Thomas Wilson (rhetorician)
Encyclopedia
Thomas Wilson was an English
diplomat
, judge
, and privy councillor in the government of Elizabeth I
. He is now remembered for his Logique (1551) and The Arte of Rhetorique (1553), an influential text. They have been called "the first complete works on logic
and rhetoric
in English."
He also wrote A Discourse upon Usury by way of Dialogue and Orations (1572), and he was the first to publish a translation of Demosthenes
into English.
, in Lincolnshire. He was educated at Eton College
and King's College, Cambridge
, where he joined the school of Hellenists to which John Cheke
, Thomas Smith
, Walter Haddon
and others belonged. He graduated B.A. in 1546 and M.A. in 1549.
In 1551 he produced, in conjunction with Walter Haddon, a Latin
life of Henry Brandon, 2nd Duke of Suffolk
and his brother Charles Brandon, 3rd Duke of Suffolk
. His earliest work of importance was The Rule of Reason, conteinynge the Arte of Logique set forth in Englishe (1551), which was frequently reprinted. It has been maintained that the book on which Wilson's fame mainly rests, The Arte of Rhetorique, was printed about the same time, but this is probably an error: the first edition extant is dated January 1553. It is the earliest systematic work of rhetoric and literary criticism existing in the English language.
Wilson was an intellectual companion to the sons of John Dudley, 1st Duke of Northumberland
, especially with John
, Ambrose
, and Robert Dudley
. When the Dudley family fell from power in 1553, he fled to the Continent. He was with Sir John Cheke in Padua
in 1555-1557, and afterwards at Rome
, whither in 1558 Queen Mary
wrote, ordering him to return to England to stand his trial as a heretic
. He refused to come home, but was arrested by the Roman Inquisition
and tortured. He escaped, and fled to Ferrara
, but in 1560 he was once more in London
.
Wilson became Master of St Katherine's Hospital in the Tower
, and entered parliament in January 1563. In 1570 he published a translation, the first attempted in English, of the Olynthiacs
and Philippics of Demosthenes
, on which he had been engaged since 1556. His Discourse upon Usury, which he dedicated to Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, his patron and former pupil, appeared in 1572.
From 1574 to 1577, Wilson, who had now become a prominent person in the diplomatic world, was principally engaged on embassies to the Low Countries
, and on his return to England he was made a privy councillor and sworn secretary of state
; Francis Walsingham
was his colleague. In 1580, despite his being not in holy orders, Queen Elizabeth made Wilson dean of Durham. He died at St Katherine's Hospital on 16 June 1581, and was buried next day, "without charge or pomp," at his express wish.
The Arte of Rhetorique gives Wilson a place among the earliest exponents of English style. He was opposed to pedantry of phrase, and above all to a revival of uncouth medieval forms of speech, and encouraged a simpler manner of prose
writing than was generally appreciated in the middle of the 16th century. He was also opposed to "inkhorn term
s" – borrowings and coinages from Greek and Latin – which he found affected.
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...
diplomat
Diplomacy
Diplomacy is the art and practice of conducting negotiations between representatives of groups or states...
, judge
Judge
A judge is a person who presides over court proceedings, either alone or as part of a panel of judges. The powers, functions, method of appointment, discipline, and training of judges vary widely across different jurisdictions. The judge is supposed to conduct the trial impartially and in an open...
, and privy councillor in the government of Elizabeth I
Elizabeth I of England
Elizabeth I was queen regnant of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death. Sometimes called The Virgin Queen, Gloriana, or Good Queen Bess, Elizabeth was the fifth and last monarch of the Tudor dynasty...
. He is now remembered for his Logique (1551) and The Arte of Rhetorique (1553), an influential text. They have been called "the first complete works on logic
Logic
In philosophy, Logic is the formal systematic study of the principles of valid inference and correct reasoning. Logic is used in most intellectual activities, but is studied primarily in the disciplines of philosophy, mathematics, semantics, and computer science...
and rhetoric
Rhetoric
Rhetoric is the art of discourse, an art that aims to improve the facility of speakers or writers who attempt to inform, persuade, or motivate particular audiences in specific situations. As a subject of formal study and a productive civic practice, rhetoric has played a central role in the Western...
in English."
He also wrote A Discourse upon Usury by way of Dialogue and Orations (1572), and he was the first to publish a translation of Demosthenes
Demosthenes
Demosthenes was a prominent Greek statesman and orator of ancient Athens. His orations constitute a significant expression of contemporary Athenian intellectual prowess and provide an insight into the politics and culture of ancient Greece during the 4th century BC. Demosthenes learned rhetoric by...
into English.
