ordained deacon and priest in 1818, and held several curacies in Ireland. Subsequently he was appointed reader of St. Mary Woolnoth, London, and master of Tewkesbury grammar school. He died in 1877.
Besides several guide books and other works of little value, Wright's publications are:
- ‘Rudiments of the Greek Language,’ 1820, 8vo.
- ‘An Historical Guide to Ancient and Modern Dublin,’ illustrated by engravings after drawings by G. Petrie, London, 1821, 12mo; 1825.
- ‘Ireland illustrated in a Series of Views from Drawings by Petrie,’ London, 1829, 4to.
- ‘Landscape Historical Illustrations of Scotland and the Waverley Novels,’ 1831.
- ‘Scenes in North Wales,’ illustrated, London, 1833, 12mo.
- ‘Scenes in Ireland,’ with historical legends, illustrated, London, 1834, 12mo.
- ‘A New and Comprehensive Gazetteer,’ London, 1834–8, 5 vols. 8vo.
- ‘Life and Reign of William IV’ (in collaboration with John Watkins), 1837.
- ‘The Shores and Islands of the Mediterranean,’ with engravings, London, 1839, 4to.
- ‘Lancashire, its History, Legends, and Manufactures,’ London, 1842, 8vo.
- ‘Life and Campaigns of Arthur, Duke of Wellington,’ 1841, 4 vols. 4to.
- ‘Life and Times of Louis Philippe,’ 1841, 8vo.
- ‘China, in a Series of Views,’ 1843, 4 vols. 4to.
- ‘The People's Gallery of Engravings,’ 1845–6, 3 vols. 4to.
- ‘France Illustrated,’ 1845–7, 4 vols. 4to.
- ‘Belgium, the Rhine, Italy, and Greece,’ illustrated, 1849, 2 vols. 4to.
He also edited the ‘Works of George Berkeley’ (1843), the ‘Works of Thomas Reid’ (1843, 8vo), and ‘Dugald Stewart's Elements of Philosophy of the Human Mind’ (1843). He contributed the Welsh and Irish portions to Gorton's ‘Topographical Dictionary.’
[Brit. Mus. Cat.; Allibone's Dict. of Engl. Lit.; Todd's List of Dubl. Graduates; Foster's Alumni Oxon.]
WRIGHT, ICHABOD CHARLES (1795–1871), translator of Dante, was born at Mapperley Hall, Nottinghamshire, on 11 April 1795. His father, Ichabod Wright (1767–1862), a descendant of the old Suffolk family of Wright, was a grandson of Ichabod Wright (1700–1777), who was originally an ‘ironmonger’ of Nottingham, but subsequently, in 1761, founded the bank in Long Row in that town. The younger Ichabod, who took an active part in all local matters, was admitted a freeman of the town in 1791, was commandant of the South Nottinghamshire yeomanry when it was enrolled in 1794, and many years later presented the ‘Mapperley Cup’ as a prize for the best marksman of the Robin Hood volunteers. He married, on 28 Jan. 1794, Harriett Maria (d. 1843), daughter of Benjamin Day of Yarmouth and Norwich, and died at his seat of Mapperley on 14 Nov. 1862, leaving three sons and ten daughters.
The eldest son, Ichabod Charles, was educated at Eton (1808–14) and at Christ Church, Oxford, matriculating on 22 April 1814. He graduated B.A. (with second-class honours) in 1817 and M.A. in 1820, and held an open fellowship at Magdalen, 1819–25. He became a joint manager of the bank at Nottingham in 1825, and on 21 Dec. in the same year he married Theodosia, daughter of Thomas Denman, first lord Denman [q. v.] . His best energies were devoted henceforth to his business and to the theory of banking, in connection with which he published some pamphlets. Between 1830 and 1840, however, he gave his leisure to the study of Italian literature, and produced a metrical translation of the ‘Divina Commedia’ which entitles him to a high place among the popularisers of Dante in England. A few years before his father's death he moved from Bramcote, near Nottingham, to Stapleford Hall, Derbyshire. He died on 14 Oct. 1871 at Heathfield Hall, Burwash, Sussex, the residence of his eldest son, Charles Ichabod Wright, lieutenant-colonel of the Robin Hood rifles and M.P. for Nottingham 1868–9. His widow died on 20 May 1895.
Wright's version of the ‘Divina Commedia’ was issued originally in three instalments, dedicated respectively to Lord Brougham, Archbishop Howley, and Lord Denman, ‘all ardent admirers of Dante’ (the translator further acknowledged special encouragement and help from Panizzi and from Count Marioni). The first instalment, ‘The Inferno of Dante translated into English Rhyme: with an Introduction and Notes’ (London, 1833, 8vo, and 1841), was commended by the ‘Athenæum,’ and the ‘Edinburgh’ entreated Wright to proceed; but the ‘Quarterly,’ ‘with every disposition to encourage any gentleman in an elegant pursuit,’ conceived it to be its duty to ask ‘how far (Cary's volumes being in every collection) it was worth Mr. Wright's while to undertake a new version of Dante.’ What little advantage, concludes the reviewer, Wright may have gained as to manner is counterbalanced by losses on the side of matter (July 1833). ‘The Purgatorio, translated into English Rhyme’ (1837 and 1840), was, however, generally thought to have increased Wright's reputation, and it was
