Joseph Nightingale
Encyclopedia
Joseph Nightingale was a prolific English
writer
and preacher
. He was particularly noted for his topographic
writing and his interest in shorthand
.
, Lancashire
and became a Wesleyan
Methodist in 1796. He acted occasionally as a local preacher, but never entered the Methodist ministry, and ceased to be a member in 1804. For some time he was master of a school at Macclesfield
, Cheshire
, but moved to London
in 1805, at the suggestion of William Smyth
. By this time he was a Unitarian
. He became a Unitarian minister, preaching his first sermon
on 8 June 1806 at Parliament Street Chapel, Bishopsgate
, but he never held any pastoral charge, and supported himself chiefly by writing. He contributed frequently to early volumes of the Monthly Repository
. After the publication of his Portraiture of Methodism (1807) he was exposed to much criticism. An article in the New Annual Register for 1807 characterised him as "a knave" and he brought an action for libel against John Stockdale
, the publisher, recovering £200 in damages
on 11 March 1809. In 1824 he was again received into membership by the Methodist body.
.
article on Nightingale, states that "His works extend to about fifty volumes; those on topography have much merit." Among them are:
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...
writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
and preacher
Preacher
Preacher is a term for someone who preaches sermons or gives homilies. A preacher is distinct from a theologian by focusing on the communication rather than the development of doctrine. Others see preaching and theology as being intertwined...
. He was particularly noted for his topographic
Topography
Topography is the study of Earth's surface shape and features or those ofplanets, moons, and asteroids...
writing and his interest in shorthand
Shorthand
Shorthand is an abbreviated symbolic writing method that increases speed or brevity of writing as compared to a normal method of writing a language. The process of writing in shorthand is called stenography, from the Greek stenos and graphē or graphie...
.
Life
He was born at Chowbent in AthertonAtherton, Greater Manchester
Atherton is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan, in Greater Manchester, England, historically a part of Lancashire. It is east of Wigan, north-northeast of Leigh, and northwest of Manchester...
, Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
and became a Wesleyan
Wesleyanism
Wesleyanism or Wesleyan theology refers, respectively, to either the eponymous movement of Protestant Christians who have historically sought to follow the methods or theology of the eighteenth-century evangelical reformers, John Wesley and his brother Charles Wesley, or to the likewise eponymous...
Methodist in 1796. He acted occasionally as a local preacher, but never entered the Methodist ministry, and ceased to be a member in 1804. For some time he was master of a school at Macclesfield
Macclesfield
Macclesfield is a market town within the unitary authority of Cheshire East, the county palatine of Chester, also known as the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. The population of the Macclesfield urban sub-area at the time of the 2001 census was 50,688...
, Cheshire
Cheshire
Cheshire is a ceremonial county in North West England. Cheshire's county town is the city of Chester, although its largest town is Warrington. Other major towns include Widnes, Congleton, Crewe, Ellesmere Port, Runcorn, Macclesfield, Winsford, Northwich, and Wilmslow...
, but moved to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
in 1805, at the suggestion of William Smyth
William Smyth
William Smyth was Bishop of Coventry and Lichfield from 1493 to 1496 and then Bishop of Lincoln until his death. He held political offices, the most important being Lord President of the Council of Wales and the Marches. He became very wealthy and was a benefactor of a number of institutions...
. By this time he was a Unitarian
Unitarianism
Unitarianism is a Christian theological movement, named for its understanding of God as one person, in direct contrast to Trinitarianism which defines God as three persons coexisting consubstantially as one in being....
. He became a Unitarian minister, preaching his first sermon
Sermon
A sermon is an oration by a prophet or member of the clergy. Sermons address a Biblical, theological, religious, or moral topic, usually expounding on a type of belief, law or behavior within both past and present contexts...
on 8 June 1806 at Parliament Street Chapel, Bishopsgate
Bishopsgate
Bishopsgate is a road and ward in the northeast part of the City of London, extending north from Gracechurch Street to Norton Folgate. It is named after one of the original seven gates in London Wall...
