Joseph Trapp
Encyclopedia
Joseph Trapp was an English clergyman, academic, poet and pamphleteer. His production as a younger man of occasional verse (some anonymous, or in Latin) and dramas led to his appointment as the first Oxford Professor of Poetry
in 1708. Later his High Church
opinions established him in preferment and position. As a poet he was not well thought of by contemporaries, with Jonathan Swift
refusing a dinner in an unavailing attempt to avoid revising one of Trapp’s poems, and Abel Evans
making an epigram on his blank verse
translation of the Aeneid
with a reminder of the commandment against murder.
, Gloucestershire
, in November 1679, and baptised there on 18 December 1679, was the second son of Joseph Trapp (1638–1698), rector of Cherrington from 1662, and grandson of John Trapp
. After a training at home by his father and some time at New College School
, he matriculated at Wadham College, Oxford
on 11 July 1695. He was elected Goodridge exhibitioner in 1695 and in subsequent years to 1700, and scholar in 1696. He graduated B. A. 22 April 1699, and M.A. 19 May 1702, and either in 1703 or 1704 he became a fellow of his college.
Early in his academic career Trapp began to versify for Oxford collections; and he wrote poetical paraphrases and translations which are included in the Miscellanies of John Dryden
and Elijah Fenton
. His play of Abramule brought him some reputation. He became the first professor of poetry at Oxford, a position which he held from 14 July 1708 to 1718. His lectures were delivered in Latin and showed originality, for example on ut pictura poesis
; but he was thought to have fawned too much on William Lancaster the vice-chancellor.
at his trial in 1709 and 1710, and on Sacheverell's recommendation became in April 1710 his successor in the lectureship at Newington
, Surrey
. The preface to a tract on the trial was written by him, and in September 1710 he vindicated Sacheverell's noisy progress into exile in an anonymous pamphlet. Another anonymous pamphlet by Trapp was called The true genuine Tory Address and the true genuine Whig Address set one against another, 1710.
In January 1711 Sir Constantine Phipps, the Lord Chancellor of Ireland
, took on Trapp as his chaplain, and Trapp wrote partisan political pieces, incurring scorn from Swift. He married in 1712 a daughter of Alderman White of St. Mary's, Oxford, and resigned as a Fellow of Wadham. That year he was chaplain to Henry St John, 1st Viscount Bolingbroke
, a place Swift claimed he had arranged. On 1 April 1713 Swift would not dine with Bolingbroke because he was expected to 'look over a dull poem' of Trapp's; afterwards he did correct the poem, printed anonymously at Dublin, as Peace, a Poem. It was set to music by William Croft
.
From 1714 to 1722 he held by the gift of the Earl of Peterborough
the rectory of Dauntsey
in Wiltshire
, and through the interest of William Lancaster he obtained in 1715 the lectureship at the church of St. Martin-in-the-Fields, Westminster. The governors of St. Bartholomew's Hospital elected Trapp on 20 April 1722 as vicar of the united parishes of Christ Church, Newgate Street, and St. Leonard, Foster Lane, and in 1733 he was presented by Lord Bolingbroke to the rectory of Harlington
in Middlesex
. He also held lectureships in several London churches, and became president of Sion College
. He died of pleurisy
at Harlington on 22 November 1747. and was buried on the north side of the entrance into the chancel, upon the north wall of which is a monument; another, the cost of which was borne by the parishioners, is on the east wall of the chancel of Newgate church. The books in Trapp's library at Warwick Lane, London, to which Sacheverell's library had been added, and those at Harlington, with his son's collections, passed to Robert Palk
.
in the Bangorian Controversy
. It was answered by Gilbert Burnet, second son of Bishop Burnet
, and by several other writers.
In the space of a few weeks in 1726 several Londoners became Catholic converts, and Trapp published a treatise of Popery truly stated and briefly confuted, in three parts, which reached a third edition in 1745. In 1727 he renewed the attack in The Church of England defended against the Church of Rome, in Answer to a late Sophistical and Insolent Popish Book. As a compliment for these labours he was created by the university of Oxford Doctor of Divinity
by diploma on 1 February 1728.
George Whitefield
went to Christ Church, Newgate Street, on 29 April 1739, and heard Trapp preach against him one of four discourses on the nature, folly, sin, and danger of being righteous overmuch; they were printed in 1739. Answers to them were published by Whitefield, William Law
, Robert Seagrave, and others, and an anonymous reply bore the sarcastic title of Dr. Trapp vindicated from the Imputation of being a Christian. He retorted with The True Spirit of the Methodists and their Allies: in Answer to six out of the seven Pamphlets against Dr Trapp's Sermons (anon.), 1740.
's Paradise Lost
, printed at his own cost, and he lost heavily on it. A modern critical view sees a definite intention in the translation of Virgil into Miltonic blank verse, followed by the translation of Milton into Virgilian hexameters, namely to place Milton as the English Virgil.
Oxford Professor of Poetry
The chair of Professor of Poetry at the University of Oxford is an unusual academic appointment, now held for a term of five years, and chosen through an election open to all members of Convocation, namely, all graduates and current academics of the university; in 2010, on-line voting was allowed....
in 1708. Later his High Church
High church
The term "High Church" refers to beliefs and practices of ecclesiology, liturgy and theology, generally with an emphasis on formality, and resistance to "modernization." Although used in connection with various Christian traditions, the term has traditionally been principally associated with the...
opinions established him in preferment and position. As a poet he was not well thought of by contemporaries, with Jonathan Swift
Jonathan Swift
Jonathan Swift was an Irish satirist, essayist, political pamphleteer , poet and cleric who became Dean of St...
refusing a dinner in an unavailing attempt to avoid revising one of Trapp’s poems, and Abel Evans
Abel Evans
Abel Evans was an English clergyman, academic, and poet, a self-conscious follower of John Milton.-Life:He was son of Abel Evans of London, born in February 1679. He entered Merchant Taylors' School in 1685. He was elected probationary fellow of St. John's College, Oxford , proceeded regularly to...
making an epigram on his blank verse
Blank verse
Blank verse is poetry written in unrhymed iambic pentameter. It has been described as "probably the most common and influential form that English poetry has taken since the sixteenth century" and Paul Fussell has claimed that "about three-quarters of all English poetry is in blank verse."The first...
translation of the Aeneid
Aeneid
The Aeneid is a Latin epic poem, written by Virgil between 29 and 19 BC, that tells the legendary story of Aeneas, a Trojan who travelled to Italy, where he became the ancestor of the Romans. It is composed of roughly 10,000 lines in dactylic hexameter...
with a reminder of the commandment against murder.
Early life
He was born at CherringtonCherrington
Cherrington is a village in Shropshire, England, in the civil parish of Tibberton and Cherrington. It was recorded as a manor in Domesday, when it was held by Gerard de Tournai, and was stated to have been held by a man named Uliet in the time of Edward the Confessor, although it was recorded as...
, Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire is a county in South West England. The county comprises part of the Cotswold Hills, part of the flat fertile valley of the River Severn, and the entire Forest of Dean....
, in November 1679, and baptised there on 18 December 1679, was the second son of Joseph Trapp (1638–1698), rector of Cherrington from 1662, and grandson of John Trapp
John Trapp
John Trapp, , was an English Anglican Bible commentator. His large five-volume commentary is still read today and is known for its pithy statements and quotable prose. His volumes are quoted frequently by other religious writers, including Charles Spurgeon...
. After a training at home by his father and some time at New College School
New College School
New College School is an independent preparatory school for boys in Oxford. It was founded in 1379 by William of Wykeham to provide for the education of 16 choristers for the chapel of New College, Oxford....
, he matriculated 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 11 July 1695. He was elected Goodridge exhibitioner in 1695 and in subsequent years to 1700, and scholar in 1696. He graduated B. A. 22 April 1699, and M.A. 19 May 1702, and either in 1703 or 1704 he became a fellow of his college.
Early in his academic career Trapp began to versify for Oxford collections; and he wrote poetical paraphrases and translations which are included in the Miscellanies of John Dryden
John Dryden
John Dryden was an influential English poet, literary critic, translator, and playwright who dominated the literary life of Restoration England to such a point that the period came to be known in literary circles as the Age of Dryden.Walter Scott called him "Glorious John." He was made Poet...
and Elijah Fenton
Elijah Fenton
-Life:Born in Shelton , and educated at Jesus College, Cambridge, for a time he acted as secretary to the Charles Boyle, 4th Earl of Orrery in Flanders, and was then Master of Sevenoaks Grammar School.In 1707, Fenton published a book of poems...
. His play of Abramule brought him some reputation. He became the first professor of poetry at Oxford, a position which he held from 14 July 1708 to 1718. His lectures were delivered in Latin and showed originality, for example on ut pictura poesis
Ut pictura poesis
Ut pictura poesis is Latin, literally "As is painting so is poetry." The statement occurs most famously in Horace's Ars Poetica, near the end, immediately after the "other" most famous quotation from Horace's treatise on poetics, "bonus dormitat Homerus", or "even Homer nods" :Horace meant that...
; but he was thought to have fawned too much on William Lancaster the vice-chancellor.
High Church man
Trapp at the same period plunged into politics as a Tory and a high churchman. He assisted Henry SacheverellHenry Sacheverell
Henry Sacheverell was an English High Church clergyman and politician.-Early life:The son of Joshua Sacheverell, rector of St Peter's, Marlborough,...
at his trial in 1709 and 1710, and on Sacheverell's recommendation became in April 1710 his successor in the lectureship at Newington
Newington
Newington is the name of several places, districts, a school, and a house.* England:**Greater London*** Newington, London *** Stoke Newington, a district in London*** Newington Green, a district in London**Kent*** Newington, Swale, Kent...
, Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
. The preface to a tract on the trial was written by him, and in September 1710 he vindicated Sacheverell's noisy progress into exile in an anonymous pamphlet. Another anonymous pamphlet by Trapp was called The true genuine Tory Address and the true genuine Whig Address set one against another, 1710.
In January 1711 Sir Constantine Phipps, the Lord Chancellor of Ireland
Lord Chancellor of Ireland
The office of Lord Chancellor of Ireland was the highest judicial office in Ireland until the establishment of the Irish Free State in 1922. From 1721 to 1801 it was also the highest political office of the Irish Parliament.-13th century:...
, took on Trapp as his chaplain, and Trapp wrote partisan political pieces, incurring scorn from Swift. He married in 1712 a daughter of Alderman White of St. Mary's, Oxford, and resigned as a Fellow of Wadham. That year he was chaplain to Henry St John, 1st Viscount Bolingbroke
Henry St John, 1st Viscount Bolingbroke
Henry St John, 1st Viscount Bolingbroke was an English politician, government official and political philosopher. He was a leader of the Tories, and supported the Church of England politically despite his atheism. In 1715 he supported the Jacobite rebellion of 1715 which sought to overthrow the...
, a place Swift claimed he had arranged. On 1 April 1713 Swift would not dine with Bolingbroke because he was expected to 'look over a dull poem' of Trapp's; afterwards he did correct the poem, printed anonymously at Dublin, as Peace, a Poem. It was set to music by William Croft
William Croft
William Croft was an English composer and organist.Croft was born at the Manor House, Nether Ettington, Warwickshire. He was educated at the Chapel Royal, under the instruction of John Blow, and remained there until 1698. Two years after this departure, he became organist of St. Anne's Church, Soho...
.
From 1714 to 1722 he held by the gift of the Earl of Peterborough
Charles Mordaunt, 3rd Earl of Peterborough
Charles Mordaunt, 3rd Earl of Peterborough and 1st Earl of Monmouth, KG, PC was an English nobleman and military leader. He was the son of John Mordaunt, 1st Viscount Mordaunt, and his wife Elizabeth, the daughter and sole heiress of Thomas Carey, the second son of Robert Carey, 1st Earl of Monmouth...
the rectory of Dauntsey
Dauntsey
Dauntsey is a small village in the county of Wiltshire in England. It gives its name to the Dauntsey Vale in which it lies and takes its name from Saxon for Dantes- eig, or Dante's island...
in 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 through the interest of William Lancaster he obtained in 1715 the lectureship at the church of St. Martin-in-the-Fields, Westminster. The governors of St. Bartholomew's Hospital elected Trapp on 20 April 1722 as vicar of the united parishes of Christ Church, Newgate Street, and St. Leonard, Foster Lane, and in 1733 he was presented by Lord Bolingbroke to the rectory of Harlington
Harlington, London
Harlington is a suburban area in the London Borough of Hillingdon, on the northern perimeter of London Heathrow Airport. It is situated west of Charing Cross.-Etymology:...
in 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 also held lectureships in several London churches, and became president of Sion College
Sion College
Sion College, in London, is an institution founded by Royal Charter in 1630 as a college, guild of parochial clergy and almshouse, under the 1623 will of Thomas White, vicar of St Dunstan's in the West....
. He died of pleurisy
Pleurisy
Pleurisy is an inflammation of the pleura, the lining of the pleural cavity surrounding the lungs. Among other things, infections are the most common cause of pleurisy....
at Harlington on 22 November 1747. and was buried on the north side of the entrance into the chancel, upon the north wall of which is a monument; another, the cost of which was borne by the parishioners, is on the east wall of the chancel of Newgate church. The books in Trapp's library at Warwick Lane, London, to which Sacheverell's library had been added, and those at Harlington, with his son's collections, passed to Robert Palk
Robert Palk
Sir Robert Palk, 1st Baronet was an English cleric and politician. He is mostly known for his involvement with the British East India Company and his term as governor of the Madras Presidency.-Early life:...
.
Controversy
Real Nature of Church and Kingdom of Christ, 1717, was a reply to Benjamin HoadlyBenjamin Hoadly
Benjamin Hoadly was an English clergyman, who was successively Bishop of Bangor, Hereford, Salisbury, and Winchester. He is best known as the initiator of the Bangorian Controversy.-Life:...
in the Bangorian Controversy
Bangorian Controversy
The Bangorian Controversy was a theological argument within the Church of England in the early 18th century, with strong political overtones. The origins of the controversy lay in the 1716 posthumous publication of George Hickes's Constitution of the Catholic Church, and the Nature and...
. It was answered by Gilbert Burnet, second son of Bishop Burnet
Gilbert Burnet
Gilbert Burnet was a Scottish theologian and historian, and Bishop of Salisbury. He was fluent in Dutch, French, Latin, Greek, and Hebrew. Burnet was respected as a cleric, a preacher, and an academic, as well as a writer and historian...
, and by several other writers.
In the space of a few weeks in 1726 several Londoners became Catholic converts, and Trapp published a treatise of Popery truly stated and briefly confuted, in three parts, which reached a third edition in 1745. In 1727 he renewed the attack in The Church of England defended against the Church of Rome, in Answer to a late Sophistical and Insolent Popish Book. As a compliment for these labours he was created by the university of Oxford Doctor of Divinity
Doctor of Divinity
Doctor of Divinity is an advanced academic degree in divinity. Historically, it identified one who had been licensed by a university to teach Christian theology or related religious subjects....
by diploma on 1 February 1728.
George Whitefield
George Whitefield
George Whitefield , also known as George Whitfield, was an English Anglican priest who helped spread the Great Awakening in Britain, and especially in the British North American colonies. He was one of the founders of Methodism and of the evangelical movement generally...
went to Christ Church, Newgate Street, on 29 April 1739, and heard Trapp preach against him one of four discourses on the nature, folly, sin, and danger of being righteous overmuch; they were printed in 1739. Answers to them were published by Whitefield, William Law
William Law
William Law was an English cleric, divine and theological writer.-Early life:Law was born at Kings Cliffe, Northamptonshire in 1686. In 1705 he entered as a sizar at Emmanuel College, Cambridge; in 1711 he was elected fellow of his college and was ordained...
, Robert Seagrave, and others, and an anonymous reply bore the sarcastic title of Dr. Trapp vindicated from the Imputation of being a Christian. He retorted with The True Spirit of the Methodists and their Allies: in Answer to six out of the seven Pamphlets against Dr Trapp's Sermons (anon.), 1740.
Works
Of his translation into blank verse of Virgil, the first volume of the Aeneis came out in 1718, the second in 1720, and the translation of the complete works with notes, was published in three volumes in 1731 and 1735. His Johannis Miltoni Paradisus Amissus Latine redditus (vol. i. 1741, vol. ii. 1744) was a Latin translation of John MiltonJohn Milton
John Milton was an English poet, polemicist, a scholarly man of letters, and a civil servant for the Commonwealth of England under Oliver Cromwell...
's Paradise Lost
Paradise Lost
Paradise Lost is an epic poem in blank verse by the 17th-century English poet John Milton. It was originally published in 1667 in ten books, with a total of over ten thousand individual lines of verse...
, printed at his own cost, and he lost heavily on it. A modern critical view sees a definite intention in the translation of Virgil into Miltonic blank verse, followed by the translation of Milton into Virgilian hexameters, namely to place Milton as the English Virgil.