782:
262:
328:
563:
820:
316:, which he sold among his friends. With failing eyesight and his own reason threatened by depression, he died in great poverty on 19 August 1823. His collection of books and manuscripts, and his household effects, had to be auctioned to pay his debts and cover the funeral expenses. To assist in that fund-raising came the publication in that year of his drama,
500:
Masonic Centre, where it continues to meet. Shefford's secondary school, later a middle school (for pupils aged 9–13), was named after the poet. In 2000 the Robert
Bloomfield Society was founded to promote awareness of his life and work and has encouraged scholarly publications relating to him. A
370:, and both provide descriptions of rural life at its hardest and least inviting. Bloomfield, however, is more cheerful in tone and his verse is denser and more vigorous. Here, for instance, is the episode in "The Farmer's Boy" where Giles chops up turnips to feed to the livestock in winter:
250:, who used couplets from it as tags for two of his paintings: "A Ploughing Scene" (shown at the Royal Academy in 1814) and "A Harvest Field, Reapers, Gleaners" (shown at the British Institution in 1817), which he marked as derived from "Bloomfield's poem". It was also admired by
483:
Although a note makes it clear that
Nathaniel is his principal target, he also seems to include his "brother Bobby" in the accusation that Lofft "has spoiled some excellent shoemakers and been accessory to the poetic undoing of many of the industrious poor."
48:
194:. He had his first poem, "The Village Girl", published in 1786. When his brother George returned to Suffolk in that year, he set up on his own as a cobbler and in 1790 married Mary Ann Church, by whom he was to have five children.
187:
to work as a shoemaker under his elder brother George. One of his early duties was to read the papers aloud while the others in the workshop were working, and he became particularly interested in the poetry section of
692:
285:(1802), several poems of which were set to music by his brother Isaac. Another of them, "The Miller's Maid", was turned into an opera in 1804 by John Davy (1763–1824) and formed the basis for a two-act melodrama by
460:(lines 775–786), linking Robert's name favourably with other poets of humble beginnings such as Burns and Gifford, but dismissing Nathaniel's writing as routine and uninspired. Byron returned to the charge in
312:. There one of his daughters died in 1814 and his wife became insane. To support himself, he tried to carry on a business as a bookseller but it failed, and in his later years he was reduced to making
277:
near the village of
Bloomfield's birth, settled on him a small annuity of £15 and used influence to gain him employment in the Seal Office to the King's Bench Court and then at
234:
was remarkable, over 25,000 copies being sold in the next two years. It was also reprinted in several
American editions, appeared in German translation in Leipzig, in French as
308:
Unfortunately Vernor and Hood, his publishers, failed, and in 1812 Bloomfield had to move from London into a cottage rented to him by a friend in the
Bedfordshire village of
850:
726:
501:
revised and enlarged selection of his poems was published by Trent
Editions in 2007. Recent studies see his poetry in its social as well as its literary context.
433:, whose names, like his, were well known in their time but are scarcely remembered now. Besides such formal productions, he told many light-hearted stories in
578:
860:
583:
215:. Bloomfield was able to carry in his head some fifty to a hundred finished lines of it at a time, until an opportunity arose to write them down. The
273:
While this success helped to reduce his poverty for a while, it also took him away from his work. As a result, the Duke of
Grafton, who lived at
180:
176:
when his son was a year old. It was from his mother
Elizabeth, who kept the village school, that he received the rudiments of education.
179:
Bloomfield was apprenticed at the age of eleven to his mother's brother-in-law, and worked on a farm that was part of the estate of the
206:
183:, his future patron. Four years later, owing to his small and weak stature (in adulthood just five feet tall), he was sent to
753:
324:, which included writing for children, on which he had been working for some years, and a selection of his correspondence.
347:
332:
281:, although he did not work for long at either. Meanwhile, Bloomfield's reputation was increased by the appearance of his
855:
627:
437:, some of which are incidentally interesting for their employment of Suffolk dialect words, particularly in "The
800:
426:
261:
845:
669:
309:
266:
88:
716:
Robert
Bloomfield Lodge No 8328 – Lane's Masonic Records – The Library and Museum of Freemasonry, London
351:
336:
17:
148:
labouring-class poet, whose work is appreciated in the context of other self-educated writers, such as
840:
835:
638:
327:
286:
238:
in Paris, and in
Italian translation in Milan. There was even a Latin translation of parts of it –
190:
767:
240:
De Agricolae Puero, Anglicano Poemate celeberrimo excerptum, et in morem Latini Georgici redditum
223:, a radical Suffolk squire of literary tastes, who arranged for its publication with woodcuts by
211:
169:
67:
425:
However, such verse varies little from the work of many of Bloomfield's contemporaries, such as
795:
777:
654:
616:
601:
367:
786:
430:
704:
680:
715:
278:
251:
247:
243:
202:
21:
829:
574:
569:
445:, who began publishing his own rural poetry in 1820 and praised Bloomfield's highly.
