James Bramston

An English poet and Church of England clergyman, James Bramston was born around 1694 and was educated at Westminster School and Christ Church, Oxford. He came from a well-connected family in Essex and went on to build a clerical career alongside his writing.

Bramston is remembered chiefly for satire and parody. His best-known works include The Art of Politicks (1729), The Man of Taste (1733), and The Crooked Sixpence, poems that imitate and tease the styles of writers such as Horace, Alexander Pope, and John Philips. His verse has often been described as lively and witty rather than grand, which helps explain why it still appeals to readers interested in the humor and manners of the period.

Dates for his life vary slightly across sources, but he is generally placed in 1694–1743 or 1694–1744. He served in the Church while continuing to write, and today he is chiefly remembered as a minor but entertaining satirist of 18th-century England.