Elijah Fenton Biography

Elijah Fenton (1683 – 1730) was a poet, biographer and translator.

Born in Shelton (now Stoke-on-Trent), and educated at Jesus College, Cambridge, for a time he acted as secretary to the Charles Boyle, 4th Earl of Orrery in Flanders, and was then Master of Sevenoaks Grammar School.

In 1707, Fenton published a book of poems. He later became tutor to Sir William Trumbull's son at Easthampstead Park in Berkshire and is now best known as the assistant of his neighbour, Alexander Pope, in his translation of the Odyssey, of which he 'Englished' the first, fourth, nineteenth, and twentieth books, catching the manner of his master so completely that it is hardly possible to distinguish between their work; while thus engaged he published (1723) a successful tragedy, Marianne. His later contributions to literature were a Life of Milton, and as an editor of Waller's Poems (1729).

He died on 16th of July 1730, and is buried in the churchyard of the Parish Church of St Michael and St Mary Magdalene at Easthampstead in Berkshire.

There is a memorial to him on the wall of the church, with an epitaph by Alexander Pope. This reads:-