George Croly

George Croly (1780-1860). Courtesy [Hymnary.org.]

Rev. George Croly (17 August 1780 - 24 November 1860) was an Irish poet and Anglican clergyman.

Life

Overview

Poet, novelist, historian, and divine, Croly was born at Dublin, and educated at Trinity College there. He took orders and became Rector of St. Stephen's, Walbrook, and had a high reputation as a preacher. He wrote poems, dramas, satires, novels, history, and theological works, and attained some measure of success in all. Perhaps his best known works are his novels, Salathiel (1829), founded on the legend of "the wandering Jew," and Mareton (1846). His chief contribution to theological literature is an exposition of the Apocalypse.

Youth and education

Croly was born at Dublin, the son of a physician.

He received the greater part of his education at Trinity College, Dublin, which he entered at age 15, earning a B.A. in 1800 and an M.A. in 1804. He distinguished himself as a classical scholar and an extempore speaker.

Career

Croly was ordained in 1804, and licensed to a curacy in the north of Ireland. The obscurity of his situation was distasteful to him, and about 1810, accompanied by his widowed mother and his sisters, he settled in London, and devoted himself chiefly to literary pursuits.

He became dramatic critic to the New Times, and was a leading contributor to the Literary Gazette and Blackwood's Magazine from their commencement. Among his numerous contributions to the latter periodical was "The Traditions of the Rabbins," a portion of which has been erroneously attributed to De Quincey, and still appears among his collected works.

Croly's connection with the Literary Gazette brought about his marriage in 1819 to Margaret Helen Begbie, with whom he had become acquainted as a fellow-contributor to the journal. Jerdan, the editor of the Gazette, endeavored to procure Croly church preferment, but his efforts failed, according to the Gentleman's Magazine, from Croly being confused with a converted Roman catholic priest of nearly the same name. Croly accordingly continued to devote himself vigorously to literature.

In 1834 he received an offer of preferment from Lord Brougham, a distant connection of his wife's; but the living proposed for his acceptance, Bondleigh, on the borders of Dartmoor, was so wild and solitary that he declined it. Brougham recommended him to his successor, Lyndhurst, who in 1835 gave him the rectory of St. Stephen's, Walbrook. He soon acquired a reputation for eloquence, and attracted an intellectual congregation to the church where he had found "a stately solitude".

As a preacher he was rather impressive than persuasive. "He had," says S.C. Hall, "a sort of rude and indeed angry eloquence that would have stood him in better stead at the bar than in the pulpit." James Grant says that his appearance in the pulpit was commanding, his delivery earnest and animated, his voice stentorian yet not unpleasant. He usually preached extempore.

His contributions to biblical literature were unimportant. He possessed considerable learning, but so little of the critical faculty that he identified Prometheus with Cain. As a man he seems to have been contentious and supercilious, yet by no meands devoid of geniality. Though illiberal on many points, he was no bigot, and the firmness of his public conduct and the independence of his private judgment do him much credit.

In 1843 and for several years following his incumbency was disturbed by parochial squabbles with the churchwarden, Alderman Michael Gibbs, who caused the accounts of 19-1/2 years to be passed at a meeting of the select vestry, from which the general body of parishioners was excluded. A tedious litigation ensued, which resulted in the substitution of an open vestry for the select, and the placing of the parish funds in the hands of trustees, as desired by Croly.

His income had suffered considerably, and in 1847 he accepted the appointment of afternoon lecturer at the Foundling; but his ornate style of preaching proved unsuitable to a congregation chiefly consisting of children and servants, and he speedily withdrew, publishing the sermons he had delivered with an angry and contemptuous preface.

In 1851 he lost his wife, to whom he was greatly attached.

He died suddenly at Holborn, Lincoln, aged 80.

Writing

Croley produced his principal poem, Paris in 1815, in 1817; The Angel of the World and May Fair in 1820; his tragedy Catiline in 1822; Tales of the Saint Bernard, and his chief romance, Salathiel, in 1829. His poetical works were collected in 1830. Nor did he neglect professional pursuits, publishing a commentary on the Apocalypse in 1827, and Divine Providence, or the Three Cycles of Revelation, in 1834. His Life and Times of George the Fourth (1830) is a work of no historical value, but creditable to his independence of spirit.

His novel, Marston, was published in 1846, and his poem, The Modern Orlando, in the same year. He also performed much work for the booksellers, and contributed largely to periodical literature, being principal leader writer to the Britannia newspaper for 7 years.

Croly is a characteristic example of the dominant literary school of his youth, that of Byron and [[Thomas Moore}Moore]]. The defects of this school are unreality and meretriciousness; its redeeming qualities are a certain warmth of coloring and largeness of handling, both of which Croly possessed in ample measure.

His chief work, Salathiel, is boldly conceived, and may still be read with pleasure for the power of the situations and the vigour of the language, although some passages are palpable imitations of De Quincey.

He was less at home in modern life, yet Marston is interesting as a romance, and remarkable for its sketches of public men. In all his works, whether in prose or verse, Croly displays a lively and gorgeous fancy, with a total deficiency of creative imagination, humour, and pathos.

His principal poem, Paris in 1815, is a successful imitation of Childe Harold; The Modern Orlando is a very inferior Don Juan; Catiline is poetical, but undramatic. Some of his minor poems, especially "Sebastian," are penned with an energy which almost conceals the essential commonplace of the thought.

Recognition

Croly acquired an LL.D. in 1831.

In 1857 his parishioners presented him with his bust, which was placed in the church after his decease.

