Tyrwhitt, Thomas

Tyrwhitt, Thomas

▪ English scholar
born March 27, 1730, London
died Aug. 15, 1786, London
 English scholar especially notable for his work on the medieval English poet Geoffrey Chaucer. In classical and English scholarship alike, Tyrwhitt showed the same qualities of balance, wide knowledge, and critical acumen. (He was the one man able, on linguistic grounds alone, to denounce as a forgery the poems by Thomas Chatterton purporting to be by one “Thomas Rowley.”)

      After leaving Oxford University, he was called to the bar but never practiced. Deputy secretary of war (1756), then clerk of the House of Commons (1762), he retired in 1768. He edited Aristotle's Poetics (1794), but his fame rests chiefly upon an edition of Chaucer's Canterbury Tales, 5 vol. (1775–78). Chaucer's reputation had suffered because the principles on which his verse depends were no longer understood; it was Tyrwhitt who pointed out that final e's (by his time mute) ought to be pronounced as separate syllables and that the accent of a word was often placed in the French manner (e.g., virtúe, not vírtue). Tyrwhitt's scholarship is still held in great respect.

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Universalium. 2010.

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  • TYRWHITT, THOMAS —    English scholar, the son of an English Church canon, born in London; was a Fellow of Merton in 1755, and in 1762 became clerk to the House of Commons, a post, however, which proved too arduous for him, and in 1768 he resigned; the remainder of …   The Nuttall Encyclopaedia

  • Thomas Tyrwhitt — (March 27, 1730 ndash;August 15, 1786) was an English classical scholar and critic.He was born in London, where he also died. He was educated at Eton and Queen s College, Oxford (fellow of Merton, 1755). In 1756 he was appointed under secretary… …   Wikipedia

  • Thomas Tyrwhitt — (né à Londres le 27 mars 1730, décédé à Londres le 15 août 1786, à l âge de 56 ans) était un classiciste et critique littéraire britannique. Biographie Son éducation se fit au Collège d Eton et au Queen s College d Oxford ; il fut membre du… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Tyrwhitt — is an English surname. It may refer to one of the following:;Persons *Gerald Tyrwhitt Wilson, 14th Baron Berners (1883 1950), also Lord Berners, a British composer, novelist, painter, and aesthete. *Sir John Tyrwhitt, 5th Baronet, a member of the …   Wikipedia

  • Thomas Pink — is a retail clothing business which started in London in 1984. The concept was created by three Irish entrepreneurs, brothers James, Peter and John Mullen. The company was named for an 18th century London tailor who was known for making much… …   Wikipedia

  • Tyrwhitt — (Thyrwhitt), Thomas, geb. 1721 in London, war 1757 Untersecretär des Kriegsdepartements, 1761–67 Secretär im Unterhaus, 1784 mit Crocherode Inspector des Britischen Museums u. st. 19. Aug. 1786; er schr.: De Babrio, Lond. 1776, Auctar. dazu 1781 …   Pierer's Universal-Lexikon

  • Tyrwhitt — od. Thyrwhitt, Thomas, geb. um 1730 in England, gest. 1786 als Curator des brit. Museums, verdient als Philologe durch Ausgaben griech. Classiker, gab auch Chaucers berühmteste Dichtung, »die Canterbury. Erzählungen« (Lond. 1786) heraus …   Herders Conversations-Lexikon

  • Thomas Payne — (c1718 1799), was a well known bookseller in 18th century London. He was born in Brackley, Northamptonshire. From 1750 he ran a shop Castle Street, Leicester Fields. The premises were notoriously small, but exceptionally popular with the literati …   Wikipedia

  • Thomas Burgh, 1st Baron Burgh — (c. 1488 28 February 1550), also de jure 5th Baron Strabolgi, was an English peer.Burgh was the son of Sir Edward Burgh and grandson of Thomas de Burgh, 1st Baron Burgh. His father was never summoned to Parliament and the barony created for his… …   Wikipedia

  • Thomas Kidd — (1770 August 27, 1850) was an English classical scholar and schoolmaster.He was born in pool and educated at Giggleswick School and Trinity College, Cambridge. He was the father of John Tyrwhitt Davy Kidd who served in India for many years and… …   Wikipedia

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