Martin F. Tupper
Martin Farquhar Tupper (1810-1889) was an English writer and poet best known for his influential work, "Proverbial Philosophy," published in 1838. Born in London, Tupper was raised in a well-educated family and received a comprehensive education, eventually attending notable institutions such as Charterhouse and Christ Church, Oxford. Although he initially pursued a career in law and was called to the bar in 1835, his true calling lay in writing. Tupper's literary contributions included not only philosophy and religious poetry, but also works addressing contemporary social issues, as seen in "A Batch of War Ballads."
His first published volume, "Sacra poesis," appeared in 1832, and he gained significant popularity in both England and the United States with "The Crock of Gold," a rural novel released in 1845. Tupper also had interests in science, inventing a type of fountain pen, and he was recognized for his achievements with a gold medal from Prussia in 1844 and election to the Royal Society in 1845. Despite his commercial success, Tupper's work often received mixed critical reception. He documented his life and career in his autobiography, "My Life as an Author," published in 1886. Tupper's legacy remains notable for his widespread influence on middle-class literature during his time.
On this Page
Subject Terms
Martin F. Tupper
Fiction and Nonfiction Writer, and Poet
- Born: July 17, 1810
- Birthplace: London, England
- Died: November 29, 1889
Biography
Martin Farquhar Tupper was born on July 17, 1810, in London, England. His father, Dr. Martin Tupper, was a physician; his mother, Ellin Devis Marris, was the daughter of the artist Robert Marris. Privately tutored at home in his youth by a teacher named Swallow, Tupper attended Egglesfield House at the age of seven. From 1818 until 1821, he attended Eagle House, and from 1821 until 1826 he attended Charterhouse, where he was a schoolmate of future novelist William Makepeace Thackeray. Tupper entered Christ Church, Oxford University, in 1828, where he remained until 1832. Because a speech impediment prevented him from entering the ministry, Tupper studied law at Lincoln’s Inn. He was called to the bar in 1835, and in 1847 he earned a doctorate in civil law from Oxford. In 1835, he married his cousin, Isabelle Devis, of Calcutta, India; they had eight children.
Tupper’s first volume, Sacra poesis, a collection of religious poetry, was published in 1832. His most famous work, Proverbial Philosophy: A Book of Thoughts and Arguments, Originally Treated, a collection of unrhymed verse essays, appeared in 1838. This popular book became a standard text in middle-class households in both England and the United States. His most popular book in the United States was his novel The Crock of Gold: A Rural Novel, published in 1845. In addition to religious and philosophical writing, Tupper also attended to contemporary social issues, as illustrated by A Batch of War Ballads, published in 1854. In addition, he dabbled in science, inventing a type of fountain pen. He published his autobiography, My Life as an Author, in 1886. He died on November 29, 1889.
Tupper earned a Prussian gold medal for distinction in science and art in 1844, and in 1845 was elected to the Royal Society. Although trained as a lawyer, Tupper earned his living as a writer. He is recognized for his phenomenal popular success, despite his lack of critical acclaim.