I have come across a few men named Richard Hatch, so here's a quick low-down.
Colonial Richard Hatch
In
early 17th-century Virginia, a young apprentice named Richard Hatch was
brought before the colony's ruling council. Apparently, Richard had
made an indiscreet comment (in a private home) concerning the execution
of a fellow colonist for sodomy. Richard had said "'that in his
consyence' he thought that the settler was 'put to death wrongfully.'"*
For such apparently egregious sass, Richard was sentenced to be whipped
to and from the gallows, stand in the pillory, lose one of his ears, and
restart his term as an apprentice (despite being nearly finished). A
harsh punishment indeed!
*James West Davidson and Mark Hamilton Lytle, After the Fact: The Art of Historical Detection, 6th edition (New York: McGraw-Hill, 2010), 46. This is a really cool book about American history; I recommend you check it out at a library because it's a bit expensive.
Actor Richard Hatch
Richard Lawrence Hatch is an actor who was born 21 May 1945. Although he has appeared in the odd episode of Murder She Wrote and The Love Boat, he is best known for Battlestar Galactica.
Richard appeared in the original BG as Captain Apollo. That show lasted
for only one season (1978). Richard spent years trying to revive BG,
but when the show was remade in 2003 he was initially not a part of it.
Richard was highly critical of the new show before it even aired, but he
was reconciled. In 2004 he was cast as Tom Zarek, making him the only
actor to appear in both versions of BG.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Hatch
Survivor Richard Hatch
This
Richard Hatch is the infamous winner of the first season of Survivor,
which aired back in 2000. He's famous for playing naked (eww), being an
asshole, and going to prison for tax evasion. Hatch was so sinister
that in 2013 TV Guide placed him on their list of "The 60 Nastiest Villains of All Time." Wow.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Hatch_%28Survivor_contestant%29
Thursday, 15 August 2013
Friday, 9 August 2013
Bran Castle and Poenari Fortress, Romania
I just got back from Romania, so I thought I would share some castle pictures. These are not directly related to Dicks, but everyone loves a good castle, so I hope you all will let it slide.
Bran Castle
For medieval purposes, Bran Castle is not so hot. The castle is in really nice shape because the royal family lived there during the inter-war years. Consequently, the castle has been updated, so you don't see much that screams "medieval," aside from it being a castle. Bran looks somewhat medieval from the outside, though. Despite that, it's a fun place to visit. It can get a bit crowded in the summer (the interior of the castle is not very large), but if you arrive before 11 AM, you should be fine. Bran Castle is not associated with Vlad the Impaler, but Bram Stoker said in his novel that Count Dracula lived in Bran Castle.
Poenari Fortress is associated with Vlad: he built part of it. Because of that, the fortress has fake impaled people at the entrance for your viewing pleasure. The rest of the castle is largely in ruins, so you really get that medieval vibe.
Visiting Poenari is not for the faint of heart. You have to climb 1480 stairs to reach the top. Thankfully, the stairs are under shade, but it's quite the hike. The views are great, though, and you get a real sense of accomplishment when you reach the top!
Thursday, 1 August 2013
Richard Brinsley Sheridan
This Richard was a playwright and politician in eighteenth-century England. He is best known for his plays, such as The Rivals, School for Scandal, and A Trip to Scarborough (the first two are probably more famous than the third).
Richard was born in Dublin, Ireland on 30 October 1751. The family moved to London when Richard was seven, and he spent most of the rest of his life in England.
Aside from being a talented playwright, Richard was surrounded by talented people. His mother was a playwright and novelist, while his father wrote a number of books about education and the need to standardize the English language. Richard's wife, Elizabeth (daughter of a composer), had a beautiful singing voice and regularly sold-out concert halls in her youth. Her father wanted her to marry a man she didn't like (not Richard), and her domestic drama was subsequently made into a play entitled The Maid of Bath (it was a comedy, however).
Speaking of Richard and Elizabeth, the early days of their marriage were fit for the stage. The two eloped in 1772, when Richard was on the cusp of 21 and Elizabeth was three years younger. Although married in France by a Catholic priest, their marriage was deemed invalid since both were underage. Eventually, their marriage was accepted by Elizabeth's father (who had wanted her to marry a wealthier man), and the marriage was subsequently recognized as valid. The two were re-married in England in April of 1773.
During those early months, when the marriage's validity was touch-and-go, a man named Thomas Mathews publicly besmirched Elizabeth's honor in the newspaper. Naturally, Richard had to fight a duel to defend her. The initial duel was rather a non-starter. The two had to move venues (the initial place was too crowded), and Richard defeated Thomas without shedding any blood. Thomas later challenged Richard to a second duel, in which Richard was actually severely wounded. Obviously, he recovered.
Richard and Elizabeth moved to London, and Richard began to write and produce plays. The Rivals premiered in 1775. In 1776, Richard, his father-in-law, and another partner purchased half of the Drury Lane Theatre. By 1778 Richard owned the entire theatre.
Richard's most famous play, School for Scandal, appeared in 1777. It is considered to be one of the greatest comedies of manners ever written in English. Although Richard is not a household name today, his comedies are quite witty and carefully crafted. I recommend that you read some!
In 1780 Richard began his second career as a member of Parliament. He was a Whig and (of interest to us Americans) a supporter of the American colonists in their rebellion. During his 32 years in Parliament (Richard failed to win re-election is 1812), Richard gave many great orations and made plenty of sassy comments. As told by that glorious purveyor of knowledge, Wikipedia:
1793 Edmund Burke "made a speech in which he claimed there were thousands of French agents in Britain ready to use weapons against the authorities. To dramatically emphasise his point he threw down a knife onto the floor of the House of Commons. Sheridan is said to have shouted out "Where's the fork?", which led to much of the house collapsing in laughter." [From Arnold-Baker, Charles. The Companion to British History. Longcross Press, 1996, page 393].
