James Harris (grammarian)
Encyclopedia
James Harris, FRS was an English
politician and grammar
ian.
at Salisbury, and at Wadham College, Oxford
. On leaving the university he was entered at Lincoln's Inn
as a student of law, though not intended for the bar. The death of his father in 1733 placed him in possession of an independent fortune and of the house in Salisbury's Cathedral Close.
On his mother's side, Harris was the nephew of the 3rd Earl of Shaftesbury (1671–1713), the philosopher and famous author of Characteristicks of Men, Manners, Opinions, Times (1711). Many influences of the uncle are to be found in the philosophical works of the nephew.
He became a county magistrate, and was Member of Parliament for Christchurch
from 1761 until his death, and was Comptroller to the Queen from 1774 to 1780. He held political office under George Grenville
, retiring with him in 1765. The decided bent of his mind had always been towards the Greek and Latin
classics; and to the study of these, especially of Aristotle
, he applied himself with unremitting assiduity during a period of fourteen or fifteen years.
He published in 1744 Three Treatises—on art; on music, painting and poetry; and on happiness. In 1751 appeared the work by which he became best known, Hermes, a philosophical inquiry concerning universal grammar. He also published Philosophical Arrangements and Philological Inquiries. Harris was a great lover of music and a friend of Handel
and directed concerts and music festivals at Salisbury
for nearly fifty years. He adapted the words for a selection from Italian and German composers (subsequently published by the cathedral organist, James Corfe) and wrote a number of Pastorals (pastiches of various - mostly Italian - works), one of which was produced by David Garrick
at Drury Lane
under the title The Spring.
Harris was a correspondent of fellow classicist Lord Monboddo, who disclosed in a 1772 letter to Harris the possible first glimmerings of pre-evolution
ary thought.
Samuel Johnson
found Harris uncongenial, saying he was "a sound, solid scholar," but "a prig" and "a coxcomb" who "did not understand his own system" (in Hermes). Not so the music historian Charles Burney
, who esteemed him highly as a writer on music. Harris, his wife and daughter attended a high-powered domestic concert at Burney's house in May 1775, of which a vivid description by the 22-year-old Frances (Fanny) Burney survives: "I had the satisfaction to sit next to Mr. Harris, who is very chearful (sic) and communicative, and his conversation instructive and agreeable." His daughter Louisa ("a modest, reserved, and sensible girl") was asked to sing, and Harris accompanied her.
Harris married Elizabeth, daughter of John Clarke of Sandford, Somerset, in 1745. Harris's works were collected and published in 1801, by his son, the first earl of Malmesbury
, who prefixed a brief biography. His papers are held by the Hampshire Record Office. The informative and graphic letters from his mother over the 1763-80 period have also survived. He was buried in the north aisle of Salisbury Cathedral, Wiltshire
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
politician and grammar
Grammar
In linguistics, grammar is the set of structural rules that govern the composition of clauses, phrases, and words in any given natural language. The term refers also to the study of such rules, and this field includes morphology, syntax, and phonology, often complemented by phonetics, semantics,...
ian.
Life and works
He was born at Salisbury and educated at the grammar school in the CloseSalisbury Cathedral School
Salisbury Cathedral School is a school located in Salisbury, Wiltshire, England. It was founded in 1091 by Saint Osmund at Old Sarum . It was moved 150 years later to the newly built Salisbury Cathedral. In 1947 it was relocated to the former Bishop's Palace in the grounds of the cathedral. The...
at Salisbury, and at Wadham College, Oxford
Wadham College, Oxford
Wadham College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom, located at the southern end of Parks Road in central Oxford. It was founded by Nicholas and Dorothy Wadham, wealthy Somerset landowners, during the reign of King James I...
. On leaving the university he was entered at Lincoln's Inn
Lincoln's Inn
The Honourable Society of Lincoln's Inn is one of four Inns of Court in London to which barristers of England and Wales belong and where they are called to the Bar. The other three are Middle Temple, Inner Temple and Gray's Inn. Although Lincoln's Inn is able to trace its official records beyond...
as a student of law, though not intended for the bar. The death of his father in 1733 placed him in possession of an independent fortune and of the house in Salisbury's Cathedral Close.
On his mother's side, Harris was the nephew of the 3rd Earl of Shaftesbury (1671–1713), the philosopher and famous author of Characteristicks of Men, Manners, Opinions, Times (1711). Many influences of the uncle are to be found in the philosophical works of the nephew.
He became a county magistrate, and was Member of Parliament for Christchurch
Christchurch (UK Parliament constituency)
Christchurch is a parliamentary constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Centred on the town of Christchurch in Dorset, it elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election....
from 1761 until his death, and was Comptroller to the Queen from 1774 to 1780. He held political office under George Grenville
George Grenville
George Grenville was a British Whig statesman who rose to the position of Prime Minister of Great Britain. Grenville was born into an influential political family and first entered Parliament in 1741 as an MP for Buckingham...
