author
Mr. (Leonard) Welsted
1688–1747
An English poet of the early 18th century, he wrote in a light, easy style and moved through the sharp literary rivalries of his age. He is now often remembered for being mocked by Alexander Pope, but his own verse and prose show a busy writer with a distinct place in London literary life.
1 Audiobook
Two Poems Against Pope One Epistle to Mr. A. Pope and the Blatant Beast
by Mr. (Leonard) Welsted, Anonymous
About the author
Baptised on June 3, 1688, Leonard Welsted was an English poet and man of letters associated with the lively, often combative literary world of early 18th-century Britain. He was educated at Westminster School and was elected to Trinity College, Cambridge, though he did not take a degree.
Welsted built a career both in writing and in government service, holding posts connected with the Ordnance Office and other public business. His poetry was known for a relaxed, graceful manner, and he also wrote plays, essays, and occasional pieces. In politics and patronage, he appears to have moved with the changing pressures of the time, which helps explain both his connections and some of the enemies he made.
Today, he is frequently encountered through Alexander Pope's attacks on him in The Dunciad and related satire. Even so, that reputation tells only part of the story: Welsted was a productive writer whose work reflects the tastes, ambitions, and literary quarrels of his period.