Richard Berenger (died 1782) was an English courtier and writer, Gentleman of the Horse to

George III of Great Britain George III (George William Frederick; 4 June 173829 January 1820) was King of Great Britain and Ireland from 25 October 1760 until his death in 1820. The Acts of Union 1800 unified Great Britain and Ireland into the United Kingdom of Great ...

Life

His father was Moses Berenger, a rich London merchant; his mother was Penelope, youngest sister of

Richard Temple, 1st Viscount Cobham Field Marshal Richard Temple, 1st Viscount Cobham, (24 October 1675 – 14 September 1749) was a British army officer and Whig politician. After serving as a junior officer under William III during the Williamite War in Ireland and during th ...

. He outlived his means, and for some years had confine himself to his official residence in the King's Mews, then a privileged place against the demands of bailiffs. Mainly through the financial support of

David Garrick David Garrick (19 February 1716 – 20 January 1779) was an English actor, playwright, Actor-manager, theatre manager and producer who influenced nearly all aspects of European theatrical practice throughout the 18th century, and was a pupil a ...

, a settlement was made with his creditors. Berenger died in the King's Mews, London, 9 September 1782.

Reputation

Samuel Johnson Samuel Johnson ( – 13 December 1784), often called Dr Johnson, was an English writer who made lasting contributions as a poet, playwright, essayist, moralist, literary critic, sermonist, biographer, editor, and lexicographer. The ''Oxford ...

once styled Berenger the "standard of true elegance"; but a more general feelings was that he resembled too closely the gentleman of

William Congreve William Congreve (24 January 1670 – 19 January 1729) was an English playwright, satirist, poet, and Whig politician. He spent most of his career between London and Dublin, and was noted for his highly polished style of writing, being regard ...

's comedies.

Hannah More Hannah More (2 February 1745 – 7 September 1833) was an English religious writer, philanthropist, poet, and playwright in the circle of Johnson, Reynolds and Garrick, who wrote on moral and religious subjects. Born in Bristol, she taught at ...

styled him "everybody's favourite", and summed up his character as "all chivalry, and blank verse, and anecdote".

Works

Both of Berenger's books dealt with the horse and rider. The first, ''A new System of Horsemanship'', appeared in 1754, and was a translation from the French of

Claude Bourgelat Claude Bourgelat (27 March 1712 – 3 January 1779) was a French veterinary surgeon. He was a founder of scientifically informed veterinary medicine Veterinary medicine is the branch of medicine that deals with the prevention, management, me ...

. The second, ''The History and Art of Horsemanship'', was published in 1771 in two volumes, and contained considerable historical information still not without interest to the student. Minor poems by Berenger were in

Robert Dodsley Robert Dodsley (13 February 1703 – 23 September 1764) was an English bookseller, publisher, poet, playwright, and miscellaneous writer. Life Dodsley was born near Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, where his father was master of the free school. H ...

's collection (vi. 271–6); and three essays, with a short poem on the ''Birthday of Shakespeare'', were contributed by him to the periodical called ''The World'', which was included in editions of the "British Essayists".

Notes

External links

Richard Berenger
at th
Eighteenth-Century Poetry Archive (ECPA)
Attribution {{DEFAULTSORT:Berenger, Richard Year of birth missing 1782 deaths English male equestrians English male writers