Topham Beauclerk
Encyclopedia
Topham Beauclerk (22 December 1739 – 11 March 1780) was a celebrated wit and the only son of Lord Sidney Beauclerk
; he was the great-grandson of King Charles II
. He was a friend of Dr. Johnson
and of Horace Walpole.
Beauclerk was christened on 19 January 1740 in St James', Westminster
and attended Trinity College, Oxford
.
On 12 March 1768, he married Diana
, the daughter of Charles Spencer, 3rd Duke of Marlborough
and they had four children together:
Topham Beauclerk entertained Dr. Johnson at his home in Old Windsor
for a number of weeks. He appears several times in Boswell
's Life of Johnson. As Bennet Langton
records: 'His affection for Topham Beauclerk was so great, that when Beauclerk was labouring under that severe illness which at last occasioned his death, Johnson said, (with a voice faultering with emotion,) "Sir, I would walk to the extent of the diameter of the earth to save Beauclerk"' (Boswell 1672).
He was an intimate friend also of Horace Walpole, Lord Orford. The artist Joseph Farington
in his famous diary records Walpole's description of him:
Lord Orford mentioned many particulars relative to the late Mr. Topham Beauclerc [the celebrated wit]. He said He was the worst tempered man He ever knew. Lady Di passed a most miserable life with him. Lord 0, out of regard to her invited them occasionally to pass a few days at Strawberry Hill. They slept in separate beds. Beauclerc was remarkably filthy in his person which generated vermin. He took Laudanum regularly in vast quantities. He seldom rose before one or two o'clock. His principal delight was in disputing on subjects that occurred, this He did accutely. Before He died He asked pardon of Lady Di, for his ill usage of her. He had one son and two daughters by Lady Di. One married Lord Herbert, the second went abroad with her Brother, Lord Bolingbroke
.
Beauclerk died at his house in Great Russell Street, Bloomsbury
on 11 March 1780. Lady Diana later sold the house to retire in reduced circumstances to Richmond. The house at Great Russell Street, which was demolished in 1788, housed a library designed by renowned architect Robert Adam
.
Lord Sidney Beauclerk
Lord Sidney Beauclerk PC was a British politician and infamous fortune-hunter, and was the grandson of King Charles II....
; he was the great-grandson of King Charles II
Charles II of England
Charles II was monarch of the three kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland.Charles II's father, King Charles I, was executed at Whitehall on 30 January 1649, at the climax of the English Civil War...
. He was a friend of Dr. 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...
and of Horace Walpole.
Beauclerk was christened on 19 January 1740 in St James', Westminster
Westminster
Westminster is an area of central London, within the City of Westminster, England. It lies on the north bank of the River Thames, southwest of the City of London and southwest of Charing Cross...
and attended Trinity College, Oxford
Trinity College, Oxford
The College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity in the University of Oxford, of the foundation of Sir Thomas Pope , or Trinity College for short, is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. It stands on Broad Street, next door to Balliol College and Blackwells bookshop,...
.
On 12 March 1768, he married Diana
Lady Diana Beauclerk
Not to be confused with the 20th-century Princess of Wales of the same maiden nameLady Diana Beauclerk was an English noblewoman and artist....
, the daughter of Charles Spencer, 3rd Duke of Marlborough
Charles Spencer, 3rd Duke of Marlborough
Charles Spencer, 3rd Duke of Marlborough KG, PC , known as The Earl of Sunderland between 1729 and 1733, was a British soldier and politician. He briefly served as Lord Privy Seal in 1755...
and they had four children together:
- Anne Beauclerk (born c. 1764)
- Elisabeth Beauclerk (20 August 1766 – 25 March 1793); married Robert Henry Herbert, 12th Earl of Pembroke and 9th Earl of MontgomeryRobert Herbert, 12th Earl of PembrokeRobert Henry Herbert, 12th Earl of Pembroke and 9th Earl of Montgomery was a British nobleman in line for great estates and position as head of the distinguished Herbert family and heir to the earldom of Pembroke, but lived an irregular life in exile after a dissolute youth.-Early years:Herbert...
. - Mary Day Beauclerk, twin of Elisabeth (20 August 1766 – 23 July 1851)
- Charles George Beauclerk (20 January 1774 – 25 December 1846)
Topham Beauclerk entertained Dr. Johnson at his home in Old Windsor
Old Windsor
Old Windsor is a large village and civil parish in the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead in the English county of Berkshire.-Location:...
for a number of weeks. He appears several times in Boswell
James Boswell
James Boswell, 9th Laird of Auchinleck was a lawyer, diarist, and author born in Edinburgh, Scotland; he is best known for the biography he wrote of one of his contemporaries, the English literary figure Samuel Johnson....
's Life of Johnson. As Bennet Langton
Bennet Langton
Bennet Langton was an English writer and a founding member of the Literary Club. He is best known for his close friendship with writer Samuel Johnson and his numerous appearances in James Boswell's book The Life of Samuel Johnson....
records: 'His affection for Topham Beauclerk was so great, that when Beauclerk was labouring under that severe illness which at last occasioned his death, Johnson said, (with a voice faultering with emotion,) "Sir, I would walk to the extent of the diameter of the earth to save Beauclerk"' (Boswell 1672).
He was an intimate friend also of Horace Walpole, Lord Orford. The artist Joseph Farington
Joseph Farington
Joseph Farington was an 18th-century English landscape painter and diarist.-Life and work:Born in Leigh, Lancashire, Farington was the second of seven sons of William Farington and Esther Gilbody. His father was the rector of Warrington and vicar of Leigh...
in his famous diary records Walpole's description of him:
Lord Orford mentioned many particulars relative to the late Mr. Topham Beauclerc [the celebrated wit]. He said He was the worst tempered man He ever knew. Lady Di passed a most miserable life with him. Lord 0, out of regard to her invited them occasionally to pass a few days at Strawberry Hill. They slept in separate beds. Beauclerc was remarkably filthy in his person which generated vermin. He took Laudanum regularly in vast quantities. He seldom rose before one or two o'clock. His principal delight was in disputing on subjects that occurred, this He did accutely. Before He died He asked pardon of Lady Di, for his ill usage of her. He had one son and two daughters by Lady Di. One married Lord Herbert, the second went abroad with her Brother, Lord Bolingbroke
George St John, 3rd Viscount Bolingbroke
George Richard St John, 3rd Viscount Bolingbroke and 4th Viscount St John , styled The Honourable from birth until 1787, was a British peer and politician...
.
Beauclerk died at his house in Great Russell Street, Bloomsbury
Bloomsbury
-Places:* Bloomsbury is an area in central London.* Bloomsbury , related local government unit* Bloomsbury, New Jersey, New Jersey, USA* Bloomsbury , listed on the NRHP in Maryland...
on 11 March 1780. Lady Diana later sold the house to retire in reduced circumstances to Richmond. The house at Great Russell Street, which was demolished in 1788, housed a library designed by renowned architect Robert Adam
Robert Adam
Robert Adam was a Scottish neoclassical architect, interior designer and furniture designer. He was the son of William Adam , Scotland's foremost architect of the time, and trained under him...
.