Life
He was the son of Thomas Wilson of StrubbyStrubby
Strubby is a village north of Alford, in the East Lindsey district of the county of Lincolnshire, England. It forms part of Strubby and Woodthorpe Civil Parish, along with the nearby hamlet of Woodthorpe....
, in Lincolnshire. He was educated at Eton College
Eton College
Eton College, often referred to simply as Eton, is a British independent school for boys aged 13 to 18. It was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI as "The King's College of Our Lady of Eton besides Wyndsor"....
and King's College, Cambridge
King's College, Cambridge
King's College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England. The college's full name is "The King's College of our Lady and Saint Nicholas in Cambridge", but it is usually referred to simply as "King's" within the University....
, where he joined the school of Hellenists to which John Cheke
John Cheke
Sir John Cheke was an English classical scholar and statesman, notable as the first Regius Professor of Greek at Cambridge University....
, Thomas Smith
Thomas Smith (diplomat)
Sir Thomas Smith was an English scholar and diplomat.He was born at Saffron Walden in Essex. He was educated at Queens' College, Cambridge, where he became a fellow in 1530, and in 1533 was appointed a public reader or professor. He lectured in the schools on natural philosophy, and on Greek in...
, Walter Haddon
Walter Haddon
Walter Haddon LL.D. was an English civil lawyer, much involved in church and university affairs under Edward VI, Queen Mary, and Elizabeth I...
and others belonged. He graduated B.A. in 1546 and M.A. in 1549.
In 1551 he produced, in conjunction with Walter Haddon, a Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
life of Henry Brandon, 2nd Duke of Suffolk
Henry Brandon, 2nd Duke of Suffolk
Henry Brandon, 2nd Duke of Suffolk , styled Lord Henry Brandon before 1545, was an English nobleman, the son of the 1st Duke of Suffolk, by his fourth wife, the suo jure 12th Baroness Willoughby de Eresby....
and his brother Charles Brandon, 3rd Duke of Suffolk
Charles Brandon, 3rd Duke of Suffolk
Charles Brandon, 3rd Duke of Suffolk , known as Lord Charles Brandon until shortly before his death, was the son of the 1st Duke of Suffolk and the suo jure 12th Baroness Willoughby de Eresby....
. His earliest work of importance was The Rule of Reason, conteinynge the Arte of Logique set forth in Englishe (1551), which was frequently reprinted. It has been maintained that the book on which Wilson's fame mainly rests, The Arte of Rhetorique, was printed about the same time, but this is probably an error: the first edition extant is dated January 1553. It is the earliest systematic work of rhetoric and literary criticism existing in the English language.
Wilson was an intellectual companion to the sons of John Dudley, 1st Duke of Northumberland
John Dudley, 1st Duke of Northumberland
John Dudley, 1st Duke of Northumberland, KG was an English general, admiral, and politician, who led the government of the young King Edward VI from 1550 until 1553, and unsuccessfully tried to install Lady Jane Grey on the English throne after the King's death...
, especially with John
John Dudley, 2nd Earl of Warwick
John Dudley, 2nd Earl of Warwick, KG, KB was an English nobleman and the heir of John Dudley, 1st Duke of Northumberland, leading minister and de facto ruler under Edward VI of England from 1550–1553. As his father's career progressed, John Dudley respectively assumed his father's former...
, Ambrose
Ambrose Dudley, 3rd Earl of Warwick
Ambrose Dudley, 3rd Earl of Warwick, KG was an English nobleman and general, and an elder brother of Queen Elizabeth I's favourite, Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester...
, and Robert Dudley
Robert Dudley, 1st Earl of Leicester
Robert Dudley, 1st Earl of Leicester, KG was an English nobleman and the favourite and close friend of Elizabeth I from her first year on the throne until his death...
. When the Dudley family fell from power in 1553, he fled to the Continent. He was with Sir John Cheke in Padua
Padua
Padua is a city and comune in the Veneto, northern Italy. It is the capital of the province of Padua and the economic and communications hub of the area. Padua's population is 212,500 . The city is sometimes included, with Venice and Treviso, in the Padua-Treviso-Venice Metropolitan Area, having...
in 1555-1557, and afterwards at Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, whither in 1558 Queen Mary
Mary I of England
Mary I was queen regnant of England and Ireland from July 1553 until her death.She was the only surviving child born of the ill-fated marriage of Henry VIII and his first wife Catherine of Aragon. Her younger half-brother, Edward VI, succeeded Henry in 1547...
wrote, ordering him to return to England to stand his trial as a heretic
Heresy
Heresy is a controversial or novel change to a system of beliefs, especially a religion, that conflicts with established dogma. It is distinct from apostasy, which is the formal denunciation of one's religion, principles or cause, and blasphemy, which is irreverence toward religion...