434:
363:
294:
255:
224:
219:
was declined by several publishers and was eventually shown by his brother George to
25:
16:
This article is about the poet. For the American businessman and church-founder, see
340:
313:
153:
149:
305:(a poetic journal of a walking tour taken in the footsteps of Wordsworth, 1811).
497:
493:
274:
220:
47:
791:
773:
737:
442:
216:
157:
544:
448:
Robert's brother, Nathaniel, also published a collection of poetry in 1803,
814:
173:
145:
805:
438:
184:
24:. For the blacklisted, pseudonymous American TV writer/novelist, see
810:
366:, who was also a native of Suffolk. Both wrote much in couplets of
568:
This article incorporates text from a publication now in the
453:
326:
260:
246:. The poem was particularly admired by the Suffolk-born painter
168:
Robert Bloomfield was born into a poor family in the village of
806:
The Banks of Wye, an electronic edition edited by Tim Fulford
666:
Robert Bloomfield, Romanticism and the Poetry of Community
653:, Edinburgh, 1844, vol. 2, pp. 283–284, at Google Books,
613:
Illustrations of the literary history of the 18th century
475:
The cobbler-laureats sing to Capel Lofft! (lines 733–734)
750:
Robert Bloomfield: lyric, class and the Romantic canon
346:
Robert Bloomfield is buried in the churchyard of the
539:
David Kaloustian, "Bloomfield, Robert (1766–1823)",
362:
Bloomfield's poetry invites comparison with that of
801:
Birkett Foster’s 1857 edition of the complete poems
626:The Letters of |Robert Bloomfield and his Circle",
289:in 1821. Other publications by Bloomfield included
123:
115:
107:
95:
74:
54:
38:
770:at the Eighteenth-Century Poetry Archive (ECPA)]
450:An Essay on War, in Blank Verse, and Other Poems
387:And sleet, more irksome still, assails his eyes;
293:(in praise of inoculation at the instigation of
172:, Suffolk. His father was a tailor, who died of
381:To strew the frequent load where hunger calls.
378:On GILES, and such as Giles, the labour falls,
417:From their mixt breath warm exhalations rise.
414:When pressing round him, eager for the prize,
408:Till Giles with pond'rous beetle foremost go,
396:Deep goes the frost, till every root is found
393:The field with all its juicy store to screen,
8:
600:, New York, 1860, pp. 104–106; Google Books
587:(11th ed.). Cambridge University Press.
384:On driving gales sharp hail indignant flies,
411:And scatt'ring splinters fly at every blow;
390:Snow clogs his feet; or if no snow is seen,
201:, was composed in a garret in Bell Alley,
144:(3 December 1766 – 19 August 1823) was an
35:
851:People from the Borough of St Edmundsbury
402:No tender ewe can break her nightly fast,
299:Wild Flowers or Pastoral and Local Poetry
556:
554:
552:
441:". His work served as an inspiration to
405:Nor heifer strong begin the cold repast,
331:Bloomfield's grave in the churchyard of
598:Pursuit of Knowledge Under Difficulties
541:Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
535:
533:
509:
472:Hark to those lines, narcotically soft,
531:
529:
527:
525:
523:
521:
519:
517:
515:
513:
399:A rolling mass of ice upon the ground.
31:English labouring-class poet 1766–1823
496:lodge No 8328 was founded in 1971 at
7:
783:Works by or about Robert Bloomfield
242:– made by the lively Suffolk vicar
197:The poem that made his reputation,
861:People from Shefford, Bedfordshire
748:See Simon White's introduction to
458:English Bards and Scotch Reviewers
14:
651:Cyclopaedia of English Literature
818:
561:
543:, Oxford University Press, 2004
322:The Remains of Robert Bloomfield
46:
320:, and in the following year of
681:Available on Internet Archive.
