close on the heels of George Mason's Essay on Design in Gardening, Whately's Observations provide the most comprehensive work on the theory and practice of English landscape gardening in the naturalistic taste before Horace Walpole's brief Essay on Modern Gardening (1782) and the writings of Humphry Repton. The picturesque landscape style in the manner of idealized landscapes by Salvator Rosa or Claude Lorraine, had been pioneered by Charles Bridgeman in the 1720s, improved by William Kent and eventually dominated by Lancelot "Capability" Brown, but neither had put their thoughts into print.
By 1783, polymath Thomas Jefferson, the future third President of the United States, already had a copy of Whately's book in his library at Monticello.[1] During his European years as Minister to France, he also visited England. Eager to explore and gain practical knowledge for his own garden designs, in April 1786, Jefferson set out for a tour of English gardens in the company of his close friend and future second President of the USA, John Adams.[2] Whately's treatise guiding him every step of the way, Jefferson's near contemporary statement attests to the accuracy and reliability of Whately's description:
Memorandums made on a tour to some of the gardens in England described by Whateley in his book on gardening. While his descriptions in point of style are models of perfect elegance and classical correctness, they are as remarkeable for their exactness. I always walked over the gardens with his book in my hand, examined with attention the particular spots he described, found them so justly characterised by him as to be easily recognised, and saw with wonder, that his fine imagination had never been able to seduce him from the truth.[3]
Whately's work went through several editions. Translations in German and French appeared as early as 1771.
Remarks on Some of the Characters in Shakespeare
Whately's Remarks on Some of the Characters in Shakespeare was left unfinished at his death and published posthumously by his brother, the Rev. Joseph Whately, in 1785. Whately's analysis of several of Shakespeare's principal characters applies to them the principles of psychology and motivation of Whately's own proto-Romantic sensibilities.
Hutchinson Letters Affair
After Whately's death, correspondence directed to him from Thomas Hutchinson, governor of Massachusetts, Lieutenant-Governor Oliver and other British colonial agents was leaked to Benjamin Franklin. They were later published in Boston, causing great scandal, and eventually involving his brother William Whately in a duel. "These letters, though not official, related wholly to public affairs, and were intended to affect public measures. They were filled with representations, in regard to the state of things in the colonies, as contrary to the truth, as they were insidious in their design. The discontents and commotions were ascribed to a factious spirit among the people, stirred up by a few intriguing leaders; and it was intimated, that this spirit would be subdued, and submission to the acts of Parliament would be attained, by the presence of a military force, and by persevering in the coercive measures already begun."[4]
Other notable facts
At the insistence of Hutchinson, then acting governor, the town of Whately, Massachusetts was named for him when it was set apart from Hatfield in 1771.[5].
Whately was great-great-great-great grandfather to the actor Kevin Whately through Whately's nephew, Archbishop Richard Whately (according to research broadcast on Who Do You Think You Are - BBC One 2 March 2009).
References
- ^ Thomas Jefferson Papers, 1783 Catalog of Books, [circa 1775-1812, p. 174]
- ^ Adams, John; Adams, Charles Francis (1851). The Works of John Adams, Second President of the United States: Autobiography, continued. Diary. Essays and controversial papers of the Revolution. The Works of John Adams, Second President of the United States. Vol. 3. Little, Brown,. p. 394.
{{cite book}}: Invalid|ref=harv(help)CS1 maint: extra punctuation (link) - ^ The Papers of Thomas Jefferson Digital Edition, ed. Barbara B. Oberg and J. Jefferson Looney. Charlottesville: University of Virginia Press, Rotunda, 2008, pp. 369. Online edition accessed 14 Aug 2012.
- ^ Jared Sparks, Life of Benjamin Franklin, Chapter VII: the Hutchinson correspondence
- ^ Whately Retrieved August 16 2007
External links
- Biography of Thomas Whately in the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
- Thomas Whately, The Regulations lately Made concerning the Colonies and the Taxes Imposed upon Them, Considered (London, 1765): Whately's observations on the Stamp Act: "this Mode of Taxation is the easiest, the most equal and the most certain that can be chosen; The Duty falls chiefly upon Property; but it is spread lightly over a great Variety of Subjects, and lies heavy upon none."
- Thomas Whately, Observations on Modern Gardening
- Thomas Whately, Remarks on Some of the Characters in Shakespeare (e-books text)
- Template:Worldcat id