One of the most singular characters of his day was Charles Jennens,
Esq., a sort of literary Bubb Doddington. Being born to a good estate,
from his boyhood he was ridiculously fond of show and pomp, and his
style of writing was of a piece with his style of living. It has been
said, that he put together the words of Handel’s “Messiah:” that he had
something to do with them is true; but he had a secretary of the name of
Pooley, a poor clergyman, who executed the principal part of the work,
and, till now, has obtained no part of the credit. Charles Jennens, Esq.
took it into his head, (perhaps the most rational notion he had ever
indulged,) that the majority of Shakspeare’s commentators were mere
twaddling antiquaries, without taste or talent; but he adopted an
unfortunate way of proving it: he himself published an edition of
_Hamlet_, _Lear_, _Othello_, and one or two more tragedies. He was of
course laughed at for his attempt, and George Steevens tried to show a
little of the wit, for which his friends gave him credit, and of the
ill-nature for which he deserved it. Jennens published a pamphlet in
reply, the greater part his own writing, which for years was his delight
and solace: his poor secretary used to have the task of reading it from
beginning to end, whenever his patron called for it, on giving an
entertainment to his friends. Jennens commented, explained, and
enforced, as he proceeded. In some of the biographical accounts of this
personage it is asserted gravely, that for some time after the
appearance of this tract he carefully looked over the newspapers every
day, to learn if the success and severity of his attack had not
compelled Dr. Johnson, Malone, Steevens, or Warburton, to hang
themselves. This depends upon the following epigram, written at the
time, and now only existing in MS., but which obtained a wide
circulation, and is attributed, perhaps correctly, to Steevens. The only
objection to this supposition is, that if it had been Steevens’s it is
strange how his vanity could keep it out of the public prints, though
after all it possesses but little merit:--
“After Mister Charles Jennens produc’d his _Defence_,
He saw all the papers at Martyr’s,
To learn if the critics had had the good sense
To hang themselves in their own garters.
He thought they could never out-live it. The sot
Is ready _to hang himself_, ’cause they have _not_.”
When we called Jennens a literary Bubb Doddington, we ought to have
remembered that Doddington had talents, but Jennens had none.