William Ernest Henley

William Ernest Henley (1849-1903). Courtesy Alchetron.

William Ernest Henley
Born	23 August 1849 Gloucester, England
Died	July 11 1903(1903-Template:MONTHNUMBER-11) (aged 53)
Occupation	poet, critic, editor
Nationality	English
Education	The Crypt School, Gloucester
Period	1870-1903
Notable work(s)	"Invictus"

William Ernest Henley (23 August 1849 - 11 July 1903) was an English poet, literary critic, and editor, whose most popular work was his 1875 poem, "Invictus".

Life 

Overview

Henley, born at Gloucester, made the acquaintance of Robert Louis Stevenson, and collaborated with him in several dramas, including Deacon Brodie, and Robert Macaire. He engaged in journalism, and became editor of The Magazine of Art, The National Observer, and The New Review, compiled Lyra Heroica, an anthology of English poetry for boys, and, with Mr. Farmer, edited a Dictionary of Slang. His poems, which include Hospital Rhymes, London Voluntaries, The Song of the Sword, For England's Sake, and Hawthorn and Lavender, are very unequal in quality, and range from strains of the purest music to an uncouth and unmusical realism of no poetic worth. He wrote with T.F. Henderson a Life of Burns, in which the poet is set forth as a "lewd peasant of genius."

Youth and education

Henley was born in Gloucester, the eldest of 6 children (5 sons and a daughter). His father, also William, was a bookseller and stationer, who died in 1868 and was survived by his young children and creditors. His mother, Mary Morgan, was descended from poet and literary critic Joseph Warton.

The son was educated at the Crypt Grammar School in that Gloucester. The school was a sort of Cinderella sister to the Cathedral School, and Henley indicated its shortcomings in his article (Pall Mall Magazine, Nov. 1900) on poet T.E. Brown, who was headmaster there for a brief period. Brown’s appointment, uncongenial to himself, was a stroke of luck for Henley, for whom, as he said, it represented his earliest acquaintance with a man of genius. “He was singularly kind to me at a moment when I needed kindness even more than I needed encouragement.” Among other kindnesses Brown did him the essential service of lending him books. To the end Henley was no classical scholar, but his knowledge and love of literature were vital.

From the age of 12 Henley suffered from tuberculosis of the bone which resulted in the amputation of his left leg below the knee during either 1865 or 1868-69.

Career

Illness often kept Henley from school, although the misfortunes of his father's business may also have contributed. During 1867, Henley passed the Oxford Local Schools Examination and soon afterwards moved to London where he attempted to establish himself as a journalist.

Afflicted with a physical infirmity, Henley found himself in 1874, at the age of 25, an inmate of the hospital at Edinburgh. From there he sent to the Cornhill Magazine poems in irregular rhythms, describing with poignant force his experiences in hospital. Leslie Stephen, then editor, being in Edinburgh, visited his contributor in hospital and took Robert Louis Stevenson, another recruit of the Cornhill, with him. The meeting between Stevenson and Henley, and the friendship of which it was the beginning, form a well-known episode in recent literature (see especially Stevenson’s letter to Mrs Sitwell, January 1875, and Henley’s poems “An Apparition” and “Envoy to Charles Baxter”).

In 1877 began his editorial career by editing London, a journal of a type more usual in Paris than London, written for the sake of its contributors rather than of the public. Among other distinctions it gave to the world The New Arabian Nights of Stevenson. Henley himself contributed to his journal a series of verses chiefly in old French forms. After the decease of London, he edited the Magazine of Art from 1882 to 1886. At the end of that period he came before the public as a poet.

In 1888 Fitzroy Bell started the Scots Observer in Edinburgh, with Henley as literary editor, and early in 1889 Bell left the conduct of the paper to him. It was a weekly review somewhat on the lines of the old Saturday Review, but inspired in every paragraph by the vigorous and combative personality of the editor. It was transferred soon after to London as the National Observer, and remained under Henley’s editorship until 1893. Though, as Henley confessed, the paper had almost as many writers as readers, and its fame was mainly confined to the literary class, it was a lively and not uninfluential feature of the literary life of its time. Henley had the editor’s great gift of discerning promise, and the “Men of the Scots Observer,” as Henley affectionately and characteristically called his band of contributors, in most instances justified his insight. The paper found utterance for the growing imperialism of its day, and among other services to literature gave to the world Kipling’s Barrack-Room Ballads.