If you would care to learn more about Richard's political career, check his entry in the great Oxford Dictionary of National Biography.
Anyway, Richard spent his entire life living beyond his means. Being an MP meant he couldn't be arrested for debt; when he lost his re-election bid in 1812, the creditors came calling. Since the Drury Lane Theatre had burned down in 1809, Richard didn't have much income and he died in poverty in 1816. He was, however, buried in Poet's Corner in Westminster Abbey and had a celebrity's funeral.
Despite his glorious wit, Richard was not entirely a roguish good guy. Despite the trouble he went through to marry Elizabeth, he had several affairs. His wife contemplated leaving him around 1789, but was persuaded otherwise. She ended up having an affair in 1791; her lover was the father of her daughter, born in 1792. This pregnancy (Elizabeth and Richard had a son born in 1774) exacerbated Elizabeth's tuberculosis and she died a few months later. Her daughter, treated by Richard as his child, sadly died in 1793. Richard remarried in 1795, and had a son with his second wife, Hester. In later years, Hester also had an affair. No doubt Richard did, too.
Although he was a man of many faults, Richard was highly regarded at his death. Even Lord Byron was a fan.
Read More:
A. Norman Jeffares, ‘Sheridan, Richard Brinsley (1751–1816)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004; online edn, Jan 2008 [http://www.oxforddnb.com].
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Brinsley_Sheridan
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elizabeth_Ann_Linley
Richard was born in Dublin, Ireland on 30 October 1751. The family moved to London when Richard was seven, and he spent most of the rest of his life in England.
Aside from being a talented playwright, Richard was surrounded by talented people. His mother was a playwright and novelist, while his father wrote a number of books about education and the need to standardize the English language. Richard's wife, Elizabeth (daughter of a composer), had a beautiful singing voice and regularly sold-out concert halls in her youth. Her father wanted her to marry a man she didn't like (not Richard), and her domestic drama was subsequently made into a play entitled The Maid of Bath (it was a comedy, however).
Speaking of Richard and Elizabeth, the early days of their marriage were fit for the stage. The two eloped in 1772, when Richard was on the cusp of 21 and Elizabeth was three years younger. Although married in France by a Catholic priest, their marriage was deemed invalid since both were underage. Eventually, their marriage was accepted by Elizabeth's father (who had wanted her to marry a wealthier man), and the marriage was subsequently recognized as valid. The two were re-married in England in April of 1773.
During those early months, when the marriage's validity was touch-and-go, a man named Thomas Mathews publicly besmirched Elizabeth's honor in the newspaper. Naturally, Richard had to fight a duel to defend her. The initial duel was rather a non-starter. The two had to move venues (the initial place was too crowded), and Richard defeated Thomas without shedding any blood. Thomas later challenged Richard to a second duel, in which Richard was actually severely wounded. Obviously, he recovered.
Richard and Elizabeth moved to London, and Richard began to write and produce plays. The Rivals premiered in 1775. In 1776, Richard, his father-in-law, and another partner purchased half of the Drury Lane Theatre. By 1778 Richard owned the entire theatre.
Richard's most famous play, School for Scandal, appeared in 1777. It is considered to be one of the greatest comedies of manners ever written in English. Although Richard is not a household name today, his comedies are quite witty and carefully crafted. I recommend that you read some!
In 1780 Richard began his second career as a member of Parliament. He was a Whig and (of interest to us Americans) a supporter of the American colonists in their rebellion. During his 32 years in Parliament (Richard failed to win re-election is 1812), Richard gave many great orations and made plenty of sassy comments. As told by that glorious purveyor of knowledge, Wikipedia:
1793 Edmund Burke "made a speech in which he claimed there were thousands of French agents in Britain ready to use weapons against the authorities. To dramatically emphasise his point he threw down a knife onto the floor of the House of Commons. Sheridan is said to have shouted out "Where's the fork?", which led to much of the house collapsing in laughter." [From Arnold-Baker, Charles. The Companion to British History. Longcross Press, 1996, page 393].
If you would care to learn more about Richard's political career, check his entry in the great Oxford Dictionary of National Biography.
Anyway, Richard spent his entire life living beyond his means. Being an MP meant he couldn't be arrested for debt; when he lost his re-election bid in 1812, the creditors came calling. Since the Drury Lane Theatre had burned down in 1809, Richard didn't have much income and he died in poverty in 1816. He was, however, buried in Poet's Corner in Westminster Abbey and had a celebrity's funeral.
Despite his glorious wit, Richard was not entirely a roguish good guy. Despite the trouble he went through to marry Elizabeth, he had several affairs. His wife contemplated leaving him around 1789, but was persuaded otherwise. She ended up having an affair in 1791; her lover was the father of her daughter, born in 1792. This pregnancy (Elizabeth and Richard had a son born in 1774) exacerbated Elizabeth's tuberculosis and she died a few months later. Her daughter, treated by Richard as his child, sadly died in 1793. Richard remarried in 1795, and had a son with his second wife, Hester. In later years, Hester also had an affair. No doubt Richard did, too.
Although he was a man of many faults, Richard was highly regarded at his death. Even Lord Byron was a fan.
Read More:
A. Norman Jeffares, ‘Sheridan, Richard Brinsley (1751–1816)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004; online edn, Jan 2008 [http://www.oxforddnb.com].
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Brinsley_Sheridan
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elizabeth_Ann_Linley
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