Hugh Kelly (poet) facts for kids

Hugh Kelly (born 1739 – died 3 February 1777) was an Irish writer. He was known for his plays and poems. In the 1760s, he also worked for the British government, writing articles that supported them and criticized their political opponents. Kelly moved to London in 1760 and first worked as a staymaker (someone who made corsets). Soon, he became a writer and earned a living as a journalist. In 1766, he published Thespis, a long poem about actors, which made him quite famous. He then wrote a novel called Memoirs of a Magdalen in 1767. He is best remembered for his stage plays like False Delicacy and A Word to the Wise.

Early Life and Beginnings

Hugh Kelly was born in Killarney, County Kerry, Dublin, Ireland. His father was a publican (someone who owned a pub). Hugh had a good education, but he had to leave school because his family faced money problems. He became an apprentice to a staymaker. In 1760, he moved to London and tried to work in his trade, but it wasn't very successful. After that, he became a clerk for a lawyer. He also started writing for different newspapers and created small books called pamphlets for booksellers. We don't know much about his early life, and many stories about him come from people who knew him.

Becoming a Writer

First Big Success

In 1766, Hugh Kelly published a poem called Thespis; or, A Critical Examination into the Merits of All the Principal Performers belonging to Drury Lane Theatre. He published it without his name on it. This poem was written in a style called heroic couplet and strongly criticized many famous actors and actresses of the time. However, it also praised David Garrick, a very famous actor, and some of Kelly's friends. This poem was partly inspired by another poem called Rosciad. Kelly's criticisms often seemed to come from his own personal feelings.

In 1767, he released a second part of Thespis. This part was less harsh and even praised some actors, like Mary Wilford (who later became Mary Bulkley). In the same year, he published his novel Memoirs of a Magdalen, which became very popular. Another play, The Widowed Wife by William Kenrick, was largely based on Kelly's novel.

The Play False Delicacy

Hugh Kelly's first play was a comedy called False Delicacy. It was written in prose (like a story, not a poem). David Garrick produced it at the Drury Lane theatre on 23 January 1768. Kelly wrote it to compete with Oliver Goldsmith's play The Good-Natur'd Man, and it was very successful!

False Delicacy was a moral and sentimental comedy. Garrick himself described it as a "sermon preached in act," meaning it taught a lesson. Even though Samuel Johnson said it didn't have strong characters, people loved it. It was translated into many languages, and its French and Portuguese versions were very popular in Paris and Lisbon.

Journalism and Politics

Hugh Kelly worked as a journalist who was paid by Lord North, a powerful political figure. Because of this, supporters of the radical journalist and politician John Wilkes disliked Kelly. Kelly was also the editor of a newspaper called The Public Ledger. His poem Thespis had also made him many enemies, and a famous actress named Mrs Clive refused to perform in his plays.

Other Plays by Kelly

His second comedy, A Word to the Wise, was performed at Drury Lane on 3 March 1770. However, it caused a riot in the theatre, and the same thing happened at the second performance. Because of this, the play had to be stopped. People were still angry about Kelly's support for the government's actions against Wilkes's followers during a recent incident at St George's Field.

Here are some of his other plays:

• Clementina (Covent Garden, 23 February 1771): This was a serious play written in blank verse (poetry without rhyme). Kelly pretended it was written by a young American clergyman to avoid opposition from Wilkes's supporters.
• The School for Wives (Drury Lane, 11 December 1773): This was a prose comedy. Kelly pretended it was written by Major (later Sir William) Addington.
• The Romance of an Hour (Covent Garden, 2 December 1774): This was a two-act play borrowed from a French story by Marmontel.
• The Man of Reason (Covent Garden, 9 February 1776): This was a comedy that was not very successful.

Later Life as a Lawyer

In 1774, Hugh Kelly became a lawyer at the Middle Temple. He decided to stop writing and focus on his new career. However, he did not succeed as a lawyer and faced financial difficulties before he died.

You can find more information about him in The Works of Hugh Kelly (1778), which includes his life story. He is also mentioned in an unfinished play by Samuel Beckett called Human Wishes.

Major Works

Plays

• False Delicacy (1767)
• A Word to the Wise (1770)
• Clementina (1771)
• The School for Wives (1773)
• The Romance of an Hour (1774)
• The Man of Reason (1776)

Novels

• Memoirs of a Magdalen (1767)