Edward Fairfax

Edward Fairfax (1580? – 27 January 1635) was an English translator.

Life

He was the natural son of Sir Thomas Fairfax the elder, of Denton in Yorkshire, and thus a half-brother of Sir Thomas Fairfax.

Fairfax lived at New Hall, Fewston[1] , near Harrogate, Yorkshire, England in peace and prosperity.

His translation of Tasso's Jerusalem Delivered, for which he is best known, is considered a masterpiece, one of the comparatively few translations which in themselves are literature. It was highly praised by Dryden and Waller. The first edition appeared in 1600, and was dedicated to Queen Elizabeth I of England. Fairfax also wrote a treatise on demonology,[2] in which he was a devout believer.[3]

Edward's daughters Elizabeth and Anne were baptised in Fewston village church in 1606 and 1621 respectively.[1]

Notes

1. The History and Topology of Harragate and Knaresbourough Forest by William Grainge
2. Edward Fairfax, Daemonologica: A Discourse on Witchcraft, R. Ackrill: Harrogate, 1882.
3. Cousin 1910.

Attribution

 This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Cousin, John William (1910). "Fairfax, Edward". A Short Biographical Dictionary of English Literature. London: J. M. Dent & Sons – via Wikisource.

References

• Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Fairfax, Edward" . Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press.
• "Fairfax, Edward" . Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co. 1885–1900.

External links

• Works by Edward Fairfax at Project Gutenberg
• Works by or about Edward Fairfax at Internet Archive