The Life and Work of George Alexander Stevens. Robert Blaine Thomas Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College
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Louisiana State University LSU Digital Commons LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses Graduate School 1961 The Life and Work of George Alexander Stevens. Robert Blaine Thomas Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/gradschool_disstheses Recommended Citation Thomas, Robert Blaine, "The Life and Work of George Alexander Stevens." (1961). LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses. 684. https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/gradschool_disstheses/684 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at LSU Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses by an authorized administrator of LSU Digital Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. This dissertation has been 61—5156 microfilmed exactly as received THOMAS. Robert Blaine, 1934- THE LIFE AND WORK OF GEORGE ALEXANDER STEVENS. Louisiana State University, Ph.D., 1961 Language and Literature, general University Microfilms, Inc., Ann Arbor, Michigan TH3 L l;’3 AND V.'ORK OF ^30993 ALEXANDER 373V2CS A Dissertation Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of the Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical Collere in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the derree of Doctor of Philosophy in The Department of Thriish by Robert Blaine Thomas R. S., Virginia Polytechnic Institute, 1956 U-. A., Louisiana State University, 195F J'ine, 1961 ACKNO'VLF/Jro SKT3 I would like to thank Dr. John 5, Uhler for both his early encouragement of the dissertation and his many suggestions for its development. Also I would like to express my appreciation to Dr. Valcolm "are for the diffic\ilt position he assumed in takinr over the work at the last minute and the members of the committee, Dr, CD ive and Dr. Sasek, ror their con3 iderate and prompt help. ii TAFLE OF CONTENTS P a ? e ABSTRACT...................................................................................................................... iv PREFACE ...................................................................................................................... v l CHAPTER X: THE L I F E ..................................................................................... 1 CM A! TER I I : THE PO ETRY................................................................................ 26 CHAPTER III: THE NOVELS Tom Fool ......................... hh The Adventures of a Specul 1 s t ................................................................ 73 CHATTY IV: THE DRAT AS Distreaa upon D istress ............................................. 112 The Dramatic History , , , ................................................................139 CHAPTER V: m , i ' ? LE7’T',',-’E Lecture upon ’~ ri I s ............................................................................................197 CHAITE? V I: r H I!’’C I O H .........................................................................................721 HIHLIOHP -\i'Hv ......................................................................................................................... 2 2 F i l l V'-IT?. ACT feorre Alexander 3teven3 was a T.inor literary" fi-ure of t v'.e middle eighteenth century. His life is an unusual and varied one, for he experi'T'.ced the extrer.es of existence in the theatrical world of h i3 lay. He attempted successive careers as actor, puppeteer, poet, novelist, drar ati. .at, essayist, and lecturer, achieving popular success ord y ’-it’' the l atter. The word' of ti l s man has lonv been <>orr’otten, hut t v’is material is of interest because it provi i«s interestin'- hac'*"round informat ion or. the li^e and coal s o*’ a minor f i--ure of the day, Stevens is clearly a transitional *'i'Ture; '-■e hjxt.a''osQ3 romantic ar.d neoclassic materials and obviously is strivinr ror popularity, ’’ow- ever, it was v:is nisfortune that his own convivial nature, which kept him popular a onr London club circ le s, did not extend to hi 3 work, so fane ar.d last in- popularity elude him. Stevens' lar-est single effort lieg in his novels, The TJi story of Tor, Fool and The Adventures of a_ Specul i s t . These hoth are ra-r|h- linr, discursive, e: isoiic novels that are in obvious imitation of the s'lccessful masters of the ^enre, Fieldin’, Richardson, lefoe, and Sterne. Stevens combines neoclassic satire, moralistic sentimentality, and conscious didacticism. The novels are composed chiefly of topi cal material and satirize the follies of London fashionable society. Stevens is most interested in character appearance. ne does not iv concern himself much with internal realistic development of person ality. This trait reflects his pup.peteerinr experience, and it is in this very area that he scored his greatest success, his dramatic monologue, The Lecture upon Heads. its e lf a series of humorous caricatures. The lecture was further embellished with hand puppet heads. Stevens was always associated with the theater, and his dra matic work reflects the same characteristics found in his novels. He is constantly concerned with fashionable follies and topical events. His plays are short conical afterpieces and blend serious and humor ous elements. Two 1 onr plays, Platress Upon distress; or. fraredy in True Taste, and The Dramatic History of Vaster _xi, ?