John Scott of Amwell
Encyclopedia
John Scott known as Scott of Amwell, was a poet and writer on the alleviation of poverty.
He was a wealthy Quaker
who lived at Amwell
near Ware in Hertfordshire
, England
. He is now remembered mainly for his shell grotto
, which was restored by the Ware Society in 1991 and is now open to the public, and for his pastoral
verse – his Poetical Works were published in 1782
. The grotto and the man were both admired by Samuel Johnson
, who intended to write his life but died before he could do so. The biography was then done by John Hoole
, another of Johnson's circle and a translator and dramatist. Scott was a friend of David Barclay and one of William Blake
's patrons.
In his time he was celebrated as an expert on the turnpike roads
and a critic of the Poor Law
. He was an active member of three Hertfordshire turnpike trusts and his Digests of the General Highway and Turnpike Laws (1778) was praised by Sidney and Beatrice Webb
who called him "the ablest Turnpike Trustee of his time". The Webbs also admired his Observations on the Present State of the Parochial and Vagrant Poor (1773). Despite their friendship, Scott took issue with Dr. Johnson on the rights of the American colonies and his Lives of the Poets.
The ode is sometimes referred to as a Retort on Mordaunt's "The Call" but there is no evidence that Scott knew of Thomas Osbert Mordaunt
or his poem. The second verse of the poem adorns the display panel in the [English] Civil War at Pendennis Castle
Museum, Falmouth, Cornwall
, UK.
In the finale of the first season of the television series Tour of Duty
, the character Roger Horn temporarily deserts his platoon and is heard reciting the first verse of John Scott's strongly pacifist Ode Against Recruiting - "I hate that Drum's discordant sound ..."
He was a wealthy Quaker
Religious Society of Friends
The Religious Society of Friends, or Friends Church, is a Christian movement which stresses the doctrine of the priesthood of all believers. Members are known as Friends, or popularly as Quakers. It is made of independent organisations, which have split from one another due to doctrinal differences...
who lived at Amwell
Amwell, Hertfordshire
Amwell , is a village in the county of Hertfordshire, England, located 1½ miles from Ware, and about 20 miles north of London. Great Amwell is also the name of the civil parish within East Hertfordshire district....
near Ware in Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England. The county town is Hertford.The county is one of the Home Counties and lies inland, bordered by Greater London , Buckinghamshire , Bedfordshire , Cambridgeshire and...
, England
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...
. He is now remembered mainly for his shell grotto
Scott's Grotto
Scott's Grotto, is a grotto in Ware, Hertfordshire built for John Scott, an 18th Century poet who owned Amwell House from 1768. The grotto, the largest in the United Kingdom, is a series of chambers extending over 65ft into the chalk hillside. The chambers are decorated with shells, stones such...
, which was restored by the Ware Society in 1991 and is now open to the public, and for his pastoral
Pastoral
The adjective pastoral refers to the lifestyle of pastoralists, such as shepherds herding livestock around open areas of land according to seasons and the changing availability of water and pasturage. It also refers to a genre in literature, art or music that depicts such shepherd life in an...
verse – his Poetical Works were published in 1782
1782 in poetry
Nationality words link to articles with information on the nation's poetry or literature .-United Kingdom:*William Cowper...
. The grotto and the man were both admired by 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...
, who intended to write his life but died before he could do so. The biography was then done by John Hoole
John Hoole
John Hoole was an English translator, the son of watch-maker and inventor, Samuel Hoole and Sarah Drury. He was born in London, and worked in India House , of which he rose to be principal auditor...
, another of Johnson's circle and a translator and dramatist. Scott was a friend of David Barclay and one of William Blake
William Blake
William Blake was an English poet, painter, and printmaker. Largely unrecognised during his lifetime, Blake is now considered a seminal figure in the history of both the poetry and visual arts of the Romantic Age...
's patrons.
In his time he was celebrated as an expert on the turnpike roads
Toll road
A toll road is a privately or publicly built road for which a driver pays a toll for use. Structures for which tolls are charged include toll bridges and toll tunnels. Non-toll roads are financed using other sources of revenue, most typically fuel tax or general tax funds...
and a critic of the Poor Law
Poor Law
The English Poor Laws were a system of poor relief which existed in England and Wales that developed out of late-medieval and Tudor-era laws before being codified in 1587–98...
. He was an active member of three Hertfordshire turnpike trusts and his Digests of the General Highway and Turnpike Laws (1778) was praised by Sidney and Beatrice Webb
Beatrice Webb
Martha Beatrice Webb, Lady Passfield was an English sociologist, economist, socialist and social reformer. Although her husband became Baron Passfield in 1929, she refused to be known as Lady Passfield...
who called him "the ablest Turnpike Trustee of his time". The Webbs also admired his Observations on the Present State of the Parochial and Vagrant Poor (1773). Despite their friendship, Scott took issue with Dr. Johnson on the rights of the American colonies and his Lives of the Poets.
The Miseries Of War
-
- I hate that drum's discordant sound,
- Parading round, and round, and round:
- To thoughtless youth it pleasure yields,
- And lures from cities and from fields,
- To sell their liberty for charms
- Of tawdry lace, and glittering arms;
- And when Ambition's voice commands,
- To march, and fight, and fall, in foreign lands.
-
- I hate that drum's discordant sound,
- Parading round, and round, and round;
- To me it talks of ravag'd plains,
- And burning towns, and ruin'd swains,
- And mangled limbs, and dying groans,
- And widows' tears, and orphans' moans;
- And all that Misery's hand bestows,
- To fill the catalogue of human woes.
The ode is sometimes referred to as a Retort on Mordaunt's "The Call" but there is no evidence that Scott knew of Thomas Osbert Mordaunt
Thomas Osbert Mordaunt
Thomas Osbert Mordaunt , a British officer and poet, is best remembered for his oft-quoted poem `The Call', written during the Seven Years' War of 1756–1763:-References:...
or his poem. The second verse of the poem adorns the display panel in the [English] Civil War at Pendennis Castle
Pendennis Castle
Pendennis Castle is a Henrician castle, also known as one of Henry VIII's Device Forts, in the English county of Cornwall. It was built in 1539 for King Henry VIII to guard the entrance to the River Fal on its west bank, near Falmouth. St Mawes Castle is its opposite number on the east bank and...
Museum, Falmouth, Cornwall
Falmouth, Cornwall
Falmouth is a town, civil parish and port on the River Fal on the south coast of Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It has a total resident population of 21,635.Falmouth is the terminus of the A39, which begins some 200 miles away in Bath, Somerset....
, UK.
In the finale of the first season of the television series Tour of Duty
Tour of Duty (TV series)
Tour of Duty is an American drama television series on CBS. It ran for three seasons from September 1987 to April 1990 as 58 one–hour episodes. The show was created by Steve Duncan and L. Travis Clark, and produced by Zev Braun....
, the character Roger Horn temporarily deserts his platoon and is heard reciting the first verse of John Scott's strongly pacifist Ode Against Recruiting - "I hate that Drum's discordant sound ..."
Sources
- New General Catalog of Old Books and Authors
- Poets' Corner
- Scott's letters at the Friends' Library, London (Dimsdale MSS)