Isaac Gompertz
Isaac Gompertz | |
|---|---|
"To the Thoughtless" from The Modern Antique; Or, The Muse in the Costume of Queen Anne (1813) | |
| Born | 1774 Middlesex, England |
| Died | (aged 82) London, England |
| Resting place | Brompton Cemetery |
| Pen name | J. Gompertz |
| Occupation | Poet |
| Period | 1813–1825 |
| Notable works |
|
| Spouse |
Charlotte Florence Wattier
(m. 1818) |
| Children | 3 |
| Relatives |
|
Isaac Gompertz (1774 – 25 February 1856) was an English poet. He was known for the poems "The Modern Antique", "Time, or Light and Shade" and "Devon", the latter of which was published under the name J. Gompertz.
Biography
Early life and family
Isaac Gompertz was born into a Jewish family in Middlesex in 1774.[1][2] He was one of at least 15 children of Solomon Barent Gompertz, a London diamond merchant, and his second wife, Leah Deborah Cohen.[1] His brothers included the animal rights activist and inventor Lewis Gompertz and the mathematician and actuary Benjamin Gompertz.[3] He later composed epitaphs for his brother Barent and for Lewis' wife.[4][5]
Being Jewish, he was not allowed to attend university.[6]
Writing
Gompertz published three books of poetry The Modern Antique, Time, or Light and Shade, and Devon.[7] The latter was published under the name J. Gompertz.[8]
Personal life and death
Gompertz married Charlotte Florence Wattier on 3 December 1818 at St Mary's Church, Ealing. They had three sons.[1]
Gompertz died at his home in Ebury Street, London, on 25 February 1856, aged 82. He was buried at Brompton Cemetery.[1]
Reception
Gompertz's works drew positive notice from Leigh Hunt and were reported favourably in the contemporary press.[9][10] Writers of the period, such as Alexander Jamieson, compared his work to that of Dryden, Pope, Addison and Gray.[11][12]
Publications
- The Modern Antique; Or, The Muse in the Costume of Queen Anne (London: W. Pople, 1813; published anonymously)
- Time, or Light and Shade (London: Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, and Brown, 1815)
- Devon, a Poem (Teignmouth: 1825; published under the name J. Gompertz)
References
- ^ a b c d "Gompertz, Isaac". Jackson Bibliography of Romantic Poetry. University of Toronto Libraries. Retrieved 31 October 2024.
- ^ "GOMPERTZ Isaac". CemeteryScribes. 8 January 2013. Retrieved 11 February 2025.
- ^ Jacobs, Joseph; Harris, Isidore (1906). "GOMPERTZ, ISAAC". Jewish Encyclopedia. Retrieved 16 February 2021.
- ^ Susser, Bernard (2003). The Jews of South-West England (Thesis). JewishGen. Retrieved 23 June 2024.
- ^ Gompertz, Lewis (1852). "Epitaph, by Isaac Gompertz, Esq., on the lamented wife of the author of the work". Fragments in Defence of Animals, and Essays on Morals, Soul, and Future State. London: W. Horsell. p. 292.
- ^ Gompertz, Will (10 May 2023). "Will Gompertz: Cancel Culture Is Stifling the Arts". Prospect Magazine. Retrieved 2 March 2026.
- ^ The Assurance Magazine, and Journal of the Institute of Actuaries. Vol. 13. London: C. & E. Layton. 1867. p. 2.
- ^ Gompertz, J. (1825). Devon, a Poem. London: Sams.
- ^ Kearley, William Henry (1896). "Isaac Gompertz". West-Country Poets: Their Lives and Works. London: Elliot Stock. p. 210.
- ^ The Menorah: A Monthly Magazine for the Jewish Home. Vol. 7. New York: Menorah Publishing Company. 1889. p. 211.
- ^ Emden, Paul Herman (1944). Jews of Britain: A Series of Biographies. London: S. Low, Marston & Company. p. 171.
- ^ Rubinstein, William D.; Jolles, Michael; Rubinstein, Hilary L., eds. (27 January 2011). "Gompertz Family". The Palgrave Dictionary of Anglo-Jewish History. London: Palgrave Macmillan. p. 352. ISBN 978-1-4039-3910-4.
External links
- Quotations related to Isaac Gompertz at Wikiquote
- Isaac Gompertz Papers at the Jewish Theological Seminary Library