Sir John Hawkins was born on the 29th of March 1719, destined by his father to follow a path in architecture, yet he abandoned that trade before the age of 30 to establish a thriving career as a solicitor. This pivot from building structures to building legal careers set the stage for a life that would eventually see him knighted in 1772 for his public service. His personal life changed dramatically in 1753 when he married Sidney Storer, the second daughter of attorney Peter Storer. The marriage brought a significant inheritance to the couple following the death of her brother, allowing Hawkins to retire from all professional vocations in 1759. The family relocated to Twickenham, placing them in close proximity to the famous writer Horace Walpole, a move that would prove pivotal for his future social and literary connections. In 1760, he published an edition of Walton's The Complete Angler, and by 1763, he had released a document on the state of the Highways that would later be considered the foundational basis for the Highway Act 1835. His legal acumen led to his commission of the peace in 1771, where he served as a magistrate for Middlesex and eventually became the Chairman of the Quarter Session for that county.
The Long Silence of Music History
It took Hawkins sixteen years to compose A General History of the Science and Practice of Music, a monumental work finally published in 1776 that would define his legacy in the arts. Although the publication was initially respected, it was quickly overshadowed by the concurrent release of Charles Burney's General History of Music, which ran from 1776 to 1789. The rivalry between the two men was so intense that Dr. Callcott composed a mocking song specifically targeting Hawkins's work, and Burney's own discourse on Handel and Bach was later viewed as particularly inadequate compared to Hawkins's depth. Despite the contemporary dismissal, later musicologists would eventually consider Hawkins's history superior to Burney's, as evidenced by the 1875 edition of Hawkins's work. This long gestation period of sixteen years highlights the meticulous nature of his research, which stood in stark contrast to the more popular but less rigorous approach of his rival. The work remained a scholarly treasure for centuries, waiting for the critical re-evaluation that would finally place it above the more famous but flawed competition.
The Shadow of Boswell
Within hours of Samuel Johnson's death, publishers Thomas Cadell and William Strahan approached Hawkins to write a biography and an edition of works for the great lexicographer. Hawkins produced the first full-length biography, the Life of Samuel Johnson, in 1787, yet it was largely eclipsed by James Boswell's far longer and more colorful work published four years later. The tragedy of this literary overshadowing is compounded by the fact that Hawkins had known Johnson for about twice as long as Boswell, maintaining a friendship since the 1740s. While Boswell's work became the definitive account for the general public, Hawkins's version covered aspects of Johnson's life that Boswell missed, and Boswell himself freely pillaged material from Hawkins's notes. Hawkins was uniquely attuned to Johnson's strongly religious nature, a spiritual dimension that Boswell often overlooked in favor of the more colorful anecdotes. The difference in their proximity to the end was stark; Hawkins was with Johnson when he died, whereas Boswell had been in Scotland for some months prior to the event.
Hawkins was an integral part of Dr. Samuel Johnson's various social circles, yet his tenure in The Literary Club ended abruptly after a disagreement with some of Johnson's other friends. This conflict did not sever the bond between the two men, as their friendship continued to flourish until Johnson's death. The depth of this relationship was such that Hawkins was appointed as one of the executors of Johnson's will, a position of immense trust and responsibility. His role as an executor underscores the respect Johnson held for him, despite the earlier friction within the club. The schism within the club highlights the complex social dynamics of the era, where personal disagreements could lead to public exits even among close allies. Hawkins's ability to maintain his friendship with Johnson despite these external pressures speaks to the strength of their personal connection and mutual respect.
The Family Legacy of Laetitia
Hawkins and his wife Sidney Storer faced the heartbreak of losing two daughters in infancy, but their family line continued with two sons, John Sidney Hawkins and Henry, and a daughter who would achieve fame in her own right. That daughter, Laetitia Hawkins, became a novelist, ensuring that the Hawkins name would extend beyond the realms of law and music into the literary world. The family's history is marked by both the tragedy of early loss and the success of their surviving children. Sidney Storer, who died in 1793, had been the catalyst for the family's financial freedom, allowing Hawkins to pursue his scholarly interests without the burden of professional obligations. The legacy of the Hawkins family thus extends through the legal, musical, and literary spheres, with Laetitia's novels adding a new dimension to their historical footprint.
The Shakespearean Scholar
In 1773, Hawkins provided the notes for a new edition of Shakespeare, a task that required a deep understanding of the Bard's language and context. This contribution to Shakespearean scholarship was a testament to his wide-ranging intellectual interests, which spanned from music to law to literature. The notes he provided were part of a larger effort to make Shakespeare's works more accessible and understandable to the reading public of the 18th century. This scholarly work, though less famous than his music history or his biography of Johnson, demonstrated his versatility and his commitment to preserving and interpreting the great works of English literature. The effort to annotate Shakespeare required a level of detail and precision that mirrored his approach to his other major works, showcasing his dedication to accuracy and depth.