The Poetical Works of Richard Savage

Professor Tracy, the recognised expert on Savage, examines the life and works of this undervalued poet.

Clarence Tracy (Edited by)

9780521135641, Cambridge University Press

Paperback / softback, published 4 March 2010

292 pages
21.6 x 14 x 1.7 cm, 0.37 kg

Richard Savage was a minor eighteenth-century poet, known chiefly today for his associations with Pope and Johnson, whose Life of Savage is a masterpiece. But his poetry is not merely valuable for the light it throws on Johnson and the tastes of the first half of the eighteenth century. It gives a clear picture of Savage's own somewhat sensational character and career, and is far more readable in its own right than has been suggested in the past. It epitomizes all the varying poetical styles of the time, but is much more personal and autobiographical than most Augustan verse. This definitive edition of Savage's poetry was the first to appear since the beginning of the nineteenth century, and earlier editions were neither complete nor reliable. Professor Tracy is the recognized expert on Savage and in his introduction he gives a clear account of Savage's reputation during his lifetime, and suggests why he should be given more recognition.

Acknowledgments
Abbreviations
Introduction
The Poems: 1. Jacobite Poems
2. The Convocation
3. A Poem on the Memory of Mr Keene
4. An Epistle to Mrs Oldfield
5. To Mrs Eliz. Haywood
6. An Apology to Brillante
7. To the Right Honourable Bessy Countess of Rochford
8. Versus sent to Aaron Hill, Esq
9. Prologue to King Henry the VIth
10. To Mrs Eliza Haywood
11. To Mr Herbert Tryst
12. To a Young Gentleman, a Painter
13. The Picture
14. The Friend [First Version]
15. Verses on Gideon
16. To the Excellent Miranda
17. A Poem on the Recovery of her Grace the Dutchess of Rutland from the Small-Pox
18. The Authors of the Town
19. The Animalcule
20. Unconstant
21. The Gentleman
22. A Poem sacred to King George
23. The Bastard
24. Fulvia
25. A Grace after Dinner
26. The Wanderer
27. Epitaph on a Young Lady
28. The Triumph of Health and Mirth
29. A Poem to the Memory of Mrs Oldfield
30. Volunteer Laureat, No. 1
31. Religion and Liberty
32. Volunteer Laureat, No. 2
33. Epigram on John Dennis
34. [Volunteer Laureat, No. 3]
35. The Genius of Liberty
36. Verses on the Vice-principal of St Mary Hall
37. Character of the Rev. James Foster
38. The Progress of a Divine
39. Volunteer Laureat, No. 4
40. Volunteer Laureat, No. 5
41. To Miss M. H.
42. An Epistle to Damon and Delia
43. A Poet's Dependance on a Statesman
44. The Friend [Second Version]
45. Volunteer Laureat, No. 6
46. Of Public Spirit in Regard to Public Works
47. Volunteer Laureat, No. 7
48. E Græco Ruf.
49. On False Historians
50. A Character
51. Epitaph on Mrs Jones
52. The Employment of Beauty
53. Verses sent to Mrs Bridget Jones
54. Valentine's Day
55. To John Powell, Esq
56. London and Bristol Delineated
Appendix: Dedication and preface to miscellaneous poems and translations
Index.

Subject Areas: Literary studies: general [DSB]