Theaker Wilder

The Rev. Dr. Theaker Wilder (c.1717 – 1778) was the first Regius Professor of Greek and Senior Register at Trinity College, Dublin and became famous for being Oliver Goldsmith's tutor.

Early Life and Education

Theaker Wilder was the son of Matthew Wilder of Castle Wilder, Co. Longford. Born circa 1717, he was educated locally by Dr. Elwood and entered Trinity College, Dublin as a pensioner (ordinary student) on July 8, 1734. He was awarded a scholarship in 1736, a B.A. degree in 1738, became a Fellow in 1744 and was awarded an M.A. in 1748. He became a Doctor of Divinity in 1753. He was appointed Donegal Lecturer in 1759 and Regius Professor of Greek in 1761. He was succeeded in this post by John Stokes in 1764.

Family

He married Letitia (about 1724 - ) about 1746. His grand-daughter was Letitia Denniston of Cocksheath, Carrigart, Co. Donegal.

Tutor to Goldsmith

Wilder was appointed tutor to the young Oliver Goldsmith when Goldsmith entered Trinity College as a Sizar in 1744. Because both men were from the same locality, it was thought that Wilder would provide wise counsel to Goldsmith. However, according to Irving and others, the relationship was tempestuous. There were several incidents where Goldsmith was disciplined by Wilder for infractions of the college rules culminating in his running away to Cork (en route to the Colonies). When he had spent all his money wiser heads prevailed and, with Goldsmith's brother Henry acting as peacemaker, he was able to return to his academic studies. He was awarded a B.A. degree in February 1749, two years later than normal.

Some extracts from Goldsmith's biographies:

He was, moreover, unfortunate in having for his tutor a Mr. Wilder, noted for savage temper, who had the ungenerosity to treat students of the subordinate class with peculiar harshness. Wilder might, perhaps, have treated Oliver better, had his turn been for mathematics and the scholastic logic, in which alone he himself excelled and delighted: but Oliver never concealed his dislike of these studies, and for his proficiency, to whatever it may have amounted, in the ancient languages and their elegant literature, the tutor cared little or nothing ... The youthful sizar was a poet, and we need not doubt that his passions at this period fermented with sufficient commotion. His father died before he had been two years in college, and from that time, though he received occasional supplies from his uncle Contarine, according to the statement of a companion, "his poverty was generally squalid." ...

The registers of Trinity furnish evidence of many irregularities; and among the rest Goldsmith figures as aiding and abetting a riot of May, 1747, which began with pumping a bailiff at the college cistern — and ended with the students heading the rabble of the town in an attempt to force Newgate and liberate the prisoners. This frolic was a very serious one — the gaoler fired, and three were killed and several wounded. Five of the gowned ringleaders were expelled, and Goldsmith and four others were ordered to be admonished "Quod seditioni favissent et tumultuantibus opem tulissent."

In the month after this, Oliver, anxious to recover his ground, made a considerable exertion, stood for one of Erasmus Smith's exhibitions, for which, though then producing only thirty shillings a-year, there were numerous competitors, and acquitted himself at the examination so well as to attain his object. Elated with this first and last of his academical distinctions, he invited a party of young people of both sexes to a supper and dance in his chambers. Mr. Wilder, astounded with the noise of the unlawful fiddle, entered the room, expostulated warmly with Goldsmith, and probably receiving an intemperate answer, struck him. Upon his sensitive spirit this unwarrantable violence produced a violent effect. After brooding all night over his disgrace, he sold off his books and quitted the university, resolving to embark for America, and never revisit Ireland until he had made a character and fortune for himself in another region. He loitered about Dublin, however, until he had just one shilling left, and then set out for Cork. On this shilling he supported himself, by his own account, for three days, and then, having sold most of his raiment, was reduced to such extremity, that "after fasting twenty-four hours, he thought a handful of grey peas, given him by a girl at a wake, the most comfortable repast he had ever made." Fatigue and famine did what advice would probably have attempted in vain. Reaching the neighbourhood of his brother Henry, he sent him notice of his plight — was kindly received, re-clothed — and at length carried back to college, where his brother effected "a sort of reconciliation" between him and his tutor.

The materials for a life of Dr. Goldsmith are very copious, although, not perhaps uniformly authentic ...

In June 1744, when in his fifteenth year, he was sent to Dublin College, and entered as a sizer, under the rev. Mr. Wilder, one of the fellows, but a man of harsh temper and violent passions, and consequently extremely unfit to win the affections and guide the disposition of a youth, simple, ingenuous, thoughtless and unguarded. His pupil, however, made some progress, although slow, in academical studies. In 1747, he was elected one of the exhibitioners on the foundation of Erasmus Smyth; and in 1749, two years after the regular time, he was admitted to the degree of bachelor of arts. His indolence and irregularities may in part account for this tardy advancement to the reputation of a scholar, but much may likewise be attributed to the unfeeling neglect of his tutor, who contended only for the preservation of certain rules of discipline, while he gave himself little trouble with the cultivation of the mind. On one occasion he thought proper to chastise Oliver before a party of young friends of both sexes, whom, with his usual imprudence, he was entertaining with a supper and dance in his rooms. Oliver immediately disposed of his books and clothes, left college, and commenced a wanderer, without any prospect, without friends, and without money. At length, after suffering such extremity of hunger, that a handful of grey peas, which a girl gave him at a wake, appeared a luxurious meal, he contrived to acquaint his brother with his situation, who immediately clothed him and car. vied him back to college, effecting at the same time a reconciliation between him and his tutor, which it may be supposed was more convenient than cordial on either side.

