James Farewell facts for kids
James Farewell (born 1666, died 1689) was a lawyer and a poet. He is best known for writing a funny poem called The Irish Hudibras. This poem made fun of Irish customs and language. It was based on an old Roman story by Virgil called Aeneid.
Who Was James Farewell?
James Farewell grew up in Horsington, Somerset, England. His father was Thomas Farewell. James went to Sherborne School for his early education. Later, he studied at Wadham College, Oxford. He left Oxford without finishing his degree. After that, he went to Lincoln's Inn to study law.
About The Irish Hudibras
In 1689, James Farewell published his famous poem. It was called The Irish Hudibras or Fingallian Prince. This poem was a funny version of Book VI of Virgil's Aeneid. Farewell changed the story to be about Ireland during the time of the Stuart kings. It followed the adventures of an Irish prince named Nees.
The poem used humor to describe Irish customs. It especially focused on the people of Fingal, an area in Ireland. It showed them in a way that made them seem superstitious or not very educated. This was a common way for some English writers to view the Irish at that time.
Even though it had a critical tone, the poem is important. It shows that Farewell knew a lot about the English spoken in Ireland back then. It also gives us clues about daily life and language in Ireland during the late 1600s.
A historian named Anthony Wood said Farewell was "a witty young man and tolerable poet." James Farewell died in 1689 from smallpox. He passed away near Lincoln's Inn, where he had studied law.
