Bernard Barton

Bernard Barton (1784-1849), from Poems and Letters, 1853. Courtesy Internet Archive.

Bernard Barton
Born	January 31 1784(1784-Template:MONTHNUMBER-31) Carlisle, Cumberland (now Cumbria)
Died	February 19, 1849(1849-Template:MONTHNUMBER-19) (aged 65)
Nationality	English
Occupation	poet, clerk
Notable works	Household Verses (1845)
Religion	Quaker

Bernard Barton (January 31, 1784 - February 19, 1849) was an English poet known as the "Quaker poet." Barton is chiefly remembered as the friend of Charles Lamb.

Life

Overview

Barton, born of Quaker parentage, passed nearly all his life at Woodbridge, for the most part as a clerk in a bank. He became the friend of Southey, Lamb, and other men of letters. His chief works are The Convict's Appeal (1818), a protest against the severity of the criminal code of the time, and Household Verses (1845), which came under the notice of Sir R. Peel, through whom he obtained a pension of £100. With the exception of some hymns his works are now nearly forgotten, but he was a most amiable and estimable man, simple and sympathetic.

Family and youth

Barton was born at Carlisle, the son of Quaker parents, Mary (Done) (1752-1784) and John Barton (1754-1789). His mother died a few days after his birth. His father, a manufacturer, married again in Bernard's infancy, moved to London, and finally engaged in malting business at Hertford, where he died in the prime of life. The widow and children afterwards resided at Tottenham.

Bernard was sent to a Quaker school at Ipswich, and at the age of 14 was apprenticed to a shopkeeper, of the name of Jesup, at Halstead in Essex. After 8 years service he moved to Woodbridge, married his employer's daughter (1807), and entered into partnership with her brother as coal and corn merchant.

In the following year his wife died in giving birth to a daughter, whereupon Barton abandoned business and became tutor in the family of Mr. Waterhouse, a Liverpool merchant. After staying a year in Liverpool, where he made the acquaintance of the Roscoe family, he returned to Woodbridge, and received a clerkship in Messrs. Alexander's bank — employment which he held for 40 years until within 2 days of his death.

Literary career

In 1812, Barton published his first volume of verses, Metrical Effusions, and began a correspondence with Southey. About this time he addressed a copy of complimentary verses to the Ettrick Shepherd, who hastened to respond in grateful and flattering terms. Hogg had written a tragedy, which he was anxious to see represented at a London theatre, and, not knowing how to proceed in the matter, solicited the assistance of the quaker poet, who in great perplexity applied to the amiable Capell Loftt the elder]], and by that gentleman's advice the scheme was dropped.

In 1818 appeared the Convict's Appeal, a protest in verse against the severity of the criminal code of that day. The pamphlet bears no name on the title-page, but the dedication to James Montgomery is signed 'B.B.' In the same year Barton published by subscription Poems by an Amateur; and 2 years afterwards he found a publisher for a volume of Poems which received some praise from the critics and reached a 4th edition in 1825. Napoleon, and other Poems (dedicated to George IV), and Verses on the death of P.B. Shelley, appeared in 1822.

It was at this time that Barton began a correspondence with Charles Lamb. The freedom with which the Quakers had been handled in the 'Essays of Elia' induced Barton to remonstrate gently with the essayist. Charmed with his correspondent's homely earnestness and piety, Lamb was soon on terms of intimacy with the Quaker Poet, for nobody loved more than Lamb the spirit, apart from the observances, of Quakerism.

Shortly after making Lamb's acquaintance, Barton contemplated resigning, his appointment at Woodbridge and supporting himself by his literary work. Lamb, to whom he communicated the project, advised him strongly against such a course. "Keep to your bank," wrote Lamb, "and the bank will keep you." Southey gave similar advice. Meanwhile his literary work was beginning to tell upon his health. In his letters to Southey and Lamb he complained that he was suffering from low spirits and headache, and again his friends were ready with their advice — Lamb rallying him banteringly, and Southey seriously counselling him to keep good hours and never to write verses after supper.

