Thomas James Mathias facts for kids
Thomas James Mathias (born around 1754, died August 1835) was a British writer known for his sharp wit and deep studies. He was also a Fellow of the Royal Society, which is a special group for important scientists and thinkers.
Life Story
Thomas James Mathias went to school in Kingston upon Thames and later studied at Trinity College, Cambridge. He had a few small jobs working for the royal family, like being a sub-treasurer in 1782.
His first book was Runic Odes, published in 1781. These were poems inspired by old Norse stories. In 1794, he released the first part of a poem called The Pursuits of Literature. This poem became very popular because of its notes, which contained strong opinions and clever comments about important people and ideas of his time.
Besides his own writings, Mathias also published the works of another famous writer, Thomas Gray, in 1814. In 1817, Mathias moved to Italy and lived in Naples. He passed away there in 1835. He was part of a group of writers and poets called the Academy of Arcadia.
Interestingly, Mathias became a vegetarian after reading a book called The Fable of the Bees by Bernard Mandeville. He decided to stop eating meat and lived on a diet of milk and vegetables.
His Writings
Mathias was very good at the Italian language. He translated many books between English and Italian. For example, he translated some English works into Italian, and Italian works into English. He also created a beautiful edition of the works of Thomas Gray, but he didn't make much money from it.
His most famous work was The Pursuits of Literature (1794). This poem was a strong criticism of other writers and the society of his time. It was so popular that it was printed 16 times! However, today, it is mostly forgotten. Mathias was known for his direct and honest criticism of the world around him.
Selected Publications
- The Pursuits of Literature (1798 edition)
