Thomas Bridges (c. 1710 – 1775 or later) was an English writer of parodies, drama and one novel. He was born in

Hull Hull may refer to: Structures * Chassis, of an armored fighting vehicle * Fuselage, of an aircraft * Hull (botany), the outer covering of seeds * Hull (watercraft), the body or frame of a ship * Submarine hull Mathematics * Affine hull, in affi ...

, the son of a physician. He became a wine merchant and a partner in a banking firm. In 1762 he published, under the pseudonym Caustic Barebones, ''A Travestie of Homer'', a

parody A parody, also known as a spoof, a satire, a send-up, a take-off, a lampoon, a play on (something), or a caricature, is a creative work designed to imitate, comment on, and/or mock its subject by means of satiric or ironic imitation. Often its subj ...

burlesque A burlesque is a literary, dramatic or musical work intended to cause laughter by caricaturing the manner or spirit of serious works, or by ludicrous treatment of their subjects.

translation of

Homer Homer (; grc, Ὅμηρος , ''Hómēros'') (born ) was a Greek poet who is credited as the author of the ''Iliad'' and the ''Odyssey'', two epic poems that are foundational works of ancient Greek literature. Homer is considered one of the ...

Iliad The ''Iliad'' (; grc, Ἰλιάς, Iliás, ; "a poem about Ilium") is one of two major ancient Greek epic poems attributed to Homer. It is one of the oldest extant works of literature still widely read by modern audiences. As with the ''Odysse ...

. The work achieved some popularity, and was reprinted several times, the last in 1797. In 1765 he wrote ''The Battle of the Genii'', a burlesque of

John Milton John Milton (9 December 1608 – 8 November 1674) was an English poet and intellectual. His 1667 epic poem '' Paradise Lost'', written in blank verse and including over ten chapters, was written in a time of immense religious flux and political ...

's ''

Paradise Lost ''Paradise Lost'' is an epic poem in blank verse by the 17th-century English poet John Milton (1608–1674). The first version, published in 1667, consists of ten books with over ten thousand lines of verse (poetry), verse. A second edition fo ...

'', which was once attributed to

Francis Grose Francis Grose (born before 11 June 1731 – 12 May 1791) was an English antiquary, draughtsman, and lexicographer. He produced ''A Classical Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue'' (1785) and ''A Provincial Glossary, with a Collection of Local Prove ...

. Bridges' only novel was ''The Adventures of a Bank-Note'', published in 1770. He wrote two plays: ''Dido'', a

comic opera Comic opera, sometimes known as light opera, is a sung dramatic work of a light or comic nature, usually with a happy ending and often including spoken dialogue. Forms of comic opera first developed in late 17th-century Italy. By the 1730s, a ne ...

produced at the

Haymarket Theatre The Theatre Royal Haymarket (also known as Haymarket Theatre or the Little Theatre) is a West End theatre on Haymarket in the City of Westminster which dates back to 1720, making it the third-oldest London playhouse still in use. Samuel Foote ...

in 1771, with music by

James Hook James Hook may refer to: * Captain Hook, the villain of J. M. Barrie's play and novel ''Peter Pan'' * James Hook (composer) (1746–1827), English composer and organist * James Hook (priest) (1771–1828), English priest, Dean of Worcester * Jame ...

; and ''The Dutchman'' (1775), a musical entertainment also with music by Hook.

References

*''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'' {{DEFAULTSORT:Bridges, Thomas 1710s births Year of birth uncertain Year of death unknown 18th-century English novelists English satirists English dramatists and playwrights English male dramatists and playwrights English male novelists 18th-century English male writers 18th-century English writers