At this time his pen was very active, and he gained both pleasure and profit from his labours. "The preparation of a book," says his biographer, Edward FitzGerald, "was amusement and excitement to one who had little enough of it in the ordinary course of daily life: treaties with publishers — arrangements of printing — correspondence with friends on the subject — and, when the little volume was at last afloat, watching it for a while somewhat as a boy watches a paper boat committed to the sea."

In 1824 some members of the Society of Friends showed their respect for the poet in a tangible form by raising the sum of £1,200 for his benefit. The originator of the scheme was Joseph John Gurney, at whose death in after-years the poet composed a copy of memorial verses. Barton hesitated about taking the money, and asked the advice of Charles Lamb, who wrote that his opinion was decisive for the "acceptance of what has been so honourably offered." The money was invested in the name of a Mr. Shewell, and the yearly interest was paid to Barton.

Though placed in somewhat easier circumstances by the bounty of his friends, Barton did not at all relax his literary labours. In 1826 he published a volume of Devotional Verses, and A Missionary's Memoir; or, Verses on the death of J. Lawson. These were followed by A Widow's Tale, and other poems, 1827, and A New Year's Eve, 1828.

His next appearance was in 1836, when he joined his daughter Lucy in the publication of The Reliquary; with a Prefatory Appeal for Poetry and Poets. Then followed another long period of silence, broken in 1845 by the appearance of Household Verses, dedicated to the queen.

During all these years Barton seldom left Woodbridge. He had paid occasional visits to Charles Lamb, and once or twice went down into Hampshire to see his brother. His holidays were sometimes spent under the roof of his friend, W. Bodham Donne, at Muttishall, Norfolk. Here his delight was to listen to the conversation of Mrs. Bodham, an old lady who in her youth had been the friend of William Cowper.

Free from all tinge of bigotry, simple and sympathetic, Barton won the esteem and affection of a large circle of friends, young and old, orthodox and heterodox.

Later life

In later life Barton grew more and more disinclined to take exercise. He liked to sit in his library and enjoy the prospect through the open window, or, if he started with any friends for a walk, he would soon stretch himself on the grass and wait for his friends' return. Though his sedentary habits affected his health, he was never painfully ill, and always kept a cheerful spirit.

In 1846 he made a short stay at Aldborough for the benefit of his health, and on returning to Woodbridge printed privately a little collection of poems entitled Seaweeds Gathered at Aldborough, Suffolk, in the Autumn of 1846.

On 19 February 1849, Barton died after a short illness and with little suffering.

Writing

His many volumes of verse are quite forgotten. Even the scanty book of selections published by his daughter contains much that might have been omitted. He wrote easily — too easily — and never troubled to correct what he had written. But all his work is unaffected; nor are there wanting occasional touches of deep and genuine pathos.

In his devotional verses there is a flavor of old-world quaintness and charm, recalling George Herbert's Temple; and in other lyrics Edward FitzGerald found something of the "leisurely grace" that distinguishes the Greek Anthology.

His best known hymns are 'Lamp of our feet, whereby we trace', 'Walk in the light, so shalt thou know', 'Fear not, Zion's sons and daughters', 'Hath the invitation ended?', 'See we not beyond the portal?' and 'Those who live in love shall know'.

Some other trifles remain to be mentioned: 1. 'A Memorial of J. J. Gurney,' 1847. 2. 'Birthday Verses at Sixty-four,' 1848. 3. 'A Brief Memorial of Major E. Moor,' Woodbridge, 1848. 4. 'On the Signs of the Times,' 1838. 5. 'Ichabod,' 1848. In 1848 his daughter Lucy published a selection of his letters and poems, and Edward Fitzgerald (the distinguished translator of 'Omar Khayyam' and 'Calderon'), afterwards her husband, contributed a biographical introduction. In the Athenæum obituary notice it is stated that he left much fugitive verse in manuscript.

Recognition

Household Verses attracted the notice of Sir Robert Peel, who on leaving office procured for the poet a pension of £100 a year.

In 1848 his daughter Lucy published a selection of his letters and poems, and Edward FitzGerald (the translator of Omar Khayyam and Calderon), afterwards her husband, contributed a biographical introduction.

