Eustace Budgell facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Eustace Budgell
|
|
|---|---|
Portrait of Budgell by John Faber the Younger, 1720
|
|
| Born | 19 August 1686 St Thomas, Exeter, Devon, England
|
| Died | 4 May 1737 (aged 50) London, England
|
| Nationality | English |
| Occupation | writer, politician |
Eustace Budgell (born August 19, 1686 – died May 4, 1737) was an English writer and politician. He is best known for his work with the famous writer Joseph Addison on The Spectator magazine. Budgell also served as a member of the Irish Parliament.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Eustace Budgell was born in a place called St Thomas, near Exeter, England. His father was Gilbert Budgell. Eustace was also related to the well-known writer Joseph Addison. Addison was his cousin.
Budgell went to Trinity College, Oxford, a famous university. He started his studies there in 1705. After college, he began to study law. He joined a legal society called the Inner Temple. He was even qualified to work as a lawyer. However, his cousin Joseph Addison influenced him to choose a different path.
Starting a New Career
Joseph Addison was a very important person in Budgell's life. Addison took Budgell to Ireland. There, he helped Budgell get a good job. This job paid well and gave Budgell a strong start.
However, Budgell soon faced a challenge. He wrote something critical about the Viceroy, who was a high-ranking official. Because of this, he lost his job.
His Work as a Writer
Eustace Budgell became a writer. He worked with Joseph Addison on a very popular magazine. This magazine was called The Spectator.
Writing for The Spectator
The Spectator was a magazine that came out in the early 1700s. It was read by many people. Budgell wrote 37 articles for this magazine. He signed his articles with the letter "X".
His writing style was very similar to Addison's. He was quite good at imitating Addison's way of writing. This helped The Spectator become even more popular.
His Political Career
Besides writing, Eustace Budgell was also involved in politics. He served as a member of Parliament.
Serving in Parliament
From 1715 to 1727, Budgell was a Member of Parliament (MP). He represented a place called Mullingar. This was in the Irish House of Commons. The Irish House of Commons was like a parliament for Ireland at that time.
Later Life and Challenges
As he got older, Eustace Budgell faced some difficult times. He lost a lot of money.
Facing Financial Troubles
Budgell lost a large amount of his money in something called the South Sea Bubble. This was a big financial crisis in England around 1720. Many people invested in a company called the South Sea Company. The company's value rose very quickly, then crashed. This caused many investors, including Budgell, to lose their fortunes.
Public Criticism
Eustace Budgell was not always liked by everyone. Some people found him to be a bit proud. A famous poet named Alexander Pope even criticized Budgell in his poems. These poems included Epistle to Dr Arbuthnot and The Dunciad.
