William Burke (author)
Encyclopedia
William Burke was an English pamphleteer, official, and politician. He was one of the supposed authors of Junius's Letters
.
, was born in London
. He admitted to Westminster School
in 1743, and elected to Christ Church, Oxford
in 1747. He contributed a copy of elegiacs to the university collection on the death of the Prince of Wales
in 1751, and took the degree of B.C.L. in 1755. The two kinsmen were travelling companions in 1752, worked together on the Account of the European Settlements in America, which seems to have been written by W. Burke, and joined in befriending Emin the Armenian.
Burke came into notice in 1759, as the author of ‘Remarks on the Letter to Two Great Men,’ an answer to Lord Bath's ‘Letter to Pitt and the Duke of Newcastle’ on the prospect of peace. In this pamphlet, and in another entitled ‘An Examination of the Commercial Principles of the late Negotiation,’ 1761, Burke, who held the office of secretary to Guadaloupe in 1762, strongly advocated the British retention of the island. In 1763 he appears as the friend of Lord Verney, and a confidential mediator between him and George Grenville
. He was under-secretary to General Conway, the secretary of state for the southern department, and the following year was moved into the northern department. On the downfall of the Rockingham ministry Burke resigned his office, which brought him £1,000 a year. ‘
He and Edmund Burke had already befriended James Barry
and sent him to Italy
, and in a letter written to Barry in 1766 Burke says that their affairs—evidently speaking of his kinsmen Edmund and Richard—were so ‘well arranged’ that they were not uneasy at the prospect of a change in the ministry which would entail loss of place. To his friendship with Lord Verney, who seems to have been a partner in speculations, Burke owed his return to parliament as member for Great Bedwyn
in Wiltshire
, on 16 June 1766; in March 1768 Robert Brudenell
was returned in his place, but, as the latter chose another constituency, Burke regained his seat in the following May, and held it until the dissolution in September 1774. Burke did not take a prominent part in the debates of the house. ‘As an orator,’ Horace Walpole says, ‘he had neither manner nor talents, and yet wanted little of his cousin's presumption’ (Memoirs of the Reign of George III, ii. 274). He was pushy and well acquainted with the leaders of the whig party, though generally disliked by them. He lived much with his cousin Edmund, first in Queen Anne Street and afterwards at Gregories.
For a time Burke's stockjobbing transactions prospered. In 1769, however, a crash came, and he was ruined. With William Markham, his old schoolmaster, he had been on terms of friendship. About the time of his disaster, however, their intimacy ceased, and in 1771 Markham, then bishop of Chester
, in a letter addressed to Edmund Burke, accused him of saying something in, as it seems, a private conversation with himself which rendered him liable to ‘a criminal prosecution in a matter of state.’ This accusation was part of an attack made by the bishop on Edmund Burke, who in the draft of his reply speaks warmly of his kinsman's character, and of the kindness he had shown him in introducing him to Lord Rockingham, in the resignation of his office, and on other occasions. Burke's relationship to his cousin gained him admission to the club in Gerrard Street
, and accordingly he appears in Oliver Goldsmith
's ‘Retaliation.’ Among the various stories told about the occasion of this poem, it is said that the notices Goldsmith first wrote of the Burkes were so severe, that Hugh Boyd
persuaded the poet to alter them and entirely rewrite the character of William, for he was sure that if the Burkes saw what was originally written of them the peace of the club would be disturbed.
Having lost his seat for Great Bedwyn, Burke, in the summer of 1774, contested Haslemere
in Surrey
, was defeated, and petitioned unsuccessfully, the election being confirmed in May 1775. Broken in fortune and harassed by judgments against him for debt, Burke vainly sought a place in the East India Company
's service. The feeling against him was strong, and he found no friends.
In 1777 he managed to get to Madras by carrying despatches for Lord Pigot, from whom he hoped to obtain employment. On his arrival at Madras he found Lord Pigot dead. He brought out with him letters of recommendation from Edmund and John Burke
to Philip Francis, asking Francis to do something for him in case he should go to Bengal
. These letters he sent to Francis, who wrote kindly to him, inviting him to his house, but telling him at the same time that he could do little to help him. He did not accept Francis's invitation, for having obtained the appointment of agent to the Rajah of Tanjore he returned to England
.
In 1779 he went back to India as deputy paymaster of the king's troops, and in 1782 was made commissary-general of the forces in the East Indies
. Lord Cornwallis considered that the sending of him out was ‘an unnecessary job,’ and said in a letter to Lord Rawdon, dated 1789, that he had done him what service he could, but that with Burke service meant putting large sums of money into his pocket, and that if he had done that he would have deserved to be impeached, giving two examples of the ‘extraordinary’ proposals which Burke made for his own advantage, and to which he refused to consent.
After his return to England in 1793 he lived mainly at Beaconsfield
, and notices of the poor state of his health occur in Edmund Burke's letters. He survived his kinsman, and died in 1798.
