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1792
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According to the entry (by Robert Farquharson Sharp)
for Jackson, William (1730-1803) in the
DNB (1921-1922), v.10, pp.548-549,
In 1792, with the help of one or two friends, he started a Literary
Society in Exeter.
At its meetings, which were held at the Globe Inn, Fore Street, each
member present read an original prose or verse composition.
A volume of the compositions was published in 1796.
According to the entry (by William Prideaux Courtney)
for Polwhele,
Richard (1760-1838) in the
DNB (1921-1922), v.16, pp.71-73,
The parish is situate in beautiful scenery; many of the resident gentry
were imbued with literary tastes, and it is but a few miles from Exeter,
where Polwhele joined a literary society which 'met every three weeks at
the Globe Tavern at one o'clock; recited literary compositions in prose
and verse, and dined at three' (POLWHELE, Cornwall, v. 105).
The association published in 1792 'Poems chiefly by Gentlemen of
Devonshire and Cornwall' (2 vols.), edited by Polwhele, and in 1796
'Essays by a Society of Gentlemen at Exeter.'
A quarrel over the second publication gave rise to a bitter controversy
between Polwhele and his colleagues (Gent. Mag. 1796, pt. ii.)
According to the entry (by John Westby-Gibson) for Downman,
Hugh (1740-1809) in the
DNB (1921-1922), v.5, pp.1307-1308,
Downman seems to have resumed medical practice at Exeter about 1790, and
in 1796 he founded there a literary society of twelve members.
A volume of the essays was printed, and a second volume is said to exist
in manuscript...
In 1808 the literary society was discontinued.
From the above evidence, we may deduce that the Society was probably
founded in 1792, and probably ceased in 1808.
The question of the exact name of the Society is a bit more problematic.
All three DNB entries quoted refer to the Society as
a literary society.
The DNB entry for Jackson gives a somewhat more formal reference to
it, namely as
a Literary Society in Exeter.
The 1792 collection of poems is decidedly vague, attributing the volume
only to Gentlemen of Devonshire and Cornwall,
whilst the 1796 volume alludes to its author as
a Society of Gentlemen at Exeter.
Of the three designations mentioned above, the first seems most consistent
with contemporary practice in naming such groups (an obvious exception
being the Spalding Gentlemen's Society).
Hence we are tentatively taking its primary name (assuming that it
actually had an official name) to be
Literary Society in Exeter.
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1792 - 1808
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Literary Society in Exeter
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The entry (by Robert Farquharson Sharp)
for Jackson, William (1730-1803) in the
DNB (1921-1922), v.10, pp.548-549 gives this name
and start date;
the entry (by John Westby-Gibson) for Downman,
Hugh (1740-1809) in the
DNB (1921-1922), v.5, pp.1307-1308
gives the end date for the Society.
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