1 life , career
1.1 success
1.2 publications , works
1.3 alcoholism , death
life , career
kenrick born @ watford, hertfordshire, son of stay-maker. apparently obtained doctorate @ leiden university (although other sources maintain went scottish university) , appeared first time pamphletist in 1751 wrote, under name of ontologos , grand question debated; or essay prove soul of man not, neither can immortal. in typical fashion, kenrick forthwith provided answer question proving reverse, tactic used in order publicize productions.
one of first targets vulnerable christopher smart poem night piece attacked in london monthly journal kapelion; or poetical ordinary, consisting of great variety of dishes in prose , verse, recommended have taste or keen appetite in 1750 under nom de plume whimsey banter.
in 1752 kenrick publicly mocked henry fielding , tobias smollett in entertainment fun: parodi-tragi-comical satire, parody of macbeth in weird sisters circle cauldron, throwing in contemporary novels, periodicals , pamphlets. play banned lord mayor have been perform’d @ castle-tavern, pater-noster-row, on thursday, february 13, 1752, suppressed, special order lord-mayor , court of aldermen. (see paper war of 1752-1753).
james boswell records meeting kenrick on friday, 3 april 1772:
in evening came company of literati invited me: dr. jeffries, dr. gilbert stuart, mr. leeson, , kenrick, dr. kenrick, once wrote 18d. pamphlet against me, principally against mr. johnson, though entitled letter james boswell, esq. kenrick quite different man expected see. epistles, philosophical , moral promised seriousness or rather profound gravity; , many of other writings promised acrimony high degree. found him bluff, hearty little man, full of spirits , cheerfulness. said devotion not natural; say, devotion of heart; fear made people use ceremonies did not inspire true devotion. said had pronouncing dictionary ready, hoped fix standard, varieties of pronunciation among people in genteel life few. said taught man aberdeen speak english in 6 weeks. said great difficulty him speak @ all. told him, sir, don t speak @ all. sing.
success
kenrick s successful work, reprinted in on 20 editions, courtesy book published in 1753 under title whole duty of woman; or, guide female sex, age of sixteen sixty, &c., author listed lady. kenrick here assumed persona of fallen woman, reformed, wants persuade other women live life of virtue. irony of kenrick s presuming improve moral tone of feminine england has not gone unnoticed: has been described 1 of london s despised, drunken, , morally degenerate hack writers in later eighteenth century.
in 1758 appeared versified epistles, philosophical , moral, avowed defence of infidelity afford best specimens of poetry.
in november 1759, kenrick (the superlative scoundrel ) succeeded oliver goldsmith editor of monthly review. signalled advent writing outrageous attack upon goldsmith s enquiry present state of polite learning in europe . vilification unjustified ralph griffiths (the publisher) made indirect apology successor favourable though brief review (in june, 1762) of citizen of world .
publications , works
the title page of kenrick s falstaff s wedding
kenrick published translation of jean-jacques rousseau s julie, ou la nouvelle héloïse in 1761. in spite of fact substituted throughout name of eloisa of julie (a matter of no importance reader, wrote), work success , enjoyed 6 reprintings 1776.
in 1765 kenrick published review of dr johnson s new edition of shakspeare: in ignorance, or inattention, of editor exposed, , poet defended persecution of commentators.
james boswell reported that:
johnson virulently attacked mr. william kenrick, obtained degree of ll.d. scotch university, , wrote booksellers in great variety of branches. though not without considerable merit, wrote little regard decency , principles, , decorum, , in hasty manner, reputation neither extensive nor lasting. remember 1 evening, when of works mentioned, dr. goldsmith said, had never heard of them; upon dr. johnson observed, sir, 1 of many have made publick, without making known. .
falstaff s wedding, comic sequel henry iv, part 2, written in imitation of shakespeare, published in 1760. heavily rewritten version of play staged single performance in 1766, , revived infrequently. rewritten version published in same year.
the widowed wife (1767) better received: staged 14 nights , resumed next season.
in 1770 , 1771 kenrick published 2 pieces on perpetual motion: account of automaton, or perpetual motion of orffyreus , lecture on perpetual motion.
kenrick complained:
1 species of our predecessor s merit, however, presume myself @ least entitled to, of perseverance; being fifteen years since first engaged in undertaking, have since pursued unremitted assiduity, , not @ considerable waste of time , expense, under constant mortification of hearing equally ridiculed know, , not know, of matter.
in 1772, published love in suds, town eclogue: being lamentation of roscius loss of nyky, direct , scurrilous attack on david garrick, making explicit charges of homosexuality isaac bickerstaffe against great actor. garrick took legal action against kenrick forced publish ambivalent apology.
in 1773 published a new dictionary of english language, first indicate pronunciation diacritical marks , divide words according syllables. in same year, on 20 november 1773 comedy duellist launched @ covent garden, lasted 1 night.
in 1775 kenrick founded book review digest london review of english , foreign literature ran 1775 1780, monthly review of 80 pages attacked of contemporary writers , works, , gave habitual bad reviews covent garden , drury lane theatres. magazine continued year after death son william shakespeare kenrick.
1778 saw production of 2 more kenrick plays: lady of manor, comic opera music james hook, successful of kenrick s such works; , spendthrift; or, christmas gambol, farce based on charles johnson s country lasses taken off after 2 nights.
from 1778-1779 directed translation of voltaire s works in 8 volumes.
alcoholism , death
according general biographical dictionary of 1815 in kenrick s later years drank heavily, habit caused relatively death:
in latter days, constitution injured inebriety, wrote bottle of brandy elbow, @ length terminated career june 10, 1779, less lamented perhaps person known in literary world, yet possessed of talents which, under steady , virtuous direction, might have procured him honourable place among authors of time.
indeed, kenrick wrote revealingly of himself drank spirits (aqua vitae), pen acid (aqua fortis):
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