’ and other papers. Some of these letters are said to have been written in conjunction with Edmund Burke. He also translated the address of M. Brissot to his constituents in 1794. This translation he submitted to Edmund Burke, who amended it and wrote a preface. Several of Burke's letters are contained in the correspondence of Edmund Burke, and in Barry's works.
Identity of Junius
Junius was the pseudonym of a writer who contributed a series of political letters to the Public Advertiser, from 21 January 1769 to 21 January 1772 as well as several other London newspapers such as the London Evening Post....
.
Life
William Burke, the son of John Burke and a kinsman of Edmund BurkeEdmund Burke
Edmund Burke PC was an Irish statesman, author, orator, political theorist and philosopher who, after moving to England, served for many years in the House of Commons of Great Britain as a member of the Whig party....
, was born 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...
. He admitted to 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...
in 1743, and elected to Christ Church, Oxford
Christ Church, Oxford
Christ Church or house of Christ, and thus sometimes known as The House), is one of the largest constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England...
in 1747. He contributed a copy of elegiacs to the university collection on the death of the Prince of Wales
Prince of Wales
Prince of Wales is a title traditionally granted to the heir apparent to the reigning monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the 15 other independent Commonwealth realms...
in 1751, and took the degree of B.C.L. in 1755. The two kinsmen were travelling companions in 1752, worked together on the Account of the European Settlements in America, which seems to have been written by W. Burke, and joined in befriending Emin the Armenian.
Burke came into notice in 1759, as the author of ‘Remarks on the Letter to Two Great Men,’ an answer to Lord Bath's ‘Letter to Pitt and the Duke of Newcastle’ on the prospect of peace. In this pamphlet, and in another entitled ‘An Examination of the Commercial Principles of the late Negotiation,’ 1761, Burke, who held the office of secretary to Guadaloupe in 1762, strongly advocated the British retention of the island. In 1763 he appears as the friend of Lord Verney, and a confidential mediator between him and George Grenville
George Grenville
George Grenville was a British Whig statesman who rose to the position of Prime Minister of Great Britain. Grenville was born into an influential political family and first entered Parliament in 1741 as an MP for Buckingham...
. He was under-secretary to General Conway, the secretary of state for the southern department, and the following year was moved into the northern department. On the downfall of the Rockingham ministry Burke resigned his office, which brought him £1,000 a year. ‘
He and Edmund Burke had already befriended James Barry
James Barry
James Barry may refer to:*James Barry, 1st Baron Barry of Santry *James Barry *James Barry *James Barry *James Barry...
and sent him to Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, and in a letter written to Barry in 1766 Burke says that their affairs—evidently speaking of his kinsmen Edmund and Richard—were so ‘well arranged’ that they were not uneasy at the prospect of a change in the ministry which would entail loss of place. To his friendship with Lord Verney, who seems to have been a partner in speculations, Burke owed his return to parliament as member for Great Bedwyn
Great Bedwyn (UK Parliament constituency)
Great Bedwyn was a parliamentary borough in Wiltshire, which elected two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons from 1295 until 1832, when the borough was abolished by the Great Reform Act.-1295–1640:-1640–1832:Notes...
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...
, on 16 June 1766; in March 1768 Robert Brudenell
Robert Brudenell
Robert Brudenell was a British army officer and Member of Parliament.Brudenell was the third son of the 3rd Earl of Cardigan and a younger brother of the 1st Duke of Montagu and 4th Earl of Cardigan and the 5th Earl of Cardigan...
was returned in his place, but, as the latter chose another constituency, Burke regained his seat in the following May, and held it until the dissolution in September 1774. Burke did not take a prominent part in the debates of the house. ‘As an orator,’ Horace Walpole says, ‘he had neither manner nor talents, and yet wanted little of his cousin's presumption’ (Memoirs of the Reign of George III, ii. 274). He was pushy and well acquainted with the leaders of the whig party, though generally disliked by them. He lived much with his cousin Edmund, first in Queen Anne Street and afterwards at Gregories.
For a time Burke's stockjobbing transactions prospered. In 1769, however, a crash came, and he was ruined. With William Markham, his old schoolmaster, he had been on terms of friendship. About the time of his disaster, however, their intimacy ceased, and in 1771 Markham, then bishop of Chester
Bishop of Chester
The Bishop of Chester is the Ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Chester in the Province of York.The diocese expands across most of the historic county boundaries of Cheshire, including the Wirral Peninsula and has its see in the City of Chester where the seat is located at the Cathedral...
