James Ralph (Q387649): Difference between revisions

Overall: Ralph appeared in England after leaving a wife and daughter in Philadelphia--failing to find work in London, he assumed the name of his friend (and creditor) Benjamin Franklin and worked as a schoolteacher in Berkshire. Returning to London he seems to have sought to live by writing, first poetry, then drama, then political journalism and finally history. He worked with Fielding from c. 1730-1750, and beginning in the 40s received a series of pensions from various Whig political figures. Economically, political writing was the only kind that ever gave him security--he doesn't seem to have enjoyed much literary reputation, but his Case of Authors seems to be a very interesting comment on the economics of authorship as we're considering them.