, but he never held any pastoral charge, and supported himself chiefly by writing. He contributed frequently to early volumes of the Monthly Repository
Monthly Repository
The Monthly Repository was a British monthly Unitarian periodical which ran between 1806 and 1838.The Monthly Repository was established when Robert Aspland bought William Vidler's Universal Theological Magazine and changed the name to the Monthly Repository of Theology and General Literature...
. After the publication of his Portraiture of Methodism (1807) he was exposed to much criticism. An article in the New Annual Register for 1807 characterised him as "a knave" and he brought an action for libel against John Stockdale
John Stockdale
John Stockdale was an English publisher whose London shop became a salon for the political classes and who had to face two actions for defamation...
, the publisher, recovering £200 in damages
Damages
In law, damages is an award, typically of money, to be paid to a person as compensation for loss or injury; grammatically, it is a singular noun, not plural.- Compensatory damages :...
on 11 March 1809. In 1824 he was again received into membership by the Methodist body.
Private life
He married Margaret Goostry on 17 November 1799 and they had four children. His son, Joseph Sargent Nightingale, became an independent minister. In private life "he was of a kind disposition, lively imagination, and possessed a cheerfulness that never deserted him." He died in London and was buried at Bunhill FieldsBunhill Fields
Bunhill Fields is a cemetery in the London Borough of Islington, north of the City of London, and managed by the City of London Corporation. It is about 4 hectares in extent, although historically was much larger....
.
Works
Charles Sutton, the author of the Dictionary of National BiographyDictionary of National Biography
The Dictionary of National Biography is a standard work of reference on notable figures from British history, published from 1885...
article on Nightingale, states that "His works extend to about fifty volumes; those on topography have much merit." Among them are:
- Elagnitin, J. [J. Nightingale] (1822) Mock Heroics on Snuff, Tobacco, and Gin;
- Nightingale, J. (1797) Elegiac Thoughts on the Death of Rev. David Simpson, Manchester;
- — (1804) The Election, a Satirical Drama, Stockport;
- — (1807) A Portraiture of Methodism;
- — (1809) Nightingale versus Stockdale;
- — (1811a) A Guide to the Watering Places;
- — (1811b) A Letter to a Friend, containing a Comparative View of the Two Systems of Shorthand, respectively invented by Mr. Byrom and Dr. Mavor;
- — (1812) A Portraiture of the Roman Catholic Religion;
- — (1813) Accounts of the Counties of Stafford, Somerset, and Salop, 3 vols., forming a continuation of The Beauties of England and Wales by Edward Wedlake BrayleyEdward Wedlake BrayleyEdward Wedlake Brayley was an English antiquary and topographer.He was born at Lambeth, London. He was apprenticed to the enamelling trade, but developed an early interest in literature. His close friendship with John Britton lasted for sixty-five years...
; - — (1814–1815) Surveys of the City of London and the City of Westminster, 4 vols;
- — (1816a) English Topography, consisting of Accounts of the several Counties of England and Wales;
- — (1816b) The Bazaar, its Origin, Nature, &c., considered as a Branch of Political Economy;
- — (1818) History and Antiquities of the Parochial Church of Saviour, Southwark;
- — (1820–1822) Memoirs of Caroline, Queen of England, 3 vols;
- — (1821a) An Historical Account of Kenilworth Castle;
- — (1821b) The Religions and Religious Ceremonies of all Nations faithfully and impartially described;
- — (1822a) Trial of Queen Caroline, 3 vols;
- — (1822b) An Impartial View of the Life and Administration of the late Marquis of Londonderry;
- — (1822c) The Ladies' Grammar;
- — (1822c) Rational Stenography, or Shorthand made Easy ... founded on ... Byrom,;
- — Historical Details and Tracts concerning the Storekeeper-General's Office;
- — The Portable Cyclopædia;
- — Report of the Trial of Thistlewood;
- — The Political Repository and Magazine;
- — A Natural History of British Singing Birds;
- — The Juvenile Muse, original Stories in Verse;
- — A Grammar of Christian Theology.