18 Facts About Richard Graves

Richard Graves was an English cleric, poet, and novelist.

Richard Graves is remembered especially for his picaresque novel The Spiritual Quixote.

Richard Graves was educated first at a school run by William Smith, Curate at Mickleton from 1729, and then at John Roysse's Free School in Abingdon.

Richard Graves went to London to study medicine, attended the lectures of Dr Frank Nicholls on anatomy, but fell ill.

Richard Graves was appointed to the curacy of Tissington in Derbyshire by William FitzHerbert of Tissington Hall, a colleague at the Inner Temple of his elder brother Morgan Graves.

For three years Richard Graves was the family chaplain at the Hall, where he rambled through the district later described in his major novel.

Richard Graves purchased the advowson of Claverton from Allen's representatives in 1767, but later resold it to them.

Richard Graves was a Whig in politics, who mixed widely in society, was a frequent guest of Allen or the Warburtons at Prior Park, and "contributed to the vase", taking part in the literary circle at Anna, Lady Miller's house at Batheaston.

Richard Graves died on 23 November 1804, and was buried in the parish church on 1 December.

At Tissington Hall, Richard Graves made the acquaintance of Charles Pratt, Sir Edward Wilmot, Nicholas Hardinge, and other notable persons.

Richard Graves served as private tutor to Prince Hoare and Thomas Malthus.

Richard Graves was a close friend of Anthony Whistler, Ralph Allen, and William Warburton; Ralph Allen Warburton, the bishop's only son, and author Henry Skrine of Warleigh, were other pupils.

Richard Graves was a collector of poems, a translator, essayist and correspondent.

Richard Graves wrote several plays, while his prose works were popular in his day.

Richard Graves wrote the 30th number, on "grumbling", in Thomas Monro's Olla Podrida In the Gentleman's Magazine, 1815, pt.

Richard Graves married Lucy Bartholomew, a farmer's daughter from Aldworth, after eloping to London with her around the end of 1746.

Richard Graves had been baptised in 1730, and was uneducated; he had sent her to a private school in London before the marriage.

Richard Graves's friends did not immediately accept his marriage, but came round to it.