French Laurence
Encyclopedia
French Laurence was an English jurist and man of letters, a close associate of Edmund Burke
whose literary executor
he became.
, Wiltshire
, and was born on 3 April 1757. Richard Laurence
was his younger brother. He was educated at Winchester School under Joseph Warton
, and at Corpus Christi College, Oxford
, of which he was scholar. He graduated B.A. on 17 December 1777, and proceeded M.A. on 21 June 1781. On leaving the university he took chambers at the Middle Temple
with the view of being called to the common-law bar, but eventually devoted himself to civil law
, and having taken the degree of D.C.L. at Oxford, 19 October 1787, was admitted to the College of Advocates on 3 November 1788.
Having made himself useful to Burke in preparing the preliminary case against Warren Hastings
, he was retained as counsel in 1788 by the managers of the impeachment, together with William Scott
, for colleague. He took no part in the proceedings in Westminster Hall beyond attending and watching their progress, but gave advice in chambers. His practice in ecclesiastical and admiralty courts thenceforward grew rapidly. He remained on intimate terms with Burke until his death, and was his literary executor.
In 1796 he was appointed, through the interest of the Duke of Portland
, regius professor of civil law at Oxford, in succession to Thomas Francis Wenman, and the same year, through the influence of Burke with Earl Fitzwilliam
, entered parliament as member for Peterborough
. His speeches in parliament heavy and simply followed Burke's line, except in matters of international law. In opposing the union with Ireland he insisted that Burke, had he lived, would have done so likewise. Laurence was a member of the committee appointed in 1806 to frame the articles of impeachment against Henry Dundas, 1st Viscount Melville
, the last such case. He was chancellor of the diocese of Oxford and a judge of the court of admiralty of the Cinque ports. He died suddenly on 26 February 1809, while on a visit to one of his brothers at Eltham, Kent
, and was buried in Eltham Church, where a marble tablet was placed to his memory. Laurence did not marry. His leisure time he spent in society—he was a member of the Eumelean Club—or in writing.
's candidature for Westminster in 1784, and contributed to the Rolliad
the advertisements and dedication, Criticisms iii. vi. vii. viii. xiii. and xiv. in the first part, vii. in the second part; Probationary Odes xvi. and xxi.; and the first of the Political Eclogues, viz. Rose, or the Complaint.
His letters to Burke were published and edited by his brother in The Epistolary Correspondence of the Right Hon. Edmund Burke and Dr. French Laurence, London, 1827. His Poetical Remains, published with those of his brother Richard (Dublin, 1872), include some odes, and a few sonnets and some translations from the Greek, Latin, and Italian. Laurence was also a frequent contributor to the Gentleman's Magazine. His dabblings in theology appeared as Critical Remarks on Detached Passages of the New Testament, particularly the Revelation of St. John, Oxford, 1810, edited by his brother.
Edmund Burke
Edmund Burke PC was an Irish statesman, author, orator, political theorist and philosopher who, after moving to England, served for many years in the House of Commons of Great Britain as a member of the Whig party....
whose literary executor
Literary executor
A literary executor is a person with decision-making power in respect of a literary estate. According to Wills, Administration and Taxation: a practical guide "A will may appoint different executors to deal with different parts of the estate...
he became.
Life
He was the eldest son of Richard Laurence, watchmaker, of Bath, Somerset by Elizabeth, daughter of John French, clothier, of WarminsterWarminster
Warminster is a town in western Wiltshire, England, by-passed by the A36, and near Frome and Westbury. It has a population of about 17,000. The River Were runs through the town and can be seen running through the middle of the town park. The Minster Church of St Denys sits on the River Were...
, Wiltshire
Wiltshire
Wiltshire is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. It contains the unitary authority of Swindon and covers...
, and was born on 3 April 1757. Richard Laurence
Richard Laurence
Richard Laurence was an English Hebraist and Anglican churchman. He was made Regius Professor of Hebrew and canon of Christ Church, Oxford, in 1814, and Archbishop of Cashel, Ireland, in 1822....
was his younger brother. He was educated at Winchester School under Joseph Warton
Joseph Warton
Joseph Warton was an English academic and literary critic.He was born in Dunsfold, Surrey, England, but his family soon moved to Hampshire, where his father, the Reverend Thomas Warton, became vicar of Basingstoke. There, a few years later, Joseph's younger brother, the more famous Thomas Warton,...
, and at Corpus Christi College, Oxford
Corpus Christi College, Oxford
Corpus Christi College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom...
