Myles Davies
Myles Davies (1662 – 1715 or 1716) was a Welsh author. He published the Athenae Britannicae in 1716.[1]
Biography
Davies was a native of Whiteford, near
The preface to one of his books describes him as "a gentleman of the Inns of Court".[3] He was a learned and erudite scholar, but eccentric to the verge of insanity.[4]
In 1715, he published the first volume of his Athenae Britannicae, a critical history of pamphlets called Icon Libellorum. It was described as "a queer production, but cram full of curious information".[1] The Libellorum included a letter written in French and a Latin ode to Robert Harley, first Earl of Oxford.[5]
Davies became a mendicant scholar, selling his own books.[4] He would visit the house of a potential patron and send in a bundle of his books, with perhaps an ode to the recipient, in the hope of receiving a gift in return. He was often rejected or insulted when trying to obtain payment or return of his work.[6] By 1812, his work was described as extremely rare.[4]
References
- ^ a b c "Myles Davies". Bye-gones, relating to Wales and the Border Counties. Oswestry & Border Counties Advertizer. 1883. p. 181.
- ^ a b c Jones, John James. "DAVIES, MYLES (or MILES) DAVIES (1662 - 1715?)". Dictionary of Welsh Biography. National Library of Wales. Retrieved 25 October 2021.
- ^ a b Odell & Philes 1878, pp. 314.
- ^ a b c Urban 1812, pp. 561.
- ^ Nichols & Bentley 1813, pp. 586.
- ^ Smollett 1812, pp. 384.
Bibliography
- Nichols, John; Bentley, Samuel (1813). Literary Anecdotes of the Eighteenth Century: Comprizing Biographical Memoirs of William Bowyer, Printer, F.S.A., and Many of His Learned Friends; an Incidental View of the Progress and Advancement of Literature in this Kingdom During the Last Century; and Biographical Anecdotes of a Considerable Number of Eminent Writers and Ingenious Artists; with a Very Copious Index. London: Nichols, Son, and Bentley.
- Odell, Andrew J.; Philes, George Philip (1878). Bibliotheca curiosa. Catalogue of the library of Andrew J. Odell.
- Smollett, Tobias George (1812). "Review of Calamities of Authors". The Critical review, or, Annals of literature. W. Simpkin and R. Marshall.
- Urban, Sylvanus, ed. (June 1812). "Review of D'Israeli's Calamities of Authors". The Gentleman's Magazine. 82 (1). London: Nichols, Son, and Bentley.
- Rose, Henry John; Wright, Thomas, eds. (1848). "Davies, Miles". New general biographical dictionary. Vol. 7 DAC–GEO. London: Fellowes. p. 32.
- Jenkins, Geraint H. (1987). The foundations of modern Wales: Wales 1642–1780. History of Wales. Vol. 4. Clarendon Press. p. 238. ISBN 978-0-19-821734-3.
- Roberts, Thomas Rowland; Williams, Robert (1908). "Davies, Miles". Eminent Welshmen: a short biographical dictionary of Welshmen who have attained distinction from the earliest times to the present. Vol. 1. Educational Publishing Co. p. 51.
- Collins, An (1961). "Miles Davies". In Stewart, Stanley N. (ed.). Divine Songs and Meditacions (1653). Los Angeles: Clark Library. pp. 119 et seq.
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