George Ridpath
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George Ridpath (died 1726) was a Scottish journalist, who wrote in the
Life
He was brought up by his mother at
Soon after the
Ridpath conducted the Whig journal the Flying Post or Postman which, according to John Dunton, sold well. It was established in 1695.
On 4 September 1712, William Hurt was arrested for printing in the paper scandalous and seditious reflections on Queen Anne and the government. On the 8th Ridpath was committed to Newgate Prison for being the author of three libels in the Observator, to which he became a contributor in succession to John Tutchin in 1712, and in the Flying Post; but he was released on bail. On 23 October Ridpath and Hurt appeared in the court of Queen's Bench, and were continued on their recognisances.
A collection had been made on Ridpath's behalf, and Whigs were told that unless they subscribed two guineas they would not be admitted to be members of the party. After a hearing of eight hours, the jury found Ridpath guilty of two of the libels, and sentence was postponed. On 1 May his recognisances of £600 were estreated, because he had failed to appear, in accordance with an order made on 27 April, and on the 25th a reward of £100 was offered by
In Ridpath's absence the Flying Post was carried on by Stephen Whatley, under his general directions. In 1714 it was found that the printer, Hurt, had dealings with Daniel Defoe, Ridpath's rival journalist, and the Flying Post was taken out of his hands. Defoe came to Hurt's assistance, and on 27 July published, through Hurt, a rival newspaper, The Flying Post and Medley. Ridpath by now lived at Rotterdam, but early in 1714 feared arrest.[1]
After the accession of George I, Ridpath returned to England, and was made one of the patentees for serving the commissioners of the customs in Scotland with stationery wares. The Flying Post still attacked the Tories, and Ridpath made slanderous charges against Nathaniel Mist and others.[1]
In 1722 Ridpath was secretary to a lottery at Harburg-Wilhelmsburg in Hanover, with a trading company. The king denied having sanctioned the lottery, and a committee of the House of Commons examined Ridpath in December and January 1723. Most of the company's money had been lost in the South Sea Company, and a bill was introduced to suppress the lottery. In February, the trustees announced, through Ridpath, that they would return all tickets on application.
After this date Ridpath avoided old friends; it was alleged he had married two wives at the same time, and after his death Lord Grange repeated this report, adding that it was said that Ridpath had joined with the
Ridpath died on 5 February 1726, the same day as his old antagonist Abel Roper. He left all his estate to his wife, Esther Ridpath, daughter of George Markland. His only son had died in 1706. Ridpath's papers fell into the hands of Dr. James Fraser, one of Wodrow's correspondents.[1]
Works
In 1687, Ridpath published a new method of shorthand, Shorthand yet Shorter, with a dedication to Philip Wharton, 4th Baron Wharton, under whose roof the book had been written, while Ridpath was a servant there. The author also undertook to give lessons. A second edition of his manual appeared in 1696.[1]
In 1693, writing under the name of Will Laick, he made an attack on the episcopal party in Scotland in An Answer to the Scotch Presbyterian Eloquence, and A Continuation of the Answer. These were attacked in Dr. Alexander Monro's Apology for the Clergy of Scotland, and The Spirit of Calumny and Slander examined, chastised, and exposed, in a letter to a malicious libeller. More particularly addressed to Mr. George Ridpath, newsmonger, near St. Martins-in-the-Fields. He replied in The Scots Episcopal Innocence, 1694, and The Queries and Protestation of the Scots episcopal clergy against the authority of the Presbyterian General Assemblies, 1694.[1]
In 1695, Ridpath published, with a dedication to
Ridpath's Scotland's Grievances relating to Darien, humbly offered to the consideration of the Parliament, 1700, contained remarks about a foreign yoke. Next year came his The Great Reasons and Interests considered anent the Spanish Monarchy, and in 1702 A Discourse upon the Union of England and Scotland. By a lover of his country, in which Ridpath opposed a union. In 1703 he printed The Case of Scotsmen residing in England and in the English Plantations, and An Historical Account of the ancient Rights and Power of the Parliament of Scotland. These were followed by An Account of the Proceedings of the Parliament of Scotland, 1703, 1704, and The reducing of Scotland by Arms … considered, 1705. According to one of the replies to this last pamphlet, its author and publisher were bound over to appear at the queen's bench bar. In 1706 Ridpath wrote Considerations upon the Union of the two Kingdoms, and was answered in Sir John Clerk's Letter to a Friend, giving an Account how the Treaty of Union has been received here. With Remarks upon what has been written by Mr. H[odges] and Mr. R[idpath], a piece which has been erroneously attributed to Defoe.[1]
In 1704–5, Ridpath assisted James Anderson, who was then preparing his Historical Essay showing that the Crown and Kingdom of Scotland is Imperial and Independent; and in 1705, he commenced a correspondence with the Rev. Robert Wodrow, chiefly on the subject of the union and the episcopal church in Scotland. The Scots' Representations to Her Majesty, against setting up the Common Prayer-Book in Scotland, 1711, was written, according to a note in the copy in the Advocates' Library, by Ridpath, William Carstares, and Defoe. Another piece attributed to Ridpath is The Oath of Abjuration considered, Edinburgh, 1712. He was also employed in correcting Captain Woodes Rogers's Voyage; assisted in writing the periodical History of the Works of the Learned; invented the "Polygraphy", a writing-engine, moved by the foot, by which six or more copies could be written at once; contributed to the Medley in 1712; and was in constant strife with the Tory Post Boy, published by Abel Roper. John Dunton, an admirer, described his style as excellent.[1]
In 1713, Ridpath wrote Some Thoughts concerning the Peace, and the Thanksgiving appointed by authority to be observed for it; and certain observations on the address of the Highlanders to Queen Anne, which he complained was signed only by ten, four of whom were Catholics, called forth The Honourable Chieftains of the Highland Clans vindicated from the false Aspersions and scurrilous Reflections thrown upon them by Ridpath, the scandalous and justly condemned Libeller, Edinburgh, 1713. In 1714, he published a book called Parliamentary Right maintained, or the Hanover Succession justified, in answer to
In 1717 he was giving Wodrow advice in the preparation of the History of the Sufferings of the Church of Scotland, and was himself proposing to write a continuation of
- To Dulness Ridpath is as dear as Mist.
According to Wodrow, the dedication to the Lower House of Convocation, prefixed to the collected edition of the Independent Whig, 1721, is by Ridpath. It is an attack on the unscriptural claims of the clergy, who are charged with teaching the need of giving endowments rather than plain morality and religion.[1]
Publications
- Shorthand yet Shorter (1st edn, 1687).
- Discourse upon the Union of Scotland and England … by a Lover of his Country (1702).
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co. 1885–1900. .
- doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/6580. (Subscription or UK public library membershiprequired.)
- ISBN 978-0-8047-3269-7. Retrieved 6 September 2012.
- Attribution
This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: "Ridpath, George (d.1726)". Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co. 1885–1900.