Henley remained active in the magazines and did notable editorial work for the publishers: the Lyra Heroica, 1891; A Book of English Prose (with Charles Whibley), 1894; the centenary Burns (with T.F. Henderson) in 1896-1897, in which Henley’s Essay (published separately 1898) roused considerable controversy. In 1892 he undertook for Mr Nutt the general editorship of the Tudor Translations; and in 1897 began for Heineman an edition of Byron, which did not proceed beyond a single volume of letters.

At the close of his life he was engaged upon his edition of the Authorized Version of the Bible for his series of Tudor Translations. There remained uncollected some of his scattered articles in periodicals and reviews, especially the series of literary articles contributed to the Pall Mall Magazine from 1899 until his death. These contain the most outspoken utterances of a critic never mealy-mouthed, and include the splenetic attack on the memory of his dead friend R.L. Stevenson, which aroused deep regret and resentment.

In 1894 Henley lost his little 6-year-old daughter, Margaret; he had borne the “bludgeonings of chance” with “the unconquerable soul” of which he boasted, not unjustifiably, in a well-known poem; but this blow broke his heart. With the knowledge of this fact, some of these outbursts may be better understood; yet we have the evidence of a clear-eyed critic who knew Henley well, that he found him more generous, more sympathetic at the close of his life than he had been before.

He died on 11 July 1903.

Writing

Prose

In 1890 Henley published Views and Reviews, a volume of notable criticisms, described by himself as “less a book than a mosaic of scraps and shreds recovered from the shot rubbish of some fourteen years of journalism.” The criticisms, covering a wide range of authors (except Heine and Tolstoy, all English and French), though wilful and often 1-sided were terse, trenchant and picturesque, and remarkable for insight and gusto.

In 1902 he collected his various articles on painters and artists and published them as a companion volume of Views and Reviews: Art.

With J.S. Farmer Henley edited a 7-volume dictionary of Slang and its Analogues which inspired his 2 translations into thieves' slang of ballades by Francois Villon.

In spite of his too boisterous mannerism and prejudices, he exercised by his originality, independence and fearlessness an inspiring and inspiriting influence on the higher class of journalism. This influence he exercised by word of mouth as well as by his pen, for he was a famous talker, and figures as “Burly” in Stevenson’s essay on Talk and Talkers. As critic he was a good hater and a good fighter. His virtue lay in his vital and vitalizing love of good literature, and the vivid and pictorial phrases he found to give it expression.

Plays

In 1892 Henley published also 3 plays written with Stevenson — Beau Austin, Deacon Brodie, and Admiral Guinea. In 1895 followed Macaire, afterwards published in a volume with the other plays. Deacon Brodie was produced in Edinburgh in 1884 and later in London. Beerbohm Tree produced Beau Austin at the Haymarket, on 3 November 1890, and Macaire at His Majesty’s on 2 May 1901. Admiral Guinea also achieved stage performance.

Poetry

But Henley's fame must rest on his poetry. He excelled alike in his delicate experiments in complicated metres, and the strong impressionism of Hospital Sketches and London Voluntaries. The influence ofHeine may be discerned in these “unrhymed rhythms”; but he was perhaps a truer and more successful disciple of Heine in his snatches of passionate song, the best of which should retain their place in English literature.

Henley had been writing poetry since 1872, but (so he told the world in his "advertisement" to his collected Poems, 1898) he "found himself about 1877 so utterly unmarketable that he had to own himself beaten in art and to addict himself to journalism for the next ten years."

In 1887 Gleeson White made for the popular series of Canterbury Poets (edited by William Sharp a selection of poems in old French forms. In his selection Mr Gleeson White included a considerable number of pieces from London, and only after he had completed the selection did he discover that the verses were all by a single hand, that of Henley.

