Richard Blackmore
Sir Richard Blackmore, born in 1654, was a prominent English physician and writer known for his contributions to medicine and literature during the late 17th and early 18th centuries. After receiving his education from Westminster School and the University of Oxford, where he earned multiple degrees, he practiced medicine in London and became a notable figure in the medical community, even serving as physician to King William III and later Queen Anne. Blackmore's literary output included epic poems such as *Prince Arthur* and *Creation: A Philosophical Poem*, the latter of which became his most celebrated work, gaining recognition for its philosophical themes and moral advocacy. His writing often criticized the prevailing literary styles of his contemporaries, leading to public disputes that affected his reputation. Notably, he opposed initiatives aimed at providing free medication to the poor, which sparked significant controversy. Despite the challenges he faced, including mockery from peers like Alexander Pope, Blackmore's influence extended to the development of periodical journalism and the long poem genre in the 18th century. He passed away in 1729, leaving behind a complex legacy that intertwined his medical and literary endeavors.
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Richard Blackmore
Poet
- Born: January 22, 1654
- Birthplace: Corsham, Wiltshire, England
- Died: October 9, 1729
- Place of death: Boxted, Essex, England
Biography
Sir Richard Blackmore was born in 1654 to Robert Blackmore, an affluent attorney, and Anne Harris Blackmore. The third of four children, he attended a good country school and Westminster School. Blackmore also attended Oxford, earning a B.A in 1674 and an M.A. in 1676. He tutored at Oxford and worked as a schoolmaster, then traveled in Europe with a fellow Oxford student. He earned an M.D. from the University of Padua in 1684 and soon operated a successful medical practice in London. In 1685, he married Mary Adams, whose connections to a wealthy Whig family likely advanced his career.
A devout Anglican, Blackmore nonetheless thrived during the reign of King James II, who ruled England, Scotland, and Ireland from 1685 to 1688. Blackmore became a fellow of the Royal College of Physicians in 1687, and his staunch opposition to the dispensary project, a plan that would provide free medication to London’s poor, caused many heated disputes with his colleagues. In 1697, he was knighted and named physician to King William III and later Queen Anne. These positions guaranteed him housing and a salary of {pounds}200 per year. After Anne’s death in 1714, the Hanovers assumed the crown and Blackmore was no longer summoned to court. In 1716, he became censor of the Royal College of Physicians and served as elector until his resignation in 1722. He wrote several medical treatises between 1720 and 1727.
Blackmore was a prolific writer, and his output included the epic poems Prince Arthur (1695), King Arthur (1697), Eliza (1705), and Alfred (1723). In the preface to each work, he condemned the lewd and immoral writing of contemporary “wits” such as Jonathan Swift. Prince Arthur sold well and openly flattered King William III. Blackmore dedicated Alfred to Prince Frederick of Hanover, but the poem flopped with the court and the reading public. In 1699, Samuel Garth published The Dispensary, and the dispute over supplying drugs to London’s poor became a matter of public debate. The Dispensary characterized Blackmore as heartless and lampooned his writing ability. Blackmore responded with A Satyr Against Wit (1700), a satire that puts men of reason, such as doctors, up against men of questionable morals and integrity. Its publication sparked retaliatory responses from the wits that damaged Blackmore’s reputation. In 1727, Alexander Pope ridiculed Blackmore in Peri Bathous and further blackened his standing. Blackmore published Creation: A Philosophical Poem in 1712, and the poem, which refutes atheism and upholds the philosophy of John Locke, engendered fame for its author and became his most popular work. He died in 1729.
Blackmore penned epic poems as well as treatises on medicine and theology. He attempted to create a more moral society through his writing and traded barbs with the great writers of his time. Scholars credit him with fostering periodical journalism and, as author of Creation, originating the eighteenth century long poem.