| Administrative History | James Boswell (1740 - 1795). The friend and biographer of Samuel Johnson, who appears to have been an early friend of Beattie, though it is unclear when they first met. He is first mentioned in the Beattie correspondence in 1770. He introduced Beattie to Johnson in 1771.
Samuel Johnson (1709 - 1784). Beattie first met Johnson during Beattie's 1771 visit to London, having been introduced by James Boswell. Johnson admired both the Essay on Truth and The Minstrel, and often spoke affectionately of Beattie.
Hannah More (1745 - 1833) was a writer and philanthropist. Along with her four sisters, More ran a boarding - school for girls and she wrote works, relating to morality, women's education and their role in society. Her engagement to William Turner, of Belmont House, Wraxall, between around 1767 and 1773 was unsuccessful. More had close connections with David and Eva Garrick, Elizabeth Montagu, Joshua Reynolds, Dr Samuel Johnson and Edmund Burke, as well as many other notable figures. In 1775, More was invited to her first bluestocking literary party at Montagu's house in Hill Street.
Sir Joshua Reynolds [1723-1792]. Portrait painter and first President of the Royal Academy. Beattie first met him on his London visit in 1771. He painted an allegorical portrait of Beattie, "The Triumph of Truth", in 1773
David Garrick [1717-1779] Actor, greatly admired by Beattie, who saw him act in 1764, and first met on him on his London visit in 1771.
Thomas Gray (1716 - 1771). The modern poet most admired by Beattie. Beattie heard in 1765 that Gray was visiting Scotland, introduced himself by letter, and spent two days with Gray at Glamis Castle. Gray advised Beattie on 'The Hermit' and 'The Minstrel'. Beattie supervised the publication in 1768 of a magnificent edition of Gray's poems by the Foulis Press in Glasgow
William Mason (1725 - 1797) was a poet and garden designer. Mason translated 'De arte graphica', which was Charles Alfonse Du Fresnoy's Latin poem of 1667 on colour theory. According to the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, after a period of indecision lasting more than a year, during which he served as private secretary to Lord Holdernesse, Mason was ordained deacon on 17 November 1754 in St Margaret's, Westminster, made a priest a week later, and was then presented by Holdernesse on 27 November 1754 to the living of Aston, West Riding of Yorkshire, where he remained rector for forty - three years. For some years until his 1768 inheritance Mason actively pursued preferment, holding five church offices by 1777. Through the duke of Devonshire, he was made a royal chaplain in 1757, relinquishing the post in 1772. His most significant post was as precentor of York Minster, held for thirty - five years from 1762, in which his activities, compositions, and writings affected the development of provincial church music (see N. Temperley, ‘Jonathan Gray and church music in York, 1770–1840’, Borthwick Papers, 51, University of York, 1977, 7 – 8). |