In the following year, H.B. Donkin in his volume Voluntaries, done for an East End hospital, included Henley’s unrhymed rhythms quintessentializing the poet’s memories of the old Edinburgh Infirmary. Alfred Nutt read these, and asked for more; and in 1888 his firm published A Book of Verse.

Henley was by this time well known in a restricted literary circle, and the publication of this volume determined for them his fame as a poet, which rapidly outgrew these limits, 2 new editions of this volume being called for within 3 years.

His best-remembered work is the poem "Invictus", written in 1875. It is said that this was written as a demonstration of his resilience following the amputation of his foot due to tubercular infection. This passionate and defiant poem should be compared with his beautiful and contemplative acceptance of death and dying in the poem "Margaritae Sorori". The poems of In Hospital are also noteworthy as some of the earliest free verse written in England.

In 1892 he published a 2nd volume of poetry, named after the opening poem, The Song of the Sword, but on the issue of the 2nd edition (1893) re-christened London Voluntaries after another section. Stevenson wrote that he had not received the same thrill of poetry since George Meredith’s Joy of Earth and Love in the Valley, and he did not know that that was so intimate and so deep. "I did not guess you were so great a magician. These are new tunes; this is an undertone of the true Apollo. These are not verse; they are poetry."

In 1898 he published a collection of his Poems in 1 volume, with the autobiographical “advertisement” above quoted; in 1899 London Types, Quatorzains to accompany Mr William Nicolson’s designs; and in 1900 during the Boer War, a patriotic poetical brochure, For England’s Sake. In 1901 he published a 2nd volume of collected poetry with the title Hawthorn and Lavender, uniform with the volume of 1898. These with A Song of Speed printed in May 1903 within 2 months of his death make up his tale of work.

Recognition

Bust of Henley, by Auguste Rodin (1840-1917)

3 of his poems ("Invictus," "Margaritæ Sorori," and "England, My England") were reprinted in the Oxford Book of English Verse, 1250-1900.

In popular culture

According to Robert Louis Stevenson's letters, the idea for the character of Long John Silver was inspired by his real-life friend Henley. In a letter to Henley after the publication of Treasure Island Stevenson wrote "I will now make a confession. It was the sight of your maimed strength and masterfulness that begot Long John Silver ... the idea of the maimed man, ruling and dreaded by the sound, was entirely taken from you".

Henley's poem, "Pro Rege Nostro" (a.k.a. "England, My England"), became popular during World War I as a piece of patriotic verse. It contains the following refrain:

What have I done for you, England, my England?

What is there I would not do, England my own?

The poem and its sentiments have since been parodied by many people often unhappy with the jingoism they feel it expresses or the propagandistic use it is put to. "England, My England", a short story by D.H. Lawrence and also England, Their England, the novel by A.G. Macdonell, both use the phrase.

Finnish writer Hella Wuolijoki has mentioned in her memoirs Enkä ollut vanki that the poem "Invictus" also inspired and encouraged her during her incarceration in Katajanokka/Skatudden prison in Helsinki at the end of World War II.

Mandela

Invictus - Theatrical Trailer

While incarcerated on Robben Island prison, Nelson Mandela recited "Invictus" to other prisoners and was empowered by its message of self mastery.

In the 2009 movie Invictus, produced and directed by Clint Eastwood, the poem is referenced several times. It becomes the central inspirational gift from Mandela, played by Morgan Freeman, to Springbok rugby team captain François Pienaar, played by Matt Damon, in advance of the post-apartheid Rugby World Cup hosted in 1995 by South Africa and won by the underdog Springboks.