133:Rural Tales, Ballads and Songs
1:
792:Works by Nathaniel Bloomfield
456:commented on the brothers in
269:, where the poet died in 1823
254:, a Romantic poet and future
817:(public domain audiobooks)
668:, Ashgate Publishing 2007,
265:Robert Bloomfield House in
877:
811:Works by Robert Bloomfield
774:Works by Robert Bloomfield
15:
103:
45:
119:Rustic descriptive verse
20:. For the musician, see
584:Encyclopædia Britannica
205:. It was influenced by
545:Retrieved 4 March 2012
492:The Robert Bloomfield
343:
270:
267:Shefford, Bedfordshire
752:, Cranbury NJ, 2006,
691:Byron's Works (1826)
464:with the apostrophe:
352:Campton, Bedfordshire
330:
264:
111:Shoemaker, bookseller
18:Robert Lee Bloomfield
348:Church of All Saints
303:The Banks of the Wye
287:John Faucit Saville
236:Le Valet du Fermier
191:The London Magazine
856:English male poets
579:Bloomfield, Robert
368:iambic pentameters
344:
271:
796:Project Gutenberg
778:Project Gutenberg
768:Robert Bloomfield
462:Hints from Horace
333:All Saints church
142:Robert Bloomfield
139:
138:
40:Robert Bloomfield
868:
822:
821:
787:Internet Archive
756:
746:
740:
735:
729:
724:
718:
713:
707:
701:
695:
689:
683:
678:
672:
664:Simon J. White,
662:
656:
647:
641:
636:
630:
628:Romantic Circles
624:
618:
615:on Google Books
609:
603:
595:
589:
588:
567:
565:
564:
558:
547:
537:
488:Later reputation
427:James Montgomery
232:The Farmer's Boy
199:The Farmer's Boy
128:The Farmer's Boy
85:
83:
65:
63:
50:
36:
876:
875:
871:
870:
869:
867:
866:
865:
826:
825:
819:
764:
759:
747:
743:
738:Society website
736:
732:
725:
721:
714:
710:
702:
698:
690:
686:
679:
675:
663:
659:
648:
644:
637:
633:
625:
621:
610:
606:
596:
592:
577:, ed. (1911). "
573:
562:
560:
559:
550:
538:
511:
507:
490:
431:Ebenezer Elliot
360:
230:The success of
181:Duke of Grafton
166:
131:
91:, Bedfordshire
87:
81:
79:
66:
61:
59:
58:3 December 1766
41:
32:
29:
12:
11:
5:
874:
872:
864:
863:
858:
853:
848:
843:
838:
828:
827:
824:
823:
808:
803:
798:
789:
780:
771:
763:
762:External links
760:
758:
757:
741:
730:
719:
708:
696:
684:
673:
657:
642:
631:
619:
604:
590:
575:Chisholm, Hugh
548:
508:
506:
503:
489:
486:
481:
480:
479:
478:
477:
476:
473:
423:
422:
421:
420:
419:
418:
415:
412:
409:
406:
403:
400:
397:
394:
391:
388:
385:
382:
379:
359:
356:
318:Hazlewood Hall
279:Somerset House
252:Robert Southey
248:John Constable
244:William Clubbe
203:Coleman Street
165:
162:
137:
136:
125:
121:
120:
117:
113:
112:
109:
105:
104:
101:
100:
97:
93:
92:
86:(aged 56)
78:19 August 1823
76:
72:
71:
56:
52:
51:
43:
42:
39:
30:
22:Rob Bloomfield
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
873:
862:
859:
857:
854:
852:
849:
847:
846:English poets
844:
842:
839:
837:
834:
833:
831:
816:
812:
809:
807:
804:
802:
799:
797:
793:
790:
788:
784:
781:
779:
775:
772:
769:
766:
765:
761:
755:
751:
745:
742:
739:
734:
731:
728:
723:
720:
717:
712:
709:
706:
700:
697:
694:
688:
685:
682:
677:
674:
671:
667:
661:
658:
655:
652:
646:
643:
640:
635:
632:
629:
623:
620:
617:
614:
608:
605:
602:
599:
594:
591:
586:
585:
580:
576:
571:
570:public domain
557:
555:
553:
549:
546:
542:
536:
534:
532:
530:
528:
526:
524:
522:
520:
518:
516:
514:
510:
504:
502:
499:
495:
487:
485:
474:
471:
470:
469:
468:
467:
466:
465:
463:
459:
455:
451:
446:
444:
440:
436:
435:octosyllabics
432:
428:
416:
413:
410:
407:
404:
401:
398:
395:
392:
389:
386:
383:
380:
377:
376:
375:
374:
373:
372:
371:
369:
365:
364:George Crabbe
357:
355:
353:
349:
342:
338:
334:
329:
325:
323:
319:
315:
314:Aeolian harps
311:
306:
304:
300:
296:
295:Edward Jenner
292:
288:
284:
280:
276:
268:
263:
259:
257:
256:poet laureate
253:
249:
