George Ellis (poet) facts for kids

George Ellis (born December 19, 1753 – died April 10, 1815) was an English writer and politician. He was known for studying old things (an antiquary) and writing funny poems that made fun of people or ideas (satirical poetry). He also served as a Member of Parliament, which means he was elected to help make laws for the country. George Ellis is most famous for his books, Specimens of the Early English Poets and Specimens of Early English Metrical Romances. These books helped many people learn about old English poetry from the Middle Ages.

George Ellis's Early Life and Education

George Ellis was born in Jamaica on December 19, 1753. His father, who was a sugar planter, passed away before George was born. His grandfather, also named George Ellis, was a very important judge in Jamaica. Edward Long, who wrote a book called The History of Jamaica, was his uncle on his mother's side.

His full name was George Rose Ellis.

He moved to England in 1755 when he was very young. He went to Westminster School and then to Trinity College, Cambridge, which are both famous schools.

As a young man, George Ellis became well-known in important social groups for his cleverness, charm, and writing skills. He published two books of light, fun poems: Bath; Its Beauties and Amusements (1777) and Poetical Tales of Gregory Gander (1778). These books were very popular in England and even in France. He also helped write The Rolliad (1784–85), which was a funny, critical work against the politician William Pitt the Younger.

George Ellis bought a large house called The Cedars in Sunninghill, Berkshire.

His Family's Sugar Plantations

When George Ellis's father died young, his uncle John Ellis managed the family's sugar plantations in Jamaica. These plantations used enslaved people to grow and process sugar. George later discussed with his uncle Edward Long about how his uncle John managed the plantations. George wanted to rent out the Caymanas Park plantation, but John insisted on keeping it under their direct control.

George received money from the plantation's output, which included sugar and rum. In 1780, he traveled to Jamaica to see his property. He got sick with a fever and returned to England in 1781. When his uncle John was lost at sea in 1782, George took over the management of the plantations.

His Work in Politics and Diplomacy

In 1784, George Ellis became an assistant to his friend Sir James Harris, a diplomat. They traveled widely across Europe. Using his experience, Ellis wrote two books. One was called Memoir of a Map of the Countries Comprehended between the Black Sea and the Caspian, published in 1788. The other was The History of the Dutch Revolution (1789), which was even translated into French by the future King Louis XVIII.

In 1793, his friend Malmesbury joined William Pitt's government, and Ellis followed him. He became good friends with George Canning, another rising politician. In 1796, Ellis was elected as a Member of Parliament for two areas, Westbury and Seaford. He chose to represent Seaford. However, he is not known to have given any speeches in the House of Commons.

In 1796 and 1797, he helped Malmesbury in peace talks with France. When he returned to England, he joined Canning and William Gifford to start a newspaper called The Anti-Jacobin. He often wrote funny, critical articles for it.

In 1801, he married Anne Parker, but they did not have any children. In 1802, he decided not to run for Parliament again, possibly because he was not feeling well.

George Ellis's Literary Studies

George Ellis's first important work about old literature was Specimens of the Early English Poets (1790). This book was a collection of lyric poems from the 16th and 17th centuries. It presented them in modern spelling with notes about their history and the poets' lives.

The second edition, published in 1801, was much bigger. It grew from one book to three and included even older poems. It had a long introduction about the history of English poetry. This book was very popular and was printed six times between 1790 and 1851. Other writers copied his style, and his work inspired many others to collect and study old English writings.

His next big project was with Gregory Lewis Way. They worked on a collection of old French stories called fabliaux from the 12th and 13th centuries. Ellis wrote the introduction and notes, and Way did the translations. The books, Fabliaux, or Tales, were published in 1796 and 1800.

Ellis was good at working with others. He helped his friend Thomas Park with a dictionary for an old Middle English story called King Alisaunder. He also encouraged William Owen Pughe to translate the Mabinogion, a collection of old Welsh stories. Ellis even started learning Welsh to help. He also helped Joseph Ritson publish his book, Ancient Engleish Metrical Romanceës (1802).

He had great success with his book Specimens of Early English Metrical Romances (1805). This book presented a selection of Middle English romances. Instead of printing the full long poems, he gave summaries with many parts of the original text. This made the book interesting for general readers, not just experts.

Ellis included parts of eighteen Middle English romances, such as Morte Arthur and Guy of Warwick. He also included stories from Marie de France and Geoffrey of Monmouth. He organized the romances by their themes or origins, which was a new idea at the time. He got his texts from old handwritten books and early printed versions, often with help from his friends Francis Douce and Walter Scott.

Walter Scott, a famous poet, was also working on an old romance. They wrote many excited letters to each other, helping with their research. Ellis explained that he wanted his books to be easy to read, like a good cook preparing a meal from raw ingredients.

Ellis's book was published in three volumes in 1805. It was reprinted in 1811 and 1848. James Orchard Halliwell later said that Ellis's book made old romances popular for thousands of people. Walter Scott praised Ellis's book and dedicated a part of his famous poem Marmion to him. Scott called Ellis "My guide, my pattern, and my friend."

Death and Lasting Impact

George Ellis passed away on April 10, 1815. He and his wife Anne did not have any children who lived. His sugar plantations in Jamaica, which used enslaved people, went to his cousin, Charles Ellis.

Walter Scott believed George Ellis was the best conversationalist he had ever met. However, not everyone found him charming. Robert Southey thought Ellis sometimes acted a bit too much like a high-society person. Samuel Egerton Brydges remembered him as a polished writer and person, but also a bit vain.

George Canning wrote an epitaph for Ellis, which is a message on a tombstone. It said that Ellis's knowledge was "various profound and accurate" and that he shared it easily. It also mentioned that his wit was bright but never hurtful. Even with his serious studies, he could be playful like a child.