Charles Bucke
Charles Bucke was an English writer born in 1781, known for his dedication to literature despite a lack of widespread recognition or success. Coming from modest beginnings, his educational background included a solid foundation in classical studies, which he believed could compensate for a lack of prestigious lineage. Bucke's literary journey was marked by his role as a hack writer, where he took on various jobs to support his family. His first notable work, "The Philosophy of Nature," published anonymously in 1813, explored themes of beauty and the sublime in nature and later became known as "The Beauties, Harmonies and Sublimities of Nature" in its second edition. This work reflects the intersection of Romantic ideals and eighteenth-century natural theology. Despite his efforts to gain fame through other writings, including the play "The Italians," which only achieved moderate success due to production controversies, Bucke's literary contributions did not secure him the recognition he sought. He lived a quiet life until his death in 1846, leaving behind a legacy of striving for artistic achievement amidst personal challenges.
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Subject Terms
Charles Bucke
Writer
- Born: April 16, 1781
- Birthplace: Worlington, Suffolk, England
- Died: July 31, 1846
- Place of death: Pulteney Terrace, Islington, London, England
Biography
Charles Bucke was born in 1781 to parents of modest means. Little is known about his early life or education, but as later evidence shows, he received at least a solid education in the classics. Throughout his life, Bucke asserted that education and brains could substitute for the prestige of a family background. Bucke himself was a mediocre writer who stood on the outside of the Romantic literary cirles and dedicated his life to literature. Unable to achieve fame and fortune through his own artistic writing, Bucke was often employed as a hack writer for various publishers; he took these jobs in order to prevent himself and his family from starving.
Bucke published his first artistic work, The Philosophy of Nature, anonymously in 1813. This book was a compilation of anecdotes and articles describing the sublime and beautiful of various natural phenomena such as oceans, stars, and seasons. The topic of the sublime in nature fascinated Bucke throughout the rest of his life and he was continuously revising The Philosophy of Nature. He retitled it The Beauties, Harmonies and Sublimities of Nature for its second edition and with his name on it, identifying himself as the author. While there are few original thoughts inThe Beauties, Harmonies and Sublimities of Nature, it is important because it shows the link between the Romantic conception of nature and the natural theology of the eighteenth century.
Throughout his life, Bucke tried in vain to gain fame and literary success with works like Amusements in Retirement: Or, the Influence of Science, Literature, and the Literal Arts on the Manners and Happiness of Private Life and his play,The Italians. The Italians was moderately successful because of the controversies between Bucke and Edmund Kean, the head of production and the actor playing the main character, about delays in producing the play. The value of The Italians lies mostly in Bucke’s preface and the letters exchanged with Kean and the Drury Lane committee because they give insight to the workings of the theater during this time period. Throughout his life, Bucke tried desperately to produce works that would provide him with the fame and fortune he desired, but remained unsuccessful. He lived a quiet life with his family and died in 1846 at the age of sixty-five.