Author: Williams, John
Biography:
WILLIAMS, John (1754-1818: ODNB)
pseudonym Anthony Pasquin
He was born in London, son of Benjamin and (possibly) Ann Williams. He attended the Merchant Taylors' School, where he wrote his first satirical verses, from 1762 to 1768 and then studied under an engraver in the Strand. In 1773 he published a serial novel in a magazine and enrolled as a student in the Royal Academy Schools. He turned his hand to various kinds of artistic and literary work--engraving, translating, reviewing, and journalism (both as contributor and as editor). In Ireland between 1780 and 1784, he travelled as an itinerant portrait painter, wrote for a newspaper, and had a comedy performed on the Dublin stage. Back in London, he continued with newspaper work, then in 1786 adopted the pen name Anthony Pasquin and initiated a set of moderately successful satires, some of them with his own illustrations. An edition of his Poemsin two volumes (1789) was supported by over 700 subscribers. Nevertheless he suffered financial distress, particularly after an ill-advised lawsuit. In 1798 he left for America to escape his debts and remained there off and on until about 1806, writing, painting, and getting involved with short-lived periodicals at both ends of the political spectrum. (He exhibited portraits of Native American chiefs at the Royal Academy in 1802.) Some US sources, including newspapers, give his full name as John Mason Williams. Back in England, he wrote art criticism for the Morning Herald and theatre criticism for his own Dramatic Censor. He died in 1818 in Brooklyn, leaving a widow but no children. The cause of death given by US papers was variously typhus fever or "incautiously drinking cold water while heated by exercise." (ODNB 10 Feb. 2021; Hallowell Gazette [Hallowell ME] 4 Nov. 1818; The Gazette [Washington DC] 21 Oct. 1818) HJ