Publications

Poetry

• Paris in 1815: A poem. London: John Murray, 1817.
• Lines on the Death of Princess Charlotte. London: John Murray, 1818.
• The Angel of the World: An Arabian tale; Sebastian: A Spanish tale; with other poems. Londo: John Warren, 1820.
• Gems principally from the antique (illustrated by Richard Dagley). London: Hurst, Robinson, 1822.
• Cataline: A tragedy; with other poems. London: Hurst, Robinson / Edinburgh: A. Constable, 1822.
• May Fair: In four cantos. London: W.H. Ainsworth, 1827.
• Poetical Works. (2 volumes), London: H. Colburn & R. Bentley, 1830. Volume I, Volume II
• The modern Orlando: Cantos 1-7. London: H. Colburn, 1846.
• Scenes from Scripture, with other poems. London: H. Colburn, 1851.

Novels

• Salathiel: A story of the past, the present, and the future. (3 volumes), London: H. Colburn, 1828; New York: G. & C. Carvill / Philadelphia: Carey, Lea & Carey / R. Small, 1828; (1 volume), New York: Funk & Wagnalls, Volume I, Volume II, Volume III
  • also published as Tarry Thou till I Come; or, Salathiel, the wandering Jew. New York: Grosset & Dunlap, 1901. Volume I
• Tales of the Great St. Bernard. (3 volumes), London: H. Colburn, 1829. Volume I, Volume II, Volume III
• Marston; or, The soldier and statesman. (3 volumes), London: London: Henry Colburn, 1846. Volume I, Volume II, Volume III

Non-fiction

• The Coronation: Observations on the public life of the King. London: J. Warren, 1821.
• Popery and the Popish question: A sermon. London: G.B. Whittaker, 1825.
• The Apocalypse of St John: A new interpretation. London: C. & J. Rivington, 1827.
• The Englishman's Polar Star!! or, A deeply interesting and highly important view of unquestioned historical facts, as connected with the honour and safety of the British empire. Preston, UK: E. Moreland, 1828.
• The Life and Times of His Late Majesty George IV. London: James Duncan, 1830; New York: J. & J. Harper et al, 1831.
• The Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts. A sermon. London: J. Duncan, 1831.
• The Year of Liberation: A journal of the defence of Hamburgh against the French army. (2 volumes), London: James Duncan, 1832.
• Divine Providence; or, The three cycles of Revelation. London: James Duncan, 1834.
• The Spread of the Gospel the Safeguard of England! A sermon. London: James Duncan, 1835.
• The Reformation a direct gift of divine providence. London: Hatchards, Rivingtons, for the Protestant Association, 1838.
• England the Fortress of Christianity. London: Protestant Assocition, 1839.
• A Memoir of the Political Life of the Right Honourable Edmund Burke. Edinburgh: Blackwood, 1840.
• Historical Sketches, Speeches, and Characters. London: Seeley, 1842.
• The Universal Kingdom: A sermon. London: Duncan & Malcolm, 1843; London: John Kendrick, 1843.
• The Claims of Jews Incompatible with the National Profession of Christianity. London: Seeleys, 1848.
• The Divine Origin, Appointment, and Obligation of Marriage. A sermon. London: J. Duncan, 1848.
• National diseases, Divine Judgments: A sermon. London: J. Kendrick, 1848.
• Papal Rome ... A sermon. London: J. Kendrick, 1848.
• Popery the Antichrist ... A sermon. London: J. Kendrick, 1848.
• Sermons preached ... in 1847. London: Smith, Elder, 1848.
• The Year of Revolutions: A sermon. London: J. Kendrick, 1849.
• Infant Regeneration ... A sermon. London: John Kendrick, 1850.
• National Knowledge, National Power: An address. London: John Kendrick, 1850.
• The Popish Primacy: Two sermons. London: John Kendrick, 1850.
• The Theory of Baptism. London: Francis & John Rivington, 1850.
• The Theory of the Lord's Supper. London: John Kendrick, 1851.
• The Miracles of Scripture: Contrasted with the fictions of Popery. London: John Kendrick, 1852.
• Public Worship a Divine Obligation: A sermon. London: H. Teape, 1852.
• A Sermon on the Death of the Duke of Wellington. London: Seeleys, 1852.
• National Defence Essential to National Safety ... A sermon. London: Seeleys, 1853.
• England, Turkey, and Russia: A sermon. London: Seeleys, 1854.
• The Book of Job (with memoir by F.W. Croly). Edinburgh & London: William Blackwood, 1863.

Edited

• The Beauties of the British Poets: With a few introductory observations. London: R.B. Seeley, 1828; New York: C. Wells, 1831.
• Alexander Pope, The Works. London: A.J. Valpy, 1835.
• Psalms and Hymns for Public Worship. London: John Kendrick, 1854.

Except where noted, bibliographical information courtesy WorldCat.

See also

Spirit Of God Descend Upon My Heart - Hymn Lyrics & Music

• List of Irish poets
• List of English-language hymnists

References

•  Garnett, Richard (1888) "Croly, George" in Stephen, Leslie Dictionary of National Biography 13 London: Smith, Elder, pp. 135-136  . Wikisource, Web, May 24, 2016.

External links

Poems

• George Croly at Hymnary.org (11 hymns)
• Rev. George Croly (1780-1860) info & 40 poems at English Poetry, 1579-1830
• George Croly at Poetry Nook (154 poems)

About

• George Croly in the Encyclopædia Britannica

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