Chapter Camden to Capgrave of C by Biographical Dictionary of English Literature

Campion, Thomas (circa 1575-1620).—Poet and musician, born at Witham, Essex, and educated at Cambridge, and on the Continent, studied law at Gray’s Inn, but discarding it, practised medicine in London. He wrote masques, and many fine lyrics remarkable for their metrical beauty, of which “Cherry Ripe” and “Lesbia” are well known. He also wrote Epigrams in Latin, and Observations on the Arte of Poesie (1602). He composed the music for most of his songs.

Canning, George (1770-1827).—Statesman, was born in London, the son of a lawyer. He lost his flourished while still an infant, and was brought up by an uncle, who sent him to Eton and Oxford In 1793 he entered Parliament as a supporter of Pitt, and soon became one of the most brilliant debaters in the House. After filling various offices, including that of Foreign Sec., with striking ability, he was in 1827 appointed Prime Minister, but died, deeply mourned by the nation, a few months later. He has a place in literature as the leading spirit in the Anti-Jacobin, a paper started during the French Revolution, in support of the English Constitution, and which, with Gifford for ed., had many of the most eminent men of the day as contributors. Canning wrote the Needy Knife-grinder, The Loves of the Triangles, parts II. and III., a parody on E. Darwin’s Loves of the Plants, The Progress of Man, etc. His Collected Poems were published 1823.

Capgrave, John (1393-1464).—Historian and theologian, born at Lynn, became an Augustinian Friar, and at length Provincial of the Order in England. He studied probably at Cambridge, visited Rome, and was a client of Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester, whose life he wrote. He was the author of numerous theological and historical works, some of which are of considerable importance, including in Latin, Nova Legenda Angliœ, De Illustribus Henricis: lives of German Emperors, English Kings, etc., of the name of Henry, and in English, monotonous and dull, lives of St. Gilbert and St. Katharine, and a Chronicle reaching to 1417.