Publications

Poetry

• Metrical Effusions, or Verses on various occasions (anonymous). Woodbridge, UK: S. Loder, 1812.
• The Triumph of the Orwell. Woodbridge, UK: privately published, printed by Smith & Jarrold, 1817.
• Poems (by "an amateur"). London: privately published, printed by J. McCreery, 1818.
• The Convict's Appeal. London: Darton, Harvey, & Darton, 1818.
• A Day in Autumn: A poem. London: Baldwin, 1820.
• Poems. London: Harvey & Darton, 1820.
  • expanded as Poems, Second edition. London: Baldwin, Cradock, & Joy, 1821; Philadelphia: Littell & Henry, 1821.
  • expanded as Poems, Third Edition. London: Baldwin, Cradock & Joy, 1822; Mountpleasant, OH: Elisha Bate, 1823.
  • expanded as Poems, Fourth edition. London: Baldwin, Cradock & Joy, 1825; Augusta, ME: W.M. Ladd, 1825.
• Napoleon, and other poems. London: T. Boys, 1822.
• Minor Poems, including Napoleon. London: Thomas Boys, 1824.
• Poetic Vigils. London: Baldwin, Cradock & Joy, 1824.
• Devotional Verses: Founded on and illustrative of select texts of scripture. London: B.J. Holdsworth, 1826.
• A Widow's Tale, and other poems. London: B.J Holdsworth, 1827.
• A New Year's Eve, and other poems. London: John Hatchard, 1828.
• The Reliquary (with Lucy Barton). London: John W. Parker, 1836.
• Household Verses. London: George Virtue, 1845; Philadelphia: J.W. Moore, 1846.
• Seaweeds Gathered at Aldborough, Suffolk, in the Autumn of 1846. Woodbrige, UK: privately published, 1846.
• New Year Offering: To the Queen. Woodbrige, UK: privately published, printed by Edward Pite, 1847.
• A Memorial of Joseph John Gurney. London: Charles Gilpin, 1847; Philadelphia: H. Longstreth, 1847.
• Ichabod!. Woodbridge, UK: privately published, printed by Edward Pite, 1848.
• A Brief Memorial of Major Edward Moor. Woodbridge, UK: privately published, printed by Edward Pite, 1848.
• Natural History of the Holy Land. London: Thomas Allman, 1856.

Non-fiction

• Illustrations of the Pilgrim's Progress: Accompanied with extracts from the work and descriptions of the plates. London: Fisher, 1836.
• On the Signs of the Times. Woodbridge, UK: privately published, printed by Edward Pite, 1848.

Collected editions

• Selections from the Poems and Letters (edited by Lucy Barton; with memoir by Edward FitzGerald). London: Hall, Virtue, 1849.
  • published in U.S. as Memoir, Letters, and Poems. Philadelphia: Lindsay & Balkiston, 1850.
  • also published as Poems and Letters, with a memoir, edited by his daughter. London: Arthur Hall Virtue, 1853.

Letters

• The Correspondence of Bernard Barton (edited by James E. Barcus). Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 1966.

Except where noted, bibliographical information courtesy WorldCat.

See also

Lamp of Our Feet

• List of British poets

References

• Julian, John (June, 1907). A Dictionary of Hymnology. London: John Murray. p. 116. 
•  Bullen, Arthur Henry (1885) "Barton, Bernard" in Stephen, Leslie Dictionary of National Biography 3 London: Smith, Elder, pp. 340-342  Wikisource, Web, Dec. 10, 2017.

External links

Poems

• "To the Owl"
• Bernard Barton at PoemHunter (5 poems)
• Poems by Bernard Barton (1784-1849) at Poetry Atlas (4 poems).
• Bernard Barton at the Poetry Archive (6 poems)
• Bernard Barton (1784-1849) at English Poetry, 1579-1830 (37 poems)
• Bernard Barton at Poetry Nook (162 poems)

Books

• Bernard Barton at Amazon.com

About

• Barton, Bernard (1784-1849 in the 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica
• Bernard Barton (1784-1849), The Quaker Poet of Woodbridge, Suffolk
• Bernard Barton at Find a Grave

This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain, the Dictionary of National Biography (edited by Leslie Stephen). London: Smith, Elder, 1885-1900. Original article is at: Barton, Bernard