Josiah Relph (3 December 1712 – 26 June 1743) was a

Cumberland Cumberland ( ) is a historic counties of England, historic county in the far North West England. It covers part of the Lake District as well as the north Pennines and Solway Firth coast. Cumberland had an administrative function from the 12th c ...

poet A poet is a person who studies and creates poetry. Poets may describe themselves as such or be described as such by others. A poet may simply be the creator ( thinker, songwriter, writer, or author) who creates (composes) poems (oral or w ...

(his first name is given as Joseph in earlier editions of the ''

Dictionary of National Biography The ''Dictionary of National Biography'' (''DNB'') is a standard work of reference on notable figures from British history, published since 1885. The updated ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'' (''ODNB'') was published on 23 September ...

''). His poetical works were first published in 1747 under the title of ''A Miscellany of Poems''. They were edited by Thomas Sanderson, who supplied a biography of the author and a pastoral elegy on his death. A second edition appeared at

Carlisle Carlisle ( , ; from xcb, Caer Luel) is a city that lies within the Northern English county of Cumbria, south of the Scottish border at the confluence of the rivers Eden, Caldew and Petteril. It is the administrative centre of the City ...

in 1798, with the biography and engravings by

Thomas Bewick Thomas Bewick (c. 11 August 17538 November 1828) was an English wood-engraver and natural history author. Early in his career he took on all kinds of work such as engraving cutlery, making the wood blocks for advertisements, and illustrating ch ...

. Relph's best verses are in the dialect of his native county; they show talent and appreciation of natural beauties.

Biography

Relph was born in Churchtown, his father's small estate belonging in the parish of

Sebergham Sebergham is a small village and civil parish in the English county of Cumbria. It is located on the B5305, south of Carlisle, Cumbria, Carlisle and south-east of Wigton. The civil parish population at the 2011 Census was 365. St Mary's Church ...

, Cumberland. Though a freeholder or 'statesman' of very small means, Relph's father procured for his son an excellent education at the celebrated school of the Rev. Mr. Yates of Appleby. At fifteen Relph went to

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, returning not long after to fill the post of master in the small grammar school of his native village. Taking holy orders, he also succeeded to the incumbency of the parish of Sebergham, a perpetual curacy. In these positions, he worked energetically to reform the rough manners of his parishioners and to educate their children. Relph died at Churchtown. He was buried at Sebergham. A monument with an inscription to his memory is in the church.

References

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Relph, Josiah 1712 births 1743 deaths English male poets