John Wolcot
John Wolcot was a notable English physician and poet, born in Dodbrooke, Devonshire, on May 9, 1738. After his father's death in 1751, he lived with relatives and pursued education in medicine, ultimately earning his medical degree from the University of Aberdeen in 1767. Wolcot's career began with a position as physician-general to the cavalry and infantry in Jamaica, where he also started writing poetry. His first published work, "Persian Love Elegies," appeared in 1773, marking the beginning of his literary journey.
Under the pseudonym "Peter Pindar," Wolcot gained acclaim for his satirical verses, targeting various figures of his time, including King George III and prominent literary personalities. His popularity peaked in the mid-1780s, and he later engaged in political writing influenced by the French Revolution. However, a public altercation with fellow poet William Gifford and declining eyesight in his later years affected his literary output. Wolcot passed away on January 14, 1819, leaving behind a legacy as a prominent verse caricaturist who significantly influenced public perception of royalty and the art of satire.
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John Wolcot
Satirist
- Born: May 9, 1738
- Birthplace: Dodbrooke, Devonshire, England
- Died: January 14, 1819
Biography
John Wolcot was born to Alexander and Mary Ryder Wolcot in Dodbrooke, Devonshire, England. He was baptized on May 9, 1738. He attended Kingsbridge Grammar School until his father died in 1751, at which point he went to live with his uncle and two aunts. He attended school at Liskeard and Bodmin before becoming apprenticed to his uncle, who was a surgeon-apothecary. After completing his apprenticeship in 1761, Wolcot studied medicine in London for two years and ultimately earned his medical degree from the University of Aberdeen on September 8, 1767. Following a brief trip to Jamaica in search of a job, he returned to England, was ordained a priest on June 24, 1769, and then traveled back to Jamaica where he was employed by the governor of Jamaica, Sir William Trelawney, as physician-general to the cavalry and infantry.
Wolcot began writing poetry during this time, publishing his first volume, Persian Love Elegies: To Which Is Added “The Nymph of Tauris” in 1773. After Trelawney’s death, Wolcot returned to England. There, while continuing to write and publish volumes of verse, he determined to “market” a young artist, John Opie, as a completely untutored, natural genius at portraiture, and was very successful in his efforts. The result of Wolcot’s increasing knowledge of the English art market is thought to have influenced his creation of “Peter Pindar,” the pseudonym under which he became famous. Starting with a critique of the Royal Academy exhibition in 1782 that gained little more attention than his earlier literary endeavors, Wolcot improved on the subject matter and style of the odes found there and rapidly gained popularity. Although his targets were many, including authors, scientists, and politicians, his most successful were King George III, the Royal Academy, and James Boswell. By 1785, Pindar was at the height of his popularity.
Continuing to write and publish, Wolcot next turned his attention during the 1790’s to political writing, inspired by the French Revolution. However, a fight on August 18, 1800, with fellow poet William Gifford, whom Wolcot believed responsible for criticizing him in the Anti-Jacobin Magazine and Review, marked a turning point not only in the public’s estimation of Wolcot but also in his ability to produce the clever, biting satire for which he had been popular. Further, during the early 1800’s, he began to lose his eyesight; by 1811 he was nearly blind. His last poem, published before his death on January 14, 1819, was A Most Solemn Epistle to the Emperor of China (1817).
A prolific writer with an eye ever on the literary market, John Wolcot has achieved a reputation as an exceptional verse caricaturist who not only recorded and represented his time but also contributed to the transformation of the public’s view of royalty as well as to the transformation of satire.