Publications

Poetry

• A Book of Verses. London: David Nutt, 1888.
• The Song of the Sword, and other verses. London: David Nutt, 1892.
  • also published as London Voluntaries. London: David Nutt, 1893.
• Poems. London: David Nutt, 1898; New York: Scribner, 1898.
  • 19th edition. New York: Scribner. 1919.
• For England's Sake: Verses and songs in time of war. London, David Nutt, 1900.
• Hawthorne and Lavender, with other verses. London: David Nutt, 1901; New York: Harper, 1901.
• In Hospital. Portland, ME: Thomas B. Mosher, 1901.
• A Song of Speed. London: David Nutt, 1903.
• Echoes of Life and Death. Portland, ME: Thomas B. Mosher, 1908.
• Rhymes and Rhythms, and Arabian nights' entertainments. Portland, ME: Thomas B. Mosher, 1909.
• W.E. Henley. London: Ernest Benn (Augustan Poetry series), 1932.

Plays

• Macaire: A melodramatic farce (by William Ernest Henley & Robert Louis Stevenson). Edinburgh: private, 1885; London: Heinemann, 1895.
• Deacon Brodie; or, The double life; a melodrama in five acts and eight tableaux (by William Ernest Henley & Robert Louis Stevenson). Edinburgh: University Press / T. and A. Constable, 1888.
• Three Plays: Beau Austin, Deacon Brodie & Admiral Guinea (by William Ernest Henley and Robert Louis Stevenson). London: David Nutt, 1892; London: Macmillan, 1921.
• The Plays of W.E. Henley and R.L. Stevenson. London: Heinemann, 1896.
• Beau Austin (with Robert Louis Stevenson). New York: Barnes & Noble, 2011.

Non-fiction

• Views and Reviews: Essays in appreciation. London: David Nutt, 1890; New York: Scribner, 1890.
• Burns: Life, genius, achievement. Edinburgh: T.C. and E.C. Jack / London: Whittaker, 1898.
• A dictionary of Slang and Colloquial English; Abridged from the seven-volume work, entitled: Slang and its analogues. London, Routledge / New York, E.P. Dutton, 1905.

Edited

• Lyra Heroica: A book of verse for boys. London: David Nutt, 1892.
• A Book of English Prose: Character and incident, 1387-1649 (selected by William Ernest Henley & Charles Whibley). London: Methuen, 1894.
• The Works of Lord Byron. London: Heinemann, 1896.
• The Complete Poetical Works of Robert Burns. Boston & New York: Houghton Mifflin, 1897,
• English Lyrics: Chaucer to Poe, 1340-1809. London: Methuen, 1897.
• The Complete Writings of Robert Burns. Boston & New York: Houghton Mifflin, 1926-27.

Collected editions

• Works. London: David Nutt, 1908.

Letters

• Selected Letters (edited by Damian Atkinson). Aldershot, Hampshire, UK / Burlington, VT: Ashgate, 2000.
• Letters of William Ernest Henley to Robert Louis Stevenson (edited by Damian Atkinson). High Wycombe, Bucks, UK: Rivendale Press, 2008.

Except where noted, bibliographical information courtesy WorldCat.

Morgan Freeman recites 'Invictus' from memory on Charlie Rose

Poems by Henley

1. Invictus

See also

• List of British poets
• List of literary critics

External links

Poems

• "I am the Reaper"
• 2 poems by Henley: "Ballade of Midsummer Days and Nights," "Between the dusk of a summer night"
• William Ernest Henley in the Oxford Book of English Verse, 1250-1900: "Invictus," "Margaritæ Sorori," "England, My England".
• William Ernest Henley at the Poetry Archive: 4 poems ("Barmaid," "Croquis," "I am the Reaper," "Unconquerable)"
• Henley in The English Poets: An anthology: "I.M. - R.T. Hamilton Bruce," "To W.A.," "To A.C.," "Pro Rege Nostro"
  • from In Hospital: "Staff-nurse: Old Style," "Lady-probationer," "The Chef," "Apparition," "Discharged"
• Henley, William Ernest (1849-1903) (11 poems) at Representative Poetry Online
• William Ernest Henley at PoemHunter (172 poems)

Books

• Works by William Henley at Project Gutenberg
• William Ernest Henley at Amazon.com

About

• William Ernest Henley in the Encyclopædia Britannica
• W.E. Henley at NNDB
• Critical Introduction by Charles Whibley

 This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain, the 1911 Edition of the Encyclopædia Britannica. Original article is at "Henley, William Ernest"