. He refused to come home, but was arrested by the Roman Inquisition
Roman Inquisition
The Roman Inquisition was a system of tribunals developed by the Holy See during the second half of the 16th century, responsible for prosecuting individuals accused of a wide array of crimes related to heresy, including Protestantism, sorcery, immorality, blasphemy, Judaizing and witchcraft, as...
and tortured. He escaped, and fled to Ferrara
Ferrara
Ferrara is a city and comune in Emilia-Romagna, northern Italy, capital city of the Province of Ferrara. It is situated 50 km north-northeast of Bologna, on the Po di Volano, a branch channel of the main stream of the Po River, located 5 km north...
, but in 1560 he was once more in 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...
.
Wilson became Master of St Katherine's Hospital in the Tower
Tower of London
Her Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress, more commonly known as the Tower of London, is a historic castle on the north bank of the River Thames in central London, England. It lies within the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, separated from the eastern edge of the City of London by the open space...
, and entered parliament in January 1563. In 1570 he published a translation, the first attempted in English, of the Olynthiacs
Olynthiacs
The Olynthiacs were three political speeches, all delivered by the Athenian statesman and orator Demosthenes. In 349 BC Philip II of Macedon attacked Olynthus, which at the time was an ally of Athens...
and Philippics of Demosthenes
Demosthenes
Demosthenes was a prominent Greek statesman and orator of ancient Athens. His orations constitute a significant expression of contemporary Athenian intellectual prowess and provide an insight into the politics and culture of ancient Greece during the 4th century BC. Demosthenes learned rhetoric by...
, on which he had been engaged since 1556. His Discourse upon Usury, which he dedicated to Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, his patron and former pupil, appeared in 1572.
From 1574 to 1577, Wilson, who had now become a prominent person in the diplomatic world, was principally engaged on embassies to the Low Countries
Low Countries
The Low Countries are the historical lands around the low-lying delta of the Rhine, Scheldt, and Meuse rivers, including the modern countries of Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and parts of northern France and western Germany....
, and on his return to England he was made a privy councillor and sworn secretary of state
Secretary of State (England)
In the Kingdom of England, the title of Secretary of State came into being near the end of the reign of Queen Elizabeth I , the usual title before that having been King's Clerk, King's Secretary, or Principal Secretary....
; Francis Walsingham
Francis Walsingham
Sir Francis Walsingham was Principal Secretary to Elizabeth I of England from 1573 until 1590, and is popularly remembered as her "spymaster". Walsingham is frequently cited as one of the earliest practitioners of modern intelligence methods both for espionage and for domestic security...
was his colleague. In 1580, despite his being not in holy orders, Queen Elizabeth made Wilson dean of Durham. He died at St Katherine's Hospital on 16 June 1581, and was buried next day, "without charge or pomp," at his express wish.
The Arte of Rhetorique gives Wilson a place among the earliest exponents of English style. He was opposed to pedantry of phrase, and above all to a revival of uncouth medieval forms of speech, and encouraged a simpler manner of prose
Prose
Prose is the most typical form of written language, applying ordinary grammatical structure and natural flow of speech rather than rhythmic structure...
writing than was generally appreciated in the middle of the 16th century. He was also opposed to "inkhorn term
Inkhorn term
An inkhorn term is any foreign borrowing into English deemed to be unnecessary or overly pretentious.- Etymology :...
s" – borrowings and coinages from Greek and Latin – which he found affected.
External links
Further reading
- Susan Doran and Jonathan Woolfson, "Wilson, Thomas (1523/4–1581)," Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004; online edition, January 2008.
- Thomas O. Sloane, On the Contrary: The Protocol of Traditional Rhetoric, Washington, D.C.: Catholic University of America Press, 1997
- Tita French Baumlin, "Thomas Wilson," The Dictionary of Literary Biography, Volume 236: British Rhetoricians and Logicians, 1500-1660, First Series, Detroit: Gale, 2001, pp. 282–306.
- Peter E. Medine, Thomas Wilson, Boston: Twayne, 1986
- Peter E. Medine, ed., The Art of rhetoric (1560), by Thomas Wilson, University Park: Penn State University, 1994