Chapter Yalden to Young of Y by Biographical Dictionary of English Literature

Yalden to Young

Yalden, Thomas (1670-1736).—Poet, son of an exciseman at Oxford, and educated at Magdalen College, entered the Church, in which he obtained various preferments. He was the author of a considerable number of poems, including a Hymn to Darkness, Pindaric Odes, and translations from the classics.

Yates, Edmund (1831-1894).—Novelist and dramatist, born at Edinburgh, held for some years an appointment in the General Post Office. He did much journalistic work, mainly as a dramatic writer, and wrote many dramatic pieces and some novels, including Running the Gauntlet and The Black Sheep. He was perhaps best known as editor of The World society journal.

Yonge, Charlotte Mary (1823-1901).—Novelist, only daughter of a landed gentleman of Hampshire, was born near Winchester, and in her girlhood came under the influence of Keble, who was a near neighbour. She began writing in 1848, and published during her long life about 100 works, chiefly novels, interesting and well-written, with a High Church tendency. Among the best known are The Heir of Redclyffe, Heartsease, and The Daisy Chain. She also wrote Cameos from English History, and Lives of Bishop Patteson and Hannah More. The profits of her works were devoted to religious objects.

Young, Arthur (1741-1820).—writer on agriculture, was born in London, the son of a Suffolk clergyman. In his early years he farmed, making many experiments, which though they did not bring him financial success, gave him knowledge and experience, afterwards turned to useful account. Various publications had made his name known, and in 1777 he became agent to Lord Kingsborough on his Irish estates. In 1780 he published his Tour in Ireland, and four years later started the Annals of Agriculture, 47 vols. of which appeared. His famous tours in France were made 1787-90, the results of his observations being published in Travels in France (1792). He was in 1793 appointed secretrayto the newly founded Board of Agriculture, and published many additional works on the subject. He is justly regarded as the father of modern agriculture, in which, as in all subjects affecting the public welfare, he maintained an active interest until his death. In his later years he was blind.

Young, Edward (1683-1765).—Poet, son of the Rector of Upham, Hampshire, where he was born After being at Winchester School and Oxford he accompanied the Duke of Wharton to Ireland. Young, who had always a keen eye towards preferment, and the cult of those who had the dispensing of it, began his poetical career in 1713 with An Epistle to Lord Lansdowne. Equally characteristic was the publication in the same year of two poems, The Last Day and The Force of Religion. The following year he produced an elegy On the Death of Queen Anne, which brought him into notice. Turning next to the drama he produced Busiris in 1719, and The Revenge in 1721. His next work was a collection of 7 satires, The Love of Fame, the Universal Passion. In 1727 he entered the Church, and was appointed one of the Royal Chaplains, and Rector of Welwyn, Herts, in 1730. Next year he married Lady Elizabeth Lee, the widowed daughter of the Earl of Lichfield, to whom, as well as to her daughter by her former marriage, he was warmly attached. Both died, and sad and lonely the poet began his masterpiece, The Complaint, or Night Thoughts (1742-44), which had immediate and great popularity, and which still maintains its place as a classic. In 1753 he brought out his last drama, The Brothers, and in 1761 he received his last piece of preferment, that of Clerk to the Closet to the Princess Dowager of Wales. Four years later, in 1765, he died The poems of Young, though in style artificial and sometimes forced, abound in passages of passion and power which sometimes reach the sublime. But the feelings and sentiments which he expresses with so much force as a poet form an unpleasantly harsh contrast with the worldliness and tuft-hunting of his life.