Samuel Derrick (1724–1769) was an Irish author. He became known as a

hack writer ''Hack writer'' is a pejorative term for a writer who is paid to write low-quality, rushed articles or books "to order", often with a short deadline. In fiction writing, a hack writer is paid to quickly write sensational, "pulp" fiction such as " ...

in London, where he gained wide literary connections. Samuel Derrick, Master of the Ceremonies at Bath

Life

Born in

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

, Derrick served an apprenticeship with a linen draper, and after that failed as an actor. He then turned to writing. Derrick knew

Samuel Johnson Samuel Johnson (18 September 1709 – 13 December 1784), often called Dr Johnson, was an English writer who made lasting contributions as a poet, playwright, essayist, moralist, critic, biographer, editor and lexicographer. The ''Oxford ...

, who had a soft spot for him, and he helped Johnson in researching

John Dryden '' John Dryden (; – ) was an English poet, literary critic, translator, and playwright who in 1668 was appointed England's first Poet Laureate. He is seen as dominating the literary life of Restoration England to such a point that the per ...

's life. He also knew

James Boswell James Boswell, 9th Laird of Auchinleck (; 29 October 1740 (New Style, N.S.) – 19 May 1795), was a Scottish biographer, diarist, and lawyer, born in Edinburgh. He is best known for his biography of his friend and older contemporary the Englis ...

in his early days in London. He was supported by

Tobias Smollett Tobias George Smollett (baptised 19 March 1721 – 17 September 1771) was a Scottish poet and author. He was best known for picaresque novels such as ''The Adventures of Roderick Random'' (1748), ''The Adventures of Peregrine Pickle'' (1751) a ...

, who gave him employment as amanuensis and on ''

The Critical Review ''The Critical Review'' was a British publication appearing from 1756 to 1817. It was first edited by Tobias Smollett, from 1756 to 1763. Contributors included Samuel Johnson, David Hume, John Hunter, and Oliver Goldsmith. Early years The Ed ...

''. He is thought to have been the original compiler of ''

Harris's List of Covent Garden Ladies ''Harris's List of Covent Garden Ladies'', published from 1757 to 1795, was an annual directory of prostitutes then working in Georgian London. A small pocketbook, it was printed and published in Covent Garden, and sold for two shi ...

'', an annual directory of London

prostitutes Prostitution is the business or practice of engaging in sexual activity in exchange for payment. The definition of "sexual activity" varies, and is often defined as an activity requiring physical contact (e.g., sexual intercourse, non-penet ...

beginning in 1757. Two years after the death of

Beau Nash Beau Nash (18 October 1674 – 3 February 1762), born Richard Nash, was a celebrated dandy and leader of fashion in 18th-century Britain. He is best remembered as the Master of Ceremonies at the spa town of Bath. Biography Nash was born in ...

in 1761, Derrick was appointed master of the ceremonies at Bath. He was employed there, and in a similar position in

Tunbridge Wells Royal Tunbridge Wells is a town in Kent, England, southeast of central London. It lies close to the border with East Sussex on the northern edge of the Weald, High Weald, whose sandstone geology is exemplified by the rock formation High Roc ...

, until his death on 28 March 1769. There was no lack of criticism, with James Quin in particular (who had wanted the position in Bath) undermining Derrick.

Works

Derrick published: *''The Dramatic Censor'', No. 1, 1752. This title was used again in 1770 by Francis Gentleman. *''Sylla'', a dramatic entertainment, from the French of

Frederick II of Prussia Frederick II (german: Friedrich II.; 24 January 171217 August 1786) was King in Prussia from 1740 until 1772, and King of Prussia from 1772 until his death in 1786. His most significant accomplishments include his military successes in the Sil ...

, 1753. *''A Voyage from the Moon'', from the French of

Cyrano de Bergerac Savinien de Cyrano de Bergerac ( , ; 6 March 1619 – 28 July 1655) was a French novelist, playwright, epistolarian, and duelist. A bold and innovative author, his work was part of the libertine literature of the first half of the 17th cen ...

, 1753. *''Memoirs of the Count de Beauval'', from the French of D'Argens, 1754. *''The Third Satire of Juvenal'', translated into English verse, 1755. *''A View of the Stage'', 1759, published under the name of

John Wilkes John Wilkes (17 October 1725 – 26 December 1797) was an English radical journalist and politician, as well as a magistrate, essayist and soldier. He was first elected a Member of Parliament in 1757. In the Middlesex election dispute, he fo ...

. *''The Battle of Lora'', a poem, from

Ossian Ossian (; Irish Gaelic/Scottish Gaelic: ''Oisean'') is the narrator and purported author of a cycle of epic poems published by the Scottish poet James Macpherson, originally as ''Fingal'' (1761) and ''Temora'' (1763), and later combined under t ...

, 1762. *''Dryden's Works, with a Life and Notes'', 1760, 4 vols. *''A Poetical Dictionary'', 1761, 4 vols. *''A Collection of Voyages'', 1762, 2 vols. *''Letters written from Leverpoole, Chester, Corke'', 1767, 2 vols. This gains a mention from a character in

's epistolary novel ''The Expedition of Humphry Clinker''.Page 2 in the OUP World's Classics edition of 1984. A compilation entitled ''Derrick's Jests, or the Wit's Chronicle'', was published soon after his death.

Notes

;Attribution

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Derrick, Samuel 1724 births 1769 deaths Irish writers Writers from Dublin (city) Amanuenses