John Philips lived for only thirty-two years, but in that span he made a niche for himself in literary history. He was a master of burlesque and perhaps the most successful of the many writers who have attempted to parody Milton’s language for comic purposes. His contribution to a favourite eighteenth-century genre, georgic poetry, ranks alongside the most accomplished, and it has been contended that his masterpiece,

“fixed the English georgic and determined its form” (Durling, 35). Only a handful of poets exerted more influence in succeeding generations, and as a skilled practitioner of imitation he himself was copied by several talented authors. An excellent summary is that of Dustin Griffin:

received the compliment of frequent (though inferior)

2028 words

Citation: Rogers, Pat. "John Philips". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 16 April 2021 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/speople.php?rec=true&UID=3550, accessed 21 November 2024.]

• View recommended reading for this article