Nicholas Rowe (writer)

Lore & Background

Nicholas Rowe was born in Little Barford, Bedfordshire, England, son of John Rowe, barrister and sergeant-at-law, and Elizabeth, daughter of Jasper Edwards, on 20 June 1674. His family possessed a considerable estate at Lamerton in Devonshire. His father practised law and published Benlow's and Dallison's Reports during the reign of King James II. The future Poet Laureate was educated first at Highgate School, and then at Westminster School under the guidance of Richard Busby. In 1688, Rowe became a King's Scholar, which was followed by his entrance into Middle Temple in 1691. On his father's death, when he was nineteen, he became the master of an independent fortune. He was left to his own direction, and from that time ignored law to try his hand first at poetry, and then later at writing plays. Rowe acted as under-secretary (1709–1711) to the Duke of Queensberry when he was principal secretary of state for Scotland. On the accession of George I, Rowe was made a surveyor of customs, and in 1715 he succeeded Nahum Tate as poet laureate. He was also appointed clerk of the council to the Prince of Wales, and in 1718 was nominated by Lord Chancellor Parker as clerk of the presentations in Chancery. He died on 6 December 1718, and was buried in Westminster Abbey. A monument was erected to his memory in the Abbey by John Michael Rysbrack c. 1722.

Reader's Guide

Nicholas Rowe's significance rests on three main achievements: his influential edition of Shakespeare's works, his popular tragedies, and his verse translation of Lucan. Though he based his text on the corrupt Fourth Folio, his edition set a standard for scholarly presentation. His plays, particularly The Fair Penitent and Jane Shore, were praised by Samuel Johnson and remained in the repertory for decades. The character Lothario from The Fair Penitent became a byword for a rake, and the play influenced Samuel Richardson's Clarissa. His widow received a pension from George I in 1719 in recognition of her husband's translation of Lucan. Though his own works are now seldom performed, his editorial legacy and his role in shaping 18th-century taste for Shakespeare and neoclassical tragedy remain notable.

Did You Know?

• Rowe succeeded Nahum Tate as Poet Laureate in 1715.
• His verse translation of Lucan's Pharsalia was called by Samuel Johnson 'one of the greatest productions in English poetry' and ran through eight editions between 1718 and 1807.
• Rowe's play Tamerlane represented William III as Timur and denounced Louis XIV as Bajazet, and was regularly acted on the anniversary of William's landing at Torbay.
• The character Lothario from Rowe's The Fair Penitent became synonymous with a rake.
• Rowe's 1709–10 edition of Shakespeare was the first to be illustrated, with a frontispiece engraving for each play.

The Prolific Stage Career

Rowe's first play, The Ambitious Stepmother, was produced in 1700 at Lincoln's Inn Fields by Thomas Betterton and set in Persepolis, and was well received. This was followed in 1701 by Tamerlane, in which the conqueror Timur represented William III, and Louis XIV is denounced as Bajazet. It was for many years regularly acted on the anniversary of William's landing at Torbay. In Dublin in 1712, at a time when political passions were running high, the performance provoked a serious riot. The Fair Penitent (1702, published 1703), an adaptation of Massinger and Field's The Fatal Dowry, was pronounced by Samuel Johnson as one of the most pleasing tragedies ever written in English. It featured the character of Lothario, whose name became synonymous with a rake. Calista is said to have suggested to Samuel Richardson the character of Clarissa Harlowe, as Lothario suggested Lovelace. In 1704, Rowe tried his hand at comedy, producing The Biter at Lincoln's Inn Fields, which was unsuccessful. He returned to tragedy in Ulysses (1705). The Royal Convert (1707) was a story about a love triangle between two brothers, Hengist and Aribert, and a Christian woman named Ethelinda, who is martyred. Jane Shore, professedly an imitation of Shakespeare's style, was played at Drury Lane with Anne Oldfield in the title role in 1714. It ran for nineteen nights, and kept the stage longer than any other of Rowe's works. The Tragedy of Lady Jane Grey followed in 1715, and as this play was not successful, it was his last foray into the medium.

Shakespeare's First Modern Editor

Rowe published the first 18th-century edition of William Shakespeare in seven volumes (six volumes of plays and a seventh of poems) in 1709–10 (printed by Tonson) and is also considered the first editor of Shakespeare. His practical knowledge of the stage helped him divide the plays into scenes (and sometime acts), with the entrances and exits of the players noted. He also normalised the spelling of names and prefixed each play with a list of the dramatis personae. This 1709–10 edition was also the first to be illustrated, a frontispiece engraving being provided for each play. Unfortunately, Rowe based his text on the corrupt Fourth Folio, a course which was followed by many later 18th-century editors who followed in his editorial footsteps. Rowe also wrote a short biography of Shakespeare, entitled, Some Account of the Life &c. of Mr. William Shakespear.

A Life of Fortune, Loss, and Literary Devotion

Rowe was first married to Antonia Parsons in 1695 with whom he had a son John, born in 1699. John married Mary Hambly Rowe, with whom he had eight children. Antonia died in 1706. Rowe married again in 1717. His second wife was Anne Devenish, and they had a daughter named Charlotte. Charlotte died in 1739, leaving two children. Upon his death his widow received a pension from George I in 1719 in recognition of her husband's translation of Lucan. This verse translation, or rather paraphrase of the Pharsalia, was called by Samuel Johnson one of the greatest productions in English poetry, and was widely read, running through eight editions between 1718 and 1807.

Public Service and Lasting Memorial

Rowe acted as under-secretary (1709–1711) to the Duke of Queensberry when he was principal secretary of state for Scotland. On the accession of George I, Rowe was made a surveyor of customs, and in 1715 he succeeded Nahum Tate as poet laureate. He was also appointed clerk of the council to the Prince of Wales, and in 1718 was nominated by Lord Chancellor Parker as clerk of the presentations in Chancery. He died on 6 December 1718, and was buried in Westminster Abbey. A monument was erected to his memory in the Abbey by John Michael Rysbrack c. 1722. The inscription on his tomb reads: 'Thy Reliques, Rowe, to this sad Shrine we trust, and near thy Shakespear place thy honour'd Bust, Oh next him skill'ed to draw the tender Tear, For never Heart felt Passion more sincere: To nobler sentiment to fire the Brave. For never Briton more disdain'd a Slave: Peace to the gentle Shade, and endless Rest, Blest in thy Genius, in thy love too blest; And blest, that timely from Our Scene remov'd Thy Soul enjoys that Liberty it lov'd.'