James Arbuckle (1700 – 1742?) was an Irish poet and critic, associated politically with

Presbyterianism Presbyterianism is a part of the Reformed tradition within Protestantism that broke from the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland by John Knox, who was a priest at St. Giles Cathedral (Church of Scotland). Presbyterian churches derive their nam ...

and

Whiggism Whiggism (in North America sometimes spelled Whigism) is a political philosophy that grew out of the Parliamentarian faction in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms (1639–1651). The Whigs' key policy positions were the supremacy of Parliament (as ...

. His birthplace was possibly

Belfast Belfast ( , ; from ga, Béal Feirste , meaning 'mouth of the sand-bank ford') is the capital and largest city of Northern Ireland, standing on the banks of the River Lagan on the east coast. It is the 12th-largest city in the United Kingdom ...

, but he was the son of a Presbyterian minister in

Dublin Dublin (; , or ) is the capital and largest city of Ireland. On a bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the province of Leinster, bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, a part of the Wicklow Mountains range. At the 2016 c ...

, and educated at

Glasgow University , image = UofG Coat of Arms.png , image_size = 150px , caption = Coat of arms Flag , latin_name = Universitas Glasguensis , motto = la, Via, Veritas, Vita , ...

, where his studies were disrupted by his struggles against

Calvinist Calvinism (also called the Reformed Tradition, Reformed Protestantism, Reformed Christianity, or simply Reformed) is a major branch of Protestantism that follows the theological tradition and forms of Christian practice set down by John Ca ...

authorities (concerning the right of students to cast votes for the university's rectorship). He espoused the philosophy of

Anthony Ashley-Cooper, 3rd Earl of Shaftesbury Anthony Ashley Cooper, 3rd Earl of Shaftesbury (26 February 1671 – 16 February 1713) was an English politician, philosopher, and writer. Early life He was born at Exeter House in London, the son of the future Anthony Ashley Cooper, 2nd E ...

. His first published work was ''Snuff'' (1717), a mock-epic, which won praise from Allan Ramsay. It was followed by ''Glotta, or, the Clyde'' (1721), a tribute to Scottish life and scenery in which the most ordinary topics (such as golf and swimming) are depicted in high-flown language. His style was similar to that of

Alexander Pope Alexander Pope (21 May 1688 O.S. – 30 May 1744) was an English poet, translator, and satirist of the Enlightenment era who is considered one of the most prominent English poets of the early 18th century. An exponent of Augustan literature, ...

, who he was clearly an admirer of.Stewart p.81 In 1723, Arbuckle returned to

, where, under the patronage of Robert Molesworth, he edited the ''Weekly Journal'', ''The Tribune'' and ''Hibernicus's Letters'' (a journal of essays later republished in two volumes, 1729). In 1735, he published a scathing satirical attack on

Jonathan Swift Jonathan Swift (30 November 1667 – 19 October 1745) was an Anglo-Irish satirist, author, essayist, political pamphleteer (first for the Whigs, then for the Tories), poet, and Anglican cleric who became Dean of St Patrick's Cathedral, Dubl ...

, whom he had once befriended, entitled ''Momus Mistaken'' with which he inadvertently dented his own reputation. He intended to publish translations of classical works but nothing came of these plans; he became a schoolmaster in northern Ireland and his later life is obscure. His death has been given various dates between 1734 and 1747. Some classical translations and other manuscript poetry are now in the National Library of Wales.

References

Bibliography

* John F. Woznak. "James Arbuckle and the Dublin Weekly Journal." ''Journal of Irish Literature'', v.22 (May 1993) pp46–52 * A.T.Q. Stewart. ''A Deeper Silence: The Hidden Origins of the United Irishmen''. Blackstaff Press, 1998.

External links

at Ricorso
Text
of ''Glotta''
Google Books text
of ''Glotta'' {{DEFAULTSORT:Arbuckle, James 1700 births 1742 deaths Irish poets Alumni of the University of Glasgow Irish Presbyterians Writers from Dublin (city)