Royall Tyler

thumb|I can never esteem that knowledge valuable, which tends to give me a distaste for my native country. Royall Tyler (June 18, 1757 – August 26, 1826) was an American jurist, teacher and playwright. He was born in Boston, graduated from Harvard University in 1776, and then served in the Massachusetts militia during the American Revolution. He was admitted to the bar in 1780, became a lawyer, and fathered eleven children. In 1801, he was appointed a Justice of the Vermont Supreme Court. He wrote a play, The Contrast, which was produced in 1787 in New York City, shortly after George Washington's inauguration. It is considered the first American comedy. Washington attended the production, which was well-received, and Tyler became a literary celebrity. Quotes Dimple: Believe me, colonel, you have an immense pleasure to come; and when you shall have seen the brilliant exhibitions of Europe, you will learn to despise the amusements of this country as much as I do.Manly: Therefore I do not wish to see them; for I can never esteem that knowledge valuable, which tends to give me a distaste for my native country. The Contrast, a Comedy; in Five Acts (Philadelphia: press of Prichard & Hall, 1790), act 4, sc. 1 (p. 59) External links Author:Royall Tyler Category:1757 births Category:1826 deaths Category:Playwrights from the United States Category:Lawyers from the United States Category:Judges from the United States Category:Harvard University alumni