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Stephen Duck

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Briefly, in 1730, the most talked about poet in England was an agricultural labourer. The story of Stephen Duck (1705-1756) is a remarkable one, as the title page of the unauthorised collection of his verse, Poems on Several Subjects, explains. He was 'lately a poor Thresher in a Barn in the County of Wilts, at the Wages of Four Shillings and Six Pence per Week' until his poems "were publickly read by The Right Honourable the Earl of Macclesfield, in the Drawing-Room at Windsor Castle, on Friday the 11th of September, 1730, to her Majesty. Who was thereupon most graciously pleased to take the Author into her Royal Protection, by allowing him a Salary of Thirty Pounds per Annum, and a small House at Richmond in Surrey, to live in, for the better Support of Himself and Family." Among the poems that so intrigued the Queen and the court was 'The Thresher's Labour', Duck's account of a year in the life of an agricultural labourer. Presenting a more realistic account of agricultural labour than had previously appeared in literary verse, this is Duck's most important poem, and it proved to be a vital model for other labouring-class writers who wanted to write about their work...
Read the essay: Stephen Duck by Jennifer Batt
# Title Description Contributor
1 18th Century Labouring Class Poetry

Dr Jennifer Batt gives a talk on Stephen Duck, one of the 18th Century labouring-class poets

Jennifer Batt
# Title Description Contributor
1 18th Century Labouring Class Poetry

Dr Jennifer Batt gives a talk on Stephen Duck, one of the 18th Century labouring-class poets

Jennifer Batt
# Essay Title Description Contributor
1 Stephen Duck

Briefly, in 1730, the most talked about poet in England was an agricultural labourer. The story...

Jennifer Batt
2 Eighteenth century labouring-class writing

By Jennifer Batt

Jennifer Batt
# Title Description Author
1 To His Royal Highness the Duke of Cumberland, on his birth-day. April the 15th, 1732. By Stephen Duck

ebook version of To His Royal Highness the Duke of Cumberland, on his birth-day. April the 15th...

Duck, Stephen, 1705-1756.
2 Royal benevolence. A poem. Most humbly address'd to Her Majesty Queen Caroline: As it was presented to the said Queen's Majesty, by the author, on Friday, the 2d of October, 1730. at Windsor-Castle. To which is annexed, a poem on providence. Both ...

ebook version of Royal benevolence. A poem. Most humbly address'd to Her Majesty Queen Caroline...

Duck, Stephen, 1705-1756.
3 Hints to a school-master: Address'd to the Revd. Dr. Turnbull. By Stephen Duck.

ebook version of Hints to a school-master: Address'd to the Revd. Dr. Turnbull. By Stephen Duck...

Duck, Stephen, 1705-1756.
4 Caesar's camp: or, St. George's Hill. A poem. By the Reverend Mr. Duck, ...

ebook version of Caesar's camp: or, St. George's Hill. A poem. By the Reverend Mr. Duck, ...

Duck, Stephen, 1705-1756.
5 The vision. A poem on the death of Her Most Gracious Majesty Queen Caroline. By Stephen Duck

ebook version of The vision. A poem on the death of Her Most Gracious Majesty Queen Caroline. By...

Duck, Stephen, 1705-1756.
6 A poem on Her Majesty's birth-day: By Stephen Duck.

ebook version of A poem on Her Majesty's birth-day: By Stephen Duck.

Duck, Stephen, 1705-1756.
7 Every man in his own way: An epistle to a friend. By Stephen Duck.

ebook version of Every man in his own way: An epistle to a friend. By Stephen Duck.

Duck, Stephen, 1705-1756.
8 A poem on the marriage of His serene Highness the Prince of Orange: with Ann Princess-Royal of Great Britain. By Stephen Duck. To which are added, Verses to the author, by a divine. With the author's answer.

ebook version of A poem on the marriage of His serene Highness the Prince of Orange: with Ann...

Duck, Stephen, 1705-1756.
9 Poems on several occasions: By Stephen Duck.

ebook version of Poems on several occasions: By Stephen Duck.

Duck, Stephen, 1705-1756.
10 An ode on the battle of Dettingen: Humbly inscrib'd to the King. By Stephen Duck.

ebook version of An ode on the battle of Dettingen: Humbly inscrib'd to the King. By Stephen...

Duck, Stephen, 1705-1756.
11 Poems on several occasions

London: Printed for John Osborn, ... Samuel Birt, ... and James Hodges, ...

Stephen Duck
12 Shunamite

Ebook (pdf) of the poem, with introduction 'Memoir of the Author'
Canterbury: Printed...

Stephen Duck