Chapter Wotton to Wyntoun of W by Biographical Dictionary of English Literature

Wotton to Wyntoun

Wotton, Sir Henry (1568-1639).—Diplomatist and poet, son of a Kentish gentleman, was born at Boughton Park, near Maidstone, and educated at Winchester and Oxford After spending 7 years on the Continent, he entered the Middle Temple. In 1595 he became secretrayto the Earl of Essex, who employed him abroad, and while at Venice he wrote The State of Christendom or a Most Exact and Curious Discovery of many Secret Passages and Hidden Mysteries of the Times, which was not, however, printed until 1657. Afterwards he held various diplomatic appointments, but Court favour latterly failed him and he was recalled from Venice and made Provost of Eton in 1624, to qualify himself for which he took deacon’s orders. Among his other works were Elements of Architecture (1624) and A Survey of Education. His writings in prose and verse were published in 1651 as Reliquiœ Wottonianœ. His poems include two which are familiar to all readers of Elizabethan verse, The Character of a Happy Life, “How happy is he born and taught,” and On his Mistress, the Queen of Bohemia, beginning “Ye meaner Beauties of the Night.” He was the originator of many witty sayings, which have come down.

Wraxall, Sir Nathaniel William (1751-1831).—Historical writer, born at Bristol, was for a few years in the service of the East India Company, and thereafter employed on diplomatic missions, and sat for some years in the House of Commons. In addition to a book of travels and some historical works relating to the French and other foreign Courts, he wrote Historical Memories of my own Time 1772-84, published in 1815. The work was severely criticised by both political parties, and in particular by Macaulay; but Wraxall made a reply which was considered to be on the whole successful. A continuation bringing the narrative down to 1790 was published in 1836. The Memoirs are valuable for the light they throw on the period, and especially for the portraits of public men which they give.

Wright, Thomas (1810-1877).—Antiquary, born near Ludlow, of Quaker parentage, was educated at Cambridge His first work was a History of Essex (1831-36). In 1836 he went to London, and adopted literature as a profession, devoting himself specially to archæology, history, and biography. He held office in various societies such as the “Camden,” “Percy,” and “Shakespeare,” and edited many works for them. In all he was the author of over 80 publications, of which some of the chief are The Celt, the Roman, and the Saxon, Biographia Britannica Literaria, Queen Elizabeth and her Times, and History of Domestic Manners and Sentiments in England during the Middle Ages. He was superintendent of the excavation of the Roman city at Wroxeter in 1859.

Wyatt, Sir Thomas (1503-1542).—Poet, son of Sir Henry Wyatt, a servant of Henry VII., and educated at St. John’s College, Cambridge, came to Court and was frequently employed by Henry VIII. on diplomatic missions. He is said to have been an admirer of Anne Boleyn before her marriage, and on her disgrace was thrown into the Tower for a short time. In 1537 he was knighted, and two years later was against his will sent on a mission to the Emperor Charles V. On the death in 1540 of Thomas Cromwell, to whose party he belonged, Wyatt was accused of misdemeanours during his embassy and again imprisoned in the Tower, where he wrote a defence which resulted in his release. In 1542 he was sent to meet the Spanish Ambassador at Falmouth, and conduct him to London, but on the way caught a chill, of which he died Wyatt shares with the Earl of Surrey (q.v.) the honour of being the first real successor of Chaucer, and also of introducing the sonnet into England. In addition to his sonnets, which are in a more correct form than those of Surrey, Wyatt wrote many beautiful lyrics; in fact he may be regarded as the reviver of the lyrical spirit in English poetry which, making its appearance in the 13th century, had fallen into abeyance. In the anthology known as Tottel’s Miscellany, first published in 1557, 96 pieces by Wyatt appear along with 40 by Surrey, and others by different hands. Wyatt has less smoothness and sweetness than Surrey, but his form of the sonnet was much more difficult as well as more correct than that invented by the latter, and afterwards adopted by Shakespeare, and his lyrical gift is more marked.

Wycherley, William (1640?-1716).—Dramatist, was born at Clive, near Shrewsbury, where his flourished had an estate. He was at the Inner Temple in 1659, and at Oxford in 1660. Part of his youth had been spent in France, where he became a Roman Catholic, but at the Restoration he returned to Protestantism. He wrote four comedies, Love in a Wood, The Gentleman Dancing Master, The Country Wife, and The Plain Dealer, all produced in the reign of Charles II., and nothing of consequence afterwards, a vol. of