JEPHSON

jephson, robert (1736-1803), british dramatist, was born in ireland. after serving for some years in the british army, he retired with the rank of captain, and lived in england, where he was the friend of garrick, reynolds, goldsmith, johnson, burke, burney and charles townshend. his appointment as master of the horse to the lord-lieutenant of ireland took him back to dublin. he published, in the _mercury_ newspaper a series of articles in defence of the lord-lieutenant's administration which were afterwards collected and issued in book form under the title of _the bachelor, or speculations of jeoffry wagstaffe_. a pension of £300, afterwards doubled, was granted him, and he held his appointment under twelve succeeding viceroys. from 1775 he was engaged in the writing of plays. among others, his tragedy _braganza_ was successfully performed at drury lane in 1775, _conspiracy_ in 1796, _the law of lombardy_ in 1779, and _the count of narbonne_ at covent garden in 1781. in 1794 he published an heroic poem _roman portraits_, and _the confessions of jacques baptiste couteau_, a satire on the excesses of the french revolution. he died at blackrock, near dublin, on the 31st of may 1803.