Richard Farmer facts for kids
Richard Farmer (1735–1797) was a famous expert on the plays of Shakespeare. He was also the head, or Master, of Emmanuel College, Cambridge, a university in England. He is best known for his book, Essay on the Learning of Shakespeare (1767). In this book, he suggested that Shakespeare learned about old Greek and Roman stories from translated books, not from reading them in their original languages.
Contents
Richard Farmer's Early Life and Education
Richard Farmer was born in Leicester, England, on August 28, 1735. His father, also named Richard Farmer, worked with malt, which is used to make beer. Richard went to the free grammar school in Leicester. Around 1753, he started studying at Emmanuel College, Cambridge. He earned his first degree, a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.), in 1757. He was a very good student, ranking high in his class.
In 1760, he earned his Master of Arts (M.A.) degree. After that, he became a classical tutor at his college. This meant he taught students about ancient Greek and Roman languages and literature. For many years, while he was a tutor, he also worked as a church helper, or curate, in a nearby village called Swavesey.
Becoming a Scholar and College Master
On May 19, 1763, Farmer was chosen as a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries. This group studies old things and history. By this time, he had collected a huge library of books. He was also known as a great scholar and historian.
When the famous writer Samuel Johnson visited Cambridge in 1765, he had a happy meeting with Farmer. They became friends and wrote letters to each other about books and writing. Johnson even asked Farmer for help with his own research, like finding information about Shakespeare.
In 1775, Farmer was chosen to be the Master of Emmanuel College. This was a very important job, like being the principal of a big school. He then earned his Doctor of Divinity (D.D.) degree.
University Leadership and Other Roles
Richard Farmer served as the Vice-Chancellor of the university twice. This role is like being the chief executive of the whole university. During his first time as Vice-Chancellor, the university wanted to send a message to the king. One person refused to open the room where the university seal was kept. Farmer reportedly used a large hammer to open the door! Some people say this bold action helped him get more important jobs later.
In 1778, he was chosen to be the main librarian of the university. He also held several important positions in churches, such as a prebend and a canon. These were roles that came with income and duties within a cathedral. He was offered the chance to become a bishop twice, but he turned down the offer both times.
Farmer was also a member of several social clubs, including the Literary Club, which was started by Samuel Johnson. He died on September 8, 1797, at Emmanuel College. He was buried in the college chapel.
Richard Farmer's Writings and Library
Richard Farmer was a well-respected scholar, but he did not write many books. When he was young, he wrote some tips for studying English history. These were published in a magazine.
His most important work was his Essay on the Learning of Shakspeare, first published in 1767. In this essay, Farmer argued that Shakespeare did not read ancient Greek and Roman texts in their original languages. Instead, he believed Shakespeare got his knowledge from English translations of those works. This was an important idea for understanding Shakespeare's plays.
Farmer had a very large library, filled with rare books and old English literature. After he died, his library was sold in London in 1798. The sale catalog listed 8,155 books, and they sold for a lot of money.
