John Hawkins (author)
Encyclopedia
Sir John Hawkins was an English
author and friend of Dr Samuel Johnson
and Horace Walpole. He was part of Johnson's various clubs but later left The Literary Club after a disagreement with some of Johnson's other friends. His friendship with Johnson continued and he was made one of the executors of Johnson's will. He married the heiress Sidney Storer and was the father of the novelist Laetitia Hawkins.
During his life, he wrote many works, including A General History of the Science and Practice of Music and his Life of Samuel Johnson
in memory of his friend. He was appointed as a magistrate and later became Chairman of the Quarter Session
for Middlesex
. He was knighted in 1772 for his services.
, near Horace Walpole, where Hawkins published an edition of Walton's The Complete Angler; Or, Contemplative Man's Recreation: Being a Discourse On Rivers, Fish-Ponds, Fish, and Fishing. In 1763, he published a document on the state of the Highways which has been considered to be the basis for the Highway Act 1835. Following the commission of the peace in 1771 he acted as a magistrate for the county of Middlesex. Hawkins was knighted in 1772, and served as Chairman of the Middlesex
Quarter Session
.. In 1773, he provided the notes for a new Shakespeare edition.
It took Hawkins 16 years to write A General History of the Science and Practice of Music which was published in 1776
. Although this publication was somewhat respected, it soon was overshadowed, with the help of the likes such as Dr Callcott who composed a mockery song against Hawkins , by Charles Burney's
General History of Music (1776–89). However, in years to come Hawkins's music history was considered to be superior to Burney's music history (compare the 1875 edition of Hawkins's work). Particularly, Burney's discourse on Handel and Bach was viewed as being inadequate .
Within hours of Johnson's death, Thomas Cadell
and William Strahan
asked Hawkins to write a biography and an edition of works for Johnson. He soon produced the first full-length biography of Johnson, the Life of Samuel Johnson
(1787). This has been largely eclipsed, except for specialists, by the far longer and more colourful work (with the same title) published by James Boswell
four years later. But Hawkins had known Johnson about twice as long as Boswell, since the 1740s, and his work, from which Boswell freely pillaged, covers some aspects of Johnson much better. Hawkins was more attuned to Johnson's strongly religious nature, and was with Johnson when he died, unlike Boswell who had been in Scotland for some months.
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...
author and friend of Dr 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...
and Horace Walpole. He was part of Johnson's various clubs but later left The Literary Club after a disagreement with some of Johnson's other friends. His friendship with Johnson continued and he was made one of the executors of Johnson's will. He married the heiress Sidney Storer and was the father of the novelist Laetitia Hawkins.
During his life, he wrote many works, including A General History of the Science and Practice of Music and his Life of Samuel Johnson
Life of Samuel Johnson (1787)
The Life of Samuel Johnson or Life of Samuel Johnson, LL. D. was written by John Hawkins in 1787. It was the first full biography of Samuel Johnson with Thomas Tyers's A Biographical Sketch of Dr Samuel Johnson being the first short postmortem biography. Hawkins was friends with Johnson, but many...
in memory of his friend. He was appointed as a magistrate and later became Chairman of the Quarter Session
Quarter Sessions
The Courts of Quarter Sessions or Quarter Sessions were local courts traditionally held at four set times each year in the United Kingdom and other countries in the former British Empire...
for Middlesex
Middlesex
Middlesex is one of the historic counties of England and the second smallest by area. The low-lying county contained the wealthy and politically independent City of London on its southern boundary and was dominated by it from a very early time...
. He was knighted in 1772 for his services.
Biography
Hawkins first was brought up to follow in the footsteps of his father to become an architect. However, before the age of 30 he established a successful business as a solicitor. He married Sidney Storer in 1753 and retired from all professional vocations in 1759 after his wife had received a large inheritance due to the death of her brother. In 1760 the family moved to TwickenhamTwickenham
Twickenham is a large suburban town southwest of central London. It is the administrative headquarters of the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames and one of the locally important district centres identified in the London Plan...
, near Horace Walpole, where Hawkins published an edition of Walton's The Complete Angler; Or, Contemplative Man's Recreation: Being a Discourse On Rivers, Fish-Ponds, Fish, and Fishing. In 1763, he published a document on the state of the Highways which has been considered to be the basis for the Highway Act 1835. Following the commission of the peace in 1771 he acted as a magistrate for the county of Middlesex. Hawkins was knighted in 1772, and served as Chairman of the Middlesex
Middlesex
Middlesex is one of the historic counties of England and the second smallest by area. The low-lying county contained the wealthy and politically independent City of London on its southern boundary and was dominated by it from a very early time...
Quarter Session
Quarter Sessions
The Courts of Quarter Sessions or Quarter Sessions were local courts traditionally held at four set times each year in the United Kingdom and other countries in the former British Empire...
.. In 1773, he provided the notes for a new Shakespeare edition.
It took Hawkins 16 years to write A General History of the Science and Practice of Music which was published in 1776
1776 in music
-Events:*Charles Burney publishes his History of Music*Bolshoi Theatre hosts its first annual opera season*Court Theatre in Stockholm built by King Gustav III of Sweden*Giovanni Paisiello is invited to the court of Catherine the Great-Popular music:...
. Although this publication was somewhat respected, it soon was overshadowed, with the help of the likes such as Dr Callcott who composed a mockery song against Hawkins , by Charles Burney's
Charles Burney
Charles Burney FRS was an English music historian and father of authors Frances Burney and Sarah Burney.-Life and career:...
General History of Music (1776–89). However, in years to come Hawkins's music history was considered to be superior to Burney's music history (compare the 1875 edition of Hawkins's work). Particularly, Burney's discourse on Handel and Bach was viewed as being inadequate .
Within hours of Johnson's death, Thomas Cadell
Thomas Cadell (publisher)
Thomas Cadell was a successful 18th-century English bookseller, who published works by some of the most famous writers of the century....
and William Strahan
William Strahan
William Strahan was a Scottish printer and publisher, and a Member of Parliament.Born in Edinburgh as William Strachan, and educated at the Royal High School, Strahan was originally apprenticed to an Edinburgh printer but became a Master Printer in London...
asked Hawkins to write a biography and an edition of works for Johnson. He soon produced the first full-length biography of Johnson, the Life of Samuel Johnson
Life of Samuel Johnson (1787)
The Life of Samuel Johnson or Life of Samuel Johnson, LL. D. was written by John Hawkins in 1787. It was the first full biography of Samuel Johnson with Thomas Tyers's A Biographical Sketch of Dr Samuel Johnson being the first short postmortem biography. Hawkins was friends with Johnson, but many...
(1787). This has been largely eclipsed, except for specialists, by the far longer and more colourful work (with the same title) published by James Boswell
James Boswell
James Boswell, 9th Laird of Auchinleck was a lawyer, diarist, and author born in Edinburgh, Scotland; he is best known for the biography he wrote of one of his contemporaries, the English literary figure Samuel Johnson....
four years later. But Hawkins had known Johnson about twice as long as Boswell, since the 1740s, and his work, from which Boswell freely pillaged, covers some aspects of Johnson much better. Hawkins was more attuned to Johnson's strongly religious nature, and was with Johnson when he died, unlike Boswell who had been in Scotland for some months.
Further reading
- Percy A. ScholesPercy ScholesPercy Alfred Scholes was an English musician, journalist and prolific writer, whose best-known achievement was his compilation of the first edition of The Oxford Companion to Music...
- "The Life and Activities of Sir John Hawkins: Musician, Magistrate and Friend of Johnson", Journal of the American Musicological Society, Vol. 7, No. 1 (1954)