Richard Hurd

Born in 1720, Richard Hurd was an English clergyman, critic, and writer who became one of the most prominent churchmen of his time. Educated at Emmanuel College, Cambridge, he built an early reputation through literary criticism and learned essays, especially work connected with classical poetry and with the ideas of his friend William Warburton.

Hurd wrote on a wide range of subjects, including poetry, moral philosophy, and religion. Among the books he is best known for are Letters on Chivalry and Romance and Dialogues on the Uses of Foreign Travel, works that show his thoughtful, often elegant way of arguing about literature and culture. His career in the Church of England rose steadily, and he eventually became Bishop of Worcester.

He also served as tutor to the future George III’s son, later George IV, a role that brought him close to the royal court. Hurd died in 1808, remembered both for his ecclesiastical career and for criticism that linked classical learning with the changing literary interests of the 18th century.