In June, 1744, he was sent a sizer to Trinity College, Dublin, and placed under the tuition of Mr. Wilder, one of the fellows, who is represented to have been of a temper so morose as to excite the strongest disgust in the mind of his pupil. He did not pass through his academical course without distinction. Dr. Kearney (who was afterwards provost), in a note on Boswell's Life of Johnson, informs us, that Goldsmith gained a premium at the Christmas examination, which, according to Mr. Malone, is more honourable than those obtained at the other examinations, inasmuch as it is the only one that determines the successful candidate to he the first in literary merit. This is enough to disprove what Johnson is reported to have said of him, that he was a plant that flowered late; that there appeared nothing remarkable about him when he was young; though, when he had got in fame, one of his friends began to recollect something of his being distinguished at college. Whether he took a degree is not known. On one occasion he narrowly escaped expulsion for having been concerned in the rescue of a student, who, in violation of the supposed privileges of the University, had been arrested for debt within its precincts: but his superiors contented themselves with passing a public censure on him.

Later Life

He became rector of Tullyaughnish (Ramelton, Co. Donegal) in 1769 and died there in early 1778 (probably late January) at Grove Hall, Ramelton, Co. Donegal. The living of Tullyaughnish was in the gift of Trinity College at that time. His death was reported in the first issue of the Dublin Evening Journal and a few days later in The Londonderry Journal. According to one account - "It is interesting to know that Mr. Theaker Wilder was killed in a drunken riot, just at the time when Goldsmith's social success was at its height" - but this cannot be true since Goldsmith had already been dead for almost four years by the time Wilder died. Another source ascribes his death to an accident sustained when arriving home late from a local hostelry. In any event, his widow took steps to secure his assets. Advertisements to this effect appeared in the Londonderry Journal for several weeks after his death.

The notice of his death in the Dublin Evening Journal reads:

Deaths
Near Rathmelton, the Rev. Dr. Wilder, formerly a
fellow of Trinity College, Dublin.

The notices in the Londonderry Journal read:

The Inhabitants of Tully and Aughnish, in the
County of Donegal, who are indebted to the
Heirs of the late Dr. Wilder for Rent, Tythes,
&c. are desired to pay the same immediately
to Mr. John Delap of Rathmelton.

- 16th Feb 1778

Letitia Wilder

and

A Caution

Those who are indebted to the Rev. Dr. Theaker Wilder,
of Grovehall, near Rathmelton, in the County of Donegal,
deceased, by Bond, Note or otherwise, are desired not
to pay any Person but me, his Widow, who purposes
to administer immediately, or to my
Lawful Attorney; and those who can give information
of any of his Effects that may be secreted to Mr.
Smyth, No. 8, William-street, Dublin, or to me at
Mr Robert Nesbet's, Rathmelton, shall be rewarded.

Given under my hand this 1st Day of February, 1778

Letitia Wilder

Publications

Wilder published a translation of Newton's Universal arithmetick to which he contributed notes. The book was published in London in 1769. It was begun by Wilder's colleague in Trinity College, Dublin, James Maguire, but was unfinished at the time of Maguire's death. The enterprise was undertaken by Wilder at the behest of Maguire's family -

... John and Bridget, the Brother and Sister

of the Author James Maguire: And to the Use of his Representatives, the Profits (if any) of this Work are by Deed conveyed; the Losses, if any, are to be sustained solely by me.

The Library of Congress citation reads:

LC Control No.:       01003431 

Type of Material:  Book (Print, Microform, Electronic, etc.)

Personal Name:     Newton, Isaac, Sir, 1642-1727. 

Main Title:        Universal arithmetick: or, A treatise of arithmetical
                      composition and resolution. Written in Latin by Sir
                      Isaac Newton. Translated by the late Mr. Ralphson; and
                      rev. and cor. by Mr. Cunn. To which is added, a treatise
                      upon the measures of ratios, by James Maguire, A.M. The
                      whole illustrated and explained, in a series of notes,
                      by the Rev. Theaker Wilder ...

Published/Created: London, Printed for W. Johnston, 1769.

Related Names:     Cunn, Mr. (Samuel), ed.
                   Raphson (sic), Joseph, d. 1715 or 16,  tr.
                   Wilder, Theaker.

Description:       2 v. in 1. VIII  fold. diagr. 21 cm.

Notes:             Paged continuously.
                   "Of the methods by which you may approximate to the roots
                      of numeral equations", By Colin MacLaurin: p. [505]-536.

Subjects:          Algebra--Early works to 1800.

LC Classification: QA35 .N564

Language Code:     englat
                         ______________________________

CALL NUMBER:       QA35 .N564
                   Copy 1

-- Request in:     Jefferson or Adams Bldg General or Area Studies Reading Rms
-- Status:         Not Charged

The publication is also mentioned in Allibone. In addition to Newton's first edition, there were several other editions of this book - Latin editions of 1722, 1732, 1761 and Ralphson's English editions of 1720 and 1728 before Wilder and Maguire's contributions.

External Links

• Oliver Goldsmith: A Biography by Washington Irving from Project Gutenberg
• Goldsmith (English Men of Letters series) by William Black from Project Gutenberg