DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.1041#0129
iix History of the Society of "Dilettanti
and under their guidance the Society was sometimes
induced to pose as the oracle and arbiter of taste
and learning, pronouncing judgement with dogmatic
authority, and not always according to wisdom. In
some directions they did excellent work; in others
they were betrayed into errors of judgement which
will have to be recorded in the present chapter.
The names of members on whom we have to dwell
as taking a special prominent place in the records of
the Society, after the gradual disappearance of its
founders, are John Charles Crowle, Sir Joseph Banks,
Charles Greville and his uncle Sir William Hamilton,
Sir Richard Worsley, the Honourable J. Peachey, Sir
George Beaumont, Charles Townley, Richard Payne
Knight, and Sir Henry Englefield.
J. c. In 1774 Mr. Fauquier, who had succeeded Lieu-
Cro-wU. tenant-General Gray in 1771 as Secretary and
Treasurer, resigned his post, and, as entered on the
minutes of February <J, 1774,
* Mr. Fauquier desiring to quit the post of officiating Secretary
the Society accepted of the same, and Mr. Crowle was desired by the
Society to accept of the said post, and He was pleas'd to consent to
the wishes of the Society.'
John Charles Crowle was a barrister, who earned
some notoriety at the time of the Westminster election
in 1749, which resulted in a scrutiny being held that
lasted for five months. Crowle, who was counsel
for Sir George Vandeput, was accused of having un-
duly prolonged the scrutiny, and also of having
spoken of the orders of the House of Commons
as brutum fulmen. For this misdemeanour he was
ordered to appear at the bar of the House of
Commons, and solemnly reprimanded upon his
knees by the Speaker. On rising Crowle wiped his
knees, and said that it was the dirtiest place he
and under their guidance the Society was sometimes
induced to pose as the oracle and arbiter of taste
and learning, pronouncing judgement with dogmatic
authority, and not always according to wisdom. In
some directions they did excellent work; in others
they were betrayed into errors of judgement which
will have to be recorded in the present chapter.
The names of members on whom we have to dwell
as taking a special prominent place in the records of
the Society, after the gradual disappearance of its
founders, are John Charles Crowle, Sir Joseph Banks,
Charles Greville and his uncle Sir William Hamilton,
Sir Richard Worsley, the Honourable J. Peachey, Sir
George Beaumont, Charles Townley, Richard Payne
Knight, and Sir Henry Englefield.
J. c. In 1774 Mr. Fauquier, who had succeeded Lieu-
Cro-wU. tenant-General Gray in 1771 as Secretary and
Treasurer, resigned his post, and, as entered on the
minutes of February <J, 1774,
* Mr. Fauquier desiring to quit the post of officiating Secretary
the Society accepted of the same, and Mr. Crowle was desired by the
Society to accept of the said post, and He was pleas'd to consent to
the wishes of the Society.'
John Charles Crowle was a barrister, who earned
some notoriety at the time of the Westminster election
in 1749, which resulted in a scrutiny being held that
lasted for five months. Crowle, who was counsel
for Sir George Vandeput, was accused of having un-
duly prolonged the scrutiny, and also of having
spoken of the orders of the House of Commons
as brutum fulmen. For this misdemeanour he was
ordered to appear at the bar of the House of
Commons, and solemnly reprimanded upon his
knees by the Speaker. On rising Crowle wiped his
knees, and said that it was the dirtiest place he