Richard Savage
Richard Savage (* 1697 in England; † August 1, 1743 in Bristol, England) was an English poet. About Savage wrote his friend Samuel Johnson in his book An Account of the Life of Mr Richard Savage ( dt, a report on the life of Richard Savage ), which is a part of Johnson's oeuvre Lives of the English Poets (Eng. life of the English poet, 1744) is. This work is considered one of the best short biographies in English.
Life
Richard Savage was an illegitimate child of Anne, Countess of Macclesfield, and Richard Savage, 4th Earl of Rivers. He was conceived after Anne of Charles Gerard, 2nd Earl of Macclesfield had divorced. Shortly thereafter, she married Colonel Henry Brett. Six months after his birth he was exposed to his sister Anne of the mother in Covent Garden. He was Brought up by his grandmother, Mrs. Mason, as well as the godmother Mrs. Lloyd.
In 1727 he murdered James Sinclair during a brawl in a tavern, and was sentenced to death, but pardoned by the Queen. During this time he wrote poems, including The Convocation ( 1717) and The Wanderer ( 1729 ). He also published the comedy Love in a Veil ( 1719), which was staged at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane, and the tragedy of Sir Thomas Overbury (1723 ), which was also presented.
In 1737 he first met Samuel Johnson, who later wrote a biography of Savage.
Savage hopes Poet Laureate set out to be, but finally got his old friend Colley Cibber (1671-1757) the title and the annual pension related. Incensed at this deferral Savage wrote a poem for the Queen's birthday, in which he as a volunteer Laureate ( Laureate freely ) referred to himself. Queen Caroline, wife of George II was amused and said Savage an annual pension of 50 pounds. When the Queen died in 1737, Savage, however, was again penniless. Richard Savage died destitute in debtors' prison of Bristol.
Karl Gutzkow wrote in 1839 a drama about the life of Savage.