, in a letter addressed to Edmund Burke, accused him of saying something in, as it seems, a private conversation with himself which rendered him liable to ‘a criminal prosecution in a matter of state.’ This accusation was part of an attack made by the bishop on Edmund Burke, who in the draft of his reply speaks warmly of his kinsman's character, and of the kindness he had shown him in introducing him to Lord Rockingham, in the resignation of his office, and on other occasions. Burke's relationship to his cousin gained him admission to the club in Gerrard Street
Gerrard Street
There are several streets called Gerrard Street, including:*Gerrard Street in London, United Kingdom.*Gerrard Street in Toronto, Canada....
, and accordingly he appears in Oliver Goldsmith
Oliver Goldsmith
Oliver Goldsmith was an Irish writer, poet and physician known for his novel The Vicar of Wakefield , his pastoral poem The Deserted Village , and his plays The Good-Natur'd Man and She Stoops to Conquer...
's ‘Retaliation.’ Among the various stories told about the occasion of this poem, it is said that the notices Goldsmith first wrote of the Burkes were so severe, that Hugh Boyd
Hugh Boyd
Hugh Julian Boyd is a former Australian rules footballer who played with University in the Victorian Football League .-Source:...
persuaded the poet to alter them and entirely rewrite the character of William, for he was sure that if the Burkes saw what was originally written of them the peace of the club would be disturbed.
Having lost his seat for Great Bedwyn, Burke, in the summer of 1774, contested Haslemere
Haslemere (UK Parliament constituency)
Haslemere was a parliamentary borough in Surrey, which elected two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons from 1584 until 1832, when the borough was abolished by the Great Reform Act.-1584-1640:-1640-1832:Notes- References :...
in 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...
, was defeated, and petitioned unsuccessfully, the election being confirmed in May 1775. Broken in fortune and harassed by judgments against him for debt, Burke vainly sought a place in the East India Company
East India Company
The East India Company was an early English joint-stock company that was formed initially for pursuing trade with the East Indies, but that ended up trading mainly with the Indian subcontinent and China...
's service. The feeling against him was strong, and he found no friends.
In 1777 he managed to get to Madras by carrying despatches for Lord Pigot, from whom he hoped to obtain employment. On his arrival at Madras he found Lord Pigot dead. He brought out with him letters of recommendation from Edmund and John Burke
John Burke
John Burke was an American lawyer, jurist, and political leader from North Dakota.Burke was born in Keokuk County, Iowa, and moved to the Dakota Territory. After North Dakota was admitted to the union, he served in the state's House of Representatives in 1891 and in its Senate from 1893 to 1896...
to Philip Francis, asking Francis to do something for him in case he should go to Bengal
Bengal
Bengal is a historical and geographical region in the northeast region of the Indian Subcontinent at the apex of the Bay of Bengal. Today, it is mainly divided between the sovereign land of People's Republic of Bangladesh and the Indian state of West Bengal, although some regions of the previous...
. These letters he sent to Francis, who wrote kindly to him, inviting him to his house, but telling him at the same time that he could do little to help him. He did not accept Francis's invitation, for having obtained the appointment of agent to the Rajah of Tanjore he returned to England
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...
.
In 1779 he went back to India as deputy paymaster of the king's troops, and in 1782 was made commissary-general of the forces in the East Indies
East Indies
East Indies is a term used by Europeans from the 16th century onwards to identify what is now known as Indian subcontinent or South Asia, Southeastern Asia, and the islands of Oceania, including the Malay Archipelago and the Philippines...
. Lord Cornwallis considered that the sending of him out was ‘an unnecessary job,’ and said in a letter to Lord Rawdon, dated 1789, that he had done him what service he could, but that with Burke service meant putting large sums of money into his pocket, and that if he had done that he would have deserved to be impeached, giving two examples of the ‘extraordinary’ proposals which Burke made for his own advantage, and to which he refused to consent.
After his return to England in 1793 he lived mainly at Beaconsfield
Beaconsfield
Beaconsfield is a market town and civil parish operating as a town council within the South Bucks district in Buckinghamshire, England. It lies northwest of Charing Cross in Central London, and south-east of the county town of Aylesbury...
, and notices of the poor state of his health occur in Edmund Burke's letters. He survived his kinsman, and died in 1798.
Works
Burke is said by Horace Walpole to have written with ingenuity and sharpness, and to have done good service to his party with his pen. An attempt has been made to show that he was or may have been the author of ‘Junius's Letters.’ Besides the share he had in the ‘European Settlements in America,’ and the pamphlets on the peace negotiations, from 1764 onwards he appears occasionally to have written letters on political matters, chiefly under the signature of ‘Valens,’ in the ‘London Evening PostLondon Evening Post
The London Evening Post was a pro-Jacobite Tory English newspaper published in Great Britain from 1727 until 1797....
’ and other papers. Some of these letters are said to have been written in conjunction with Edmund Burke. He also translated the address of M. Brissot to his constituents in 1794. This translation he submitted to Edmund Burke, who amended it and wrote a preface. Several of Burke's letters are contained in the correspondence of Edmund Burke, and in Barry's works.