William Combe was a British miscellaneous writer. His early life was that of an adventurer; his later life was passed chiefly within the "rules" of the King's Bench Prison.
Photos 5
Portrait of William Combe drawn by George Dance (1793)
Dr Syntax, losing his way. Combe wrote verses to accompany Thomas Rowlandson's comic caricatures.
Dr Syntax in Danger, print after a drawing by Thomas Rowlandson
A Derby Porcelain figure of Dr Syntax in Derby Museum
A depiction of Dr Syntax landing at Calais from the tour of Dr SyntaxWriters born in the 1740s 6
About this person
William Combe was a British miscellaneous writer. His early life was that of an adventurer; his later life was passed chiefly within the "rules" of the King's Bench Prison. He is most notable as the author of The Three Tours of Doctor Syntax, a comic poem, illustrated by artist Thomas Rowlandson's colour plates, that satirised William Gilpin. Combe also wrote a series of imaginary letters, supposed to have been written by the second, or "wicked" Lord Lyttelton. Of a similar kind were his letters between Swift and "Stella". He also wrote the letterpress for various illustrated books, and was a general hack.
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