of Halesworth in the same county (Nichols, Herald and Genealogist, v. 438). Henry Jermyn (1767–1820) [q. v.] was his cousin. He was called to the bar, but being possessed of a private fortune did not practise. After residing for a time at Brighthelmstone, Sussex, he settled at Southwold, where he was appointed collector of the pier dues. He died in 1852. In 1822 he married Emily Harriott (1793–1824), only surviving child of his cousin Henry, by whom he had three daughters.
Jermyn's chief publications are: 1. ‘The Halesworth Review, from 14th September to 14th October 1808’ [anon.], 8vo, Halesworth, 1808. It contains notices of the various pamphlets published at Halesworth about that time respecting plays, especially those by the Rev. John Dennant. Relating to the same subject is ‘The Halesworth Dunciad, a Satire on Pedantry, addressed to the Censor of the Stage’ (i.e. J. Dennant), 4to, Halesworth, 1808, which has also been ascribed to Jermyn. 2. ‘Opus Epithetorum’ [anon.], 8vo, privately printed, London, (1815?), a specimen of an intended dictionary of epithets used by Jermyn. 3. ‘Phrases. Specimen of an arrangement of English Phrases faithfully collected from the Works of our principal Poets, from the time of Chaucer to the present Period’ [anon.], 8vo, privately printed (London? 1818?). 4. ‘Gradus ad Parnassum. On a plan nearly resembling that of the Latin work … being an arrangement of our principal Synonyms, Epithets, and Phrases, faithfully collected from the Works of the best Poets’ [anon.], 8vo, privately printed (London? 1820?). 5. ‘To the Hundred of Blything’ [anon.], 8vo (Southwold? 1821?), an address on the subject of the poor-law assessment. 6. ‘Pro & Con, or Hundred Arguments for a new Act [of poor-law assessment] and against it’ [anon.], 8vo, Southwold (1821?). 7. ‘Elements of English Epithets, with Illustrations and References to Authorities. Specimen’ [anon.], 4to (London, 1847). 8. ‘Prospectus and Specimen of an English Gradus and Dictionary of Ideas,’ &c., 8vo, London, 1848. 9. ‘Book of English Epithets, literal and figurative, with Elementary Remarks and Minute References to Authorities,’ 8vo, London, 1849.
[Brit. Mus. Cat.]
JERNINGHAM, EDWARD (1727–1812), poet and dramatist, born in 1727, was third son of Sir George Jerningham of Costessey, Norfolk, who died on 21 Jan. 1774, by his wife Mary, eldest daughter and heiress of Francis Plowden of Plowden, Shropshire. He was educated first at the English College at Douay in France, and afterwards in Paris, where he remained for some years under the care of Dr. Howard. In September 1761 he came to England to be present at the coronation of George III, and brought with him a fair knowledge of Greek and Latin, and a thorough mastery of French and Italian. His family were Roman catholics, but after he had examined the points of difference between the rival creeds he adopted protestantism. He lived with his mother until her death in extreme old age, and his chief friends were Lords Chesterfield, Harcourt, Carlisle, and Horace Walpole. At the request of the Prince Regent the library then kept at the Brighton Pavilion was arranged by him. He died at Green Street, Grosvenor Square, London, on 17 Nov. 1812.
Throughout his long life Jerningham dabbled in poetry. His first production was the ‘Nunnery,’ a close imitation of Gray's elegy, but he did not hit the taste of the public until he wrote a poem in recommendation of the Foundling Hospital, which Jonas Hanway [q. v.] declared to have greatly promoted its establishment. Miss Burney met him in 1780, and pronounced him ‘a mighty delicate gentleman: looks to be painted, and is all daintification in manner, speech, and dress;’ and Horace Walpole more than once speaks of him as ‘the charming man.’ His poems were severely satirised. Gifford, in the ‘Baviad,’ lines 21 and 22, depicted him as ‘snivelling Jerningham,’ and weeping at the age of fifty ‘o'er love-lorn oxen and deserted sheep.’ Mathias sneered at him in the ‘Pursuits of Literature,’ Byron, in ‘English Bards and Scotch Reviewers,’ ostentatiously spared him on account of kindness which he had received as a boy, and Macaulay said that his verses ‘were fit to be put into the vase of Lady Miller.’ He bequeathed all his manuscripts to Clarke, the publisher, of New Bond Street, who did not print them.
Jerningham's voluminous works comprised: 1. ‘The Nunnery,’ 1762? 2. ‘The Magdalens,’ an elegy [anon.], 1763. 3. ‘The Nun,’ an elegy [anon.], 1764. 4. ‘Elegy, written among the Ruins of an Abbey’ [anon.], 1765. It was reprinted in the ‘Collection’ of Pearch, ii. 117, &c. 5. ‘Yarico to Inkle,’ an epistle [anon.], 1766. 6. ‘Il latte,’ an elegy [anon.], 1767. 7. ‘Poems on Various Subjects,’ 1767, containing the whole of Jerningham's then-published poetry. The collection gradually expanded by the addition of new pieces, and passed through many editions, the last being the ninth, in four volumes, dated 1806. 8. ‘Amabella’ [anon.], 1768. 9. ‘The Deserter, a Poem,’