■'iss Ann. and others. .were ur.act.ed and never intended for the stare. Vis other plays, however, are primarily farcical although they incor porate patriot ism, nautical materials, and popular sonys. S+evens was well known for his liyht drink iny 3onrs that reflect hi 3 philo sophy of life. He constantly is concerned with rood humor, con vivial company, and success. Stevens is definitely a second rate fi nire, but be does illustrate the typical minor literary artist of his day. His work provides interesting backrround material and clearly illustrates neoclassic and romantic characteristics. v FRIFAjCS heorge Alexander Stevens Is a minor lite rary figure of the mid eighteenth century viho was quite active in the theater world of London, Stevens was a literary tiack-of-a 11-trades, hut it was his misfortune that his "reat personal charm which made him popular in London club life did not extend to his work. Today, desoite the great aroint of work he produced, Stevens is virtually '’orgotten, and his works have never been evaluated. The eighteenth century was a time of great changes—the early part was neoclassic and the latter part, romantic. Between the two extremes was much shading, and against this varied background appear many minor literary figures. Stevens is definitely a mediocre figure at grips with a great tradition. He is unable to do much that is original, and he follows alone established traditions. But his work is clearly typical of the day and blends elements of neoclassic ism and romanticism. He is a transitional fi~ure. In this study I intend to present the biographical facts of Stevens' life and then to devote a chapter to each of the genres he attm pted--poetry, the novel, the drama, and finally the lecture. It is n$r intent to show in this study that George Alexander Stevens, though a minor figure, is representative and typical of the lesser literary figures of his day and that he is, furthermore, a transitional f i ’-ure, bl ending neoclassic and romantic tr a its . vi CHAPTER I Sine* George Alexander Stevens was not one of the prominent figures of his age, time has reduced biographicsi information to a small number of sources. The best biography is The Dictionary o£ National Biography, in which Thomas Seccombe, th e biographer, pre sents much of the available material; hem ever, Becccmbe's account is not complete. A summary of Seecomtoe's work follow s. George Alemander Stevens mas born around 1710 In th e pariah of S t. Andrew'a in Holborn, the northwest portion of modern London. His father, himself a tradesman, apprenticed Stevens to a trade which apparently proved unattractive to the boy, for he soon Joined a strolling company of players where his convivial ten>er made him popular with his fallow actors. In this company the stage provided him with a liv in g even though he possessed l i t t l e ta le n t. In 1750 he belonged to a company which was playing at Lincoln, 130 miles north of London. The following year Stevens suffered a severe ill ness, and he published "a dismal rhapsody" called "Religion, or the L ibertine Repentant," but by 1752 he was acting in Dublin. With h is friend, Isaac Sparks, Stevens formed a social club, itiich they call ed Nassau Court, and the meofcers held mock trials and enacted other buffooneries. At this time Stevens published pseudonymously his first work, Distress upon Distress t or, Tragedy in True Taste; A 2 Ht o i-Ccni-Parodi-Farc leal Burlesque. by Sir Henry Huam with not ee by Paulua Purgantius. At least one llnat "And Cannon Sense atood trembling at the door,*1 is of interest, for Charles Churchill thought it worthy of incorporation in The Rose lad In 1754 Stevens appeared a t Covent Garden but with no success as an actor. With some recognition as a wit, however, he began an imitation of Pope's Dunelad. The Birth-Pay of Folly. 1754} aid he was admitted into several clubs, one of which, The Choice Spirits, was loce ed near Covant Garden. For these clubs, Stevens wrote many songs, and he also did songs and speeches for Sdward Shu te r , a comic actor, and other actors to deliver at benefits. Stevens' "The Choice Spirits' Feast" was published in 1754. This work is supposed to be in imitation of Diyden's celebrated ode, "Alexander's Feast," and Stevens is thought to have performed the piece himself in Ire- 2 land. Seccombe calls the work a collection of ditties; and he be lieves a novel, The Adventures of Tom Fool, which appeared in 1760, is a concealed biography. 3 Although Stevens edited a short-lived periodical, The Beauties of all the Magasines Selected, between 1762 and 1764, he continued his efforts in the theater, and the 1762 interlude, "Hearts of Oak," is credited to him by Baker. Seccombe, however, doubts th is , fo r the main sea song of the same title was first given in Harlequin's In vasion.