, of which he was scholar. He graduated B.A. on 17 December 1777, and proceeded M.A. on 21 June 1781. On leaving the university he took chambers at the Middle Temple
Middle Temple
The Honourable Society of the Middle Temple, commonly known as Middle Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court exclusively entitled to call their members to the English Bar as barristers; the others being the Inner Temple, Gray's Inn and Lincoln's Inn...
with the view of being called to the common-law bar, but eventually devoted himself to civil law
Civil law (legal system)
Civil law is a legal system inspired by Roman law and whose primary feature is that laws are codified into collections, as compared to common law systems that gives great precedential weight to common law on the principle that it is unfair to treat similar facts differently on different...
, and having taken the degree of D.C.L. at Oxford, 19 October 1787, was admitted to the College of Advocates on 3 November 1788.
Having made himself useful to Burke in preparing the preliminary case against Warren Hastings
Impeachment of Warren Hastings
The Impeachment of Warren Hastings was a failed attempt to impeach the former Governor-General of India Warren Hastings in the Parliament of Great Britain between 1788 and 1795. Hastings was accused of misconduct during his time in Calcutta particularly relating to mismanagement and personal...
, he was retained as counsel in 1788 by the managers of the impeachment, together with William Scott
William Scott, 1st Baron Stowell
William Scott, 1st Baron Stowell was an English judge and jurist.-Background and education:Scott was born at Heworth, a village about four miles from Newcastle upon Tyne, the son of a coalfitter . His younger brother John Scott became Lord Chancellor and was made Earl of Eldon...
, for colleague. He took no part in the proceedings in Westminster Hall beyond attending and watching their progress, but gave advice in chambers. His practice in ecclesiastical and admiralty courts thenceforward grew rapidly. He remained on intimate terms with Burke until his death, and was his literary executor.
In 1796 he was appointed, through the interest of the Duke of Portland
William Cavendish-Bentinck, 3rd Duke of Portland
William Henry Cavendish-Bentinck, 3rd Duke of Portland, KG, PC was a British Whig and Tory statesman, Chancellor of the University of Oxford and Prime Minister. He was known before 1762 by the courtesy title Marquess of Titchfield. He held a title of every degree of British nobility—Duke,...
, regius professor of civil law at Oxford, in succession to Thomas Francis Wenman, and the same year, through the influence of Burke with Earl Fitzwilliam
William FitzWilliam, 4th Earl FitzWilliam
William Wentworth-Fitzwilliam, 4th Earl Fitzwilliam PC , styled Viscount Milton until 1756, was a British Whig statesman of the late 18th and early 19th centuries. In 1782 he inherited his uncle Charles Watson-Wentworth, 2nd Marquess of Rockingham's estates, making him one of the richest people in...
, entered parliament as member for Peterborough
Peterborough (UK Parliament constituency)
Peterborough is a borough constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, formally styled The Honourable the Commons of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland in Parliament assembled. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past...
. His speeches in parliament heavy and simply followed Burke's line, except in matters of international law. In opposing the union with Ireland he insisted that Burke, had he lived, would have done so likewise. Laurence was a member of the committee appointed in 1806 to frame the articles of impeachment against Henry Dundas, 1st Viscount Melville
Henry Dundas, 1st Viscount Melville
Henry Dundas, 1st Viscount Melville PC and Baron Dunira was a Scottish lawyer and politician. He was the first Secretary of State for War and the last person to be impeached in the United Kingdom....
, the last such case. He was chancellor of the diocese of Oxford and a judge of the court of admiralty of the Cinque ports. He died suddenly on 26 February 1809, while on a visit to one of his brothers at Eltham, Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
, and was buried in Eltham Church, where a marble tablet was placed to his memory. Laurence did not marry. His leisure time he spent in society—he was a member of the Eumelean Club—or in writing.
Works
While pursuing his legal studies he wrote political ballads in aid of Charles James FoxCharles James Fox
Charles James Fox PC , styled The Honourable from 1762, was a prominent British Whig statesman whose parliamentary career spanned thirty-eight years of the late 18th and early 19th centuries and who was particularly noted for being the arch-rival of William Pitt the Younger...
's candidature for Westminster in 1784, and contributed to the Rolliad
Rolliad
The Rolliad, in full Criticisms on the Rolliad, is a pioneering work of British satire directed principally at the administration of William Pitt the Younger...
the advertisements and dedication, Criticisms iii. vi. vii. viii. xiii. and xiv. in the first part, vii. in the second part; Probationary Odes xvi. and xxi.; and the first of the Political Eclogues, viz. Rose, or the Complaint.
His letters to Burke were published and edited by his brother in The Epistolary Correspondence of the Right Hon. Edmund Burke and Dr. French Laurence, London, 1827. His Poetical Remains, published with those of his brother Richard (Dublin, 1872), include some odes, and a few sonnets and some translations from the Greek, Latin, and Italian. Laurence was also a frequent contributor to the Gentleman's Magazine. His dabblings in theology appeared as Critical Remarks on Detached Passages of the New Testament, particularly the Revelation of St. John, Oxford, 1810, edited by his brother.