, retiring with him in 1765. The decided bent of his mind had always been towards the Greek and Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
classics; and to the study of these, especially of Aristotle
Aristotle
Aristotle was a Greek philosopher and polymath, a student of Plato and teacher of Alexander the Great. His writings cover many subjects, including physics, metaphysics, poetry, theater, music, logic, rhetoric, linguistics, politics, government, ethics, biology, and zoology...
, he applied himself with unremitting assiduity during a period of fourteen or fifteen years.
He published in 1744 Three Treatises—on art; on music, painting and poetry; and on happiness. In 1751 appeared the work by which he became best known, Hermes, a philosophical inquiry concerning universal grammar. He also published Philosophical Arrangements and Philological Inquiries. Harris was a great lover of music and a friend of Handel
HANDEL
HANDEL was the code-name for the UK's National Attack Warning System in the Cold War. It consisted of a small console consisting of two microphones, lights and gauges. The reason behind this was to provide a back-up if anything failed....
and directed concerts and music festivals at Salisbury
Salisbury
Salisbury is a cathedral city in Wiltshire, England and the only city in the county. It is the second largest settlement in the county...
for nearly fifty years. He adapted the words for a selection from Italian and German composers (subsequently published by the cathedral organist, James Corfe) and wrote a number of Pastorals (pastiches of various - mostly Italian - works), one of which was produced by David Garrick
David Garrick
David Garrick was an English actor, playwright, theatre manager and producer who influenced nearly all aspects of theatrical practice throughout the 18th century and was a pupil and friend of Dr Samuel Johnson...
at Drury Lane
Drury Lane
Drury Lane is a street on the eastern boundary of the Covent Garden area of London, running between Aldwych and High Holborn. The northern part is in the borough of Camden and the southern part in the City of Westminster....
under the title The Spring.
Harris was a correspondent of fellow classicist Lord Monboddo, who disclosed in a 1772 letter to Harris the possible first glimmerings of pre-evolution
Evolution
Evolution is any change across successive generations in the heritable characteristics of biological populations. Evolutionary processes give rise to diversity at every level of biological organisation, including species, individual organisms and molecules such as DNA and proteins.Life on Earth...
ary thought.
Samuel Johnson
Samuel Johnson
Samuel Johnson , often referred to as Dr. Johnson, was an English author who made lasting contributions to English literature as a poet, essayist, moralist, literary critic, biographer, editor and lexicographer...
found Harris uncongenial, saying he was "a sound, solid scholar," but "a prig" and "a coxcomb" who "did not understand his own system" (in Hermes). Not so the music historian Charles Burney
Charles Burney
Charles Burney FRS was an English music historian and father of authors Frances Burney and Sarah Burney.-Life and career:...
, who esteemed him highly as a writer on music. Harris, his wife and daughter attended a high-powered domestic concert at Burney's house in May 1775, of which a vivid description by the 22-year-old Frances (Fanny) Burney survives: "I had the satisfaction to sit next to Mr. Harris, who is very chearful (sic) and communicative, and his conversation instructive and agreeable." His daughter Louisa ("a modest, reserved, and sensible girl") was asked to sing, and Harris accompanied her.
Harris married Elizabeth, daughter of John Clarke of Sandford, Somerset, in 1745. Harris's works were collected and published in 1801, by his son, the first earl of Malmesbury
James Harris, 1st Earl of Malmesbury
James Harris, 1st Earl of Malmesbury GCB was an English diplomatist.-Early life :...
, who prefixed a brief biography. His papers are held by the Hampshire Record Office. The informative and graphic letters from his mother over the 1763-80 period have also survived. He was buried in the north aisle of Salisbury Cathedral, Wiltshire
Sources
- The Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (includes photo)
Further reading
- Music and Theatre in Handel's World: The Family Papers of James Harris 1732-1780, by Donald BurrowsDonald Burrows (musicologist)Donald James Burrows is Professor of Music at the Open University, and a leading scholar of the music of George Frideric Handel.He read History and Music at Trinity Hall, Cambridge ....
and Rosemary Dunhill, Oxford University PressOxford University PressOxford University Press is the largest university press in the world. It is a department of the University of Oxford and is governed by a group of 15 academics appointed by the Vice-Chancellor known as the Delegates of the Press. They are headed by the Secretary to the Delegates, who serves as...
, USA (March 29, 2002) - The Sociable Humanist: The Life and Works of James Harris, 1709-1780, by Clive T. Probyn. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1991.
- The Works of James Harris, Esq. (2 vols.). London: F. Wingrave, 1801 (facsimile edition, Bristol: Thoemmes Press, 2003).