John Langhorne (poet)

John Langhorne (March 1735–1 April 1779), was an English poet and clergyman, best known for his work on translating "Plutarch's Lives".

Biography

The younger son of Joseph (a clergyman) and Isabel, Langhorne was born at Winton near Kirkby Stephen. He was educated first in Winton, and later in Appleby. Following his 18th birthday, he became tutor to a Ripon family, and was later an Usher at the free school in Wakefield. In Wakefield he took orders, being ordained Deacon. [cite web|first=Arthur|last=Sherbo|title=‘Langhorne, John (1735–1779)’|work=Oxford Dictionary of National Biography|publisher=Oxford University Press|year=2004|url=http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/16017|doi=10.1093/ref:odnb/16017|accessdate=2008-03-14]

He was for two years a curate in London, and from 1776 Rector of Blagdon, Somerset, and Prebendary of Wells.

He is chiefly remembered as being the translator, jointly with his brother, Rev. William Langhorne, of "Plutarch's Lives", but in his day he had some reputation as a poet, his chief work in poetry being "Studley Park" and "Fables of Flora". In his "Country Justice" (1774–77) he foreshadows George Crabbe, as in his descriptive poems he foreshadows William Wordsworth. He was twice married, and both of his wives died in giving birth to a first child.

References