Nonsense Club
Encyclopedia
The Nonsense Club was a scandalous club of 18th century British
satirists centred around Westminster School
. Its members included the satirists and poets Charles Churchill and Robert Lloyd
, the parodist Bonnell Thornton
, the nature poet William Cowper
, and the dramatist George Colman
. Some of the group's meetings may also have been attended by William Hogarth
. The club engaged in a host of colourfully virulent literary and theatrical battles, produced a distinctive brand of satire, and combined in its impact with that of Wilkes
to foment some of the most important political debates of its time.
Kingdom of Great Britain
The former Kingdom of Great Britain, sometimes described as the 'United Kingdom of Great Britain', That the Two Kingdoms of Scotland and England, shall upon the 1st May next ensuing the date hereof, and forever after, be United into One Kingdom by the Name of GREAT BRITAIN. was a sovereign...
satirists centred around Westminster School
Westminster School
The Royal College of St. Peter in Westminster, almost always known as Westminster School, is one of Britain's leading independent schools, with the highest Oxford and Cambridge acceptance rate of any secondary school or college in Britain...
. Its members included the satirists and poets Charles Churchill and Robert Lloyd
Robert Lloyd (poet)
Robert Lloyd was an English poet and satirist.-Life:Robert Lloyd was educated at Westminster School and Trinity College, Cambridge, graduating B.A. in 1755 and M.A. in 1758. He was author of the popular poem The Actor and the comic opera The Capricious Lovers , first performed at Drury Lane just...
, the parodist Bonnell Thornton
Bonnell Thornton
Bonnell Thornton was an English poet, essayist, and critic. He was educated at Westminster School, and at Oxford University.In 1752 he founded the Drury Lane Journal, a satirical periodical which, among other things, lampooned other journals such as Johnson's Rambler, The Gentleman's Magazine and...
, the nature poet William Cowper
William Cowper
William Cowper was an English poet and hymnodist. One of the most popular poets of his time, Cowper changed the direction of 18th century nature poetry by writing of everyday life and scenes of the English countryside. In many ways, he was one of the forerunners of Romantic poetry...
, and the dramatist George Colman
George Colman the Elder
George Colman was an English dramatist and essayist, usually called "the Elder", and sometimes "George the First", to distinguish him from his son, George Colman the Younger....
. Some of the group's meetings may also have been attended by William Hogarth
William Hogarth
William Hogarth was an English painter, printmaker, pictorial satirist, social critic and editorial cartoonist who has been credited with pioneering western sequential art. His work ranged from realistic portraiture to comic strip-like series of pictures called "modern moral subjects"...
. The club engaged in a host of colourfully virulent literary and theatrical battles, produced a distinctive brand of satire, and combined in its impact with that of Wilkes
John Wilkes
John Wilkes was an English radical, journalist and politician.He was first elected Member of Parliament in 1757. In the Middlesex election dispute, he fought for the right of voters—rather than the House of Commons—to determine their representatives...
to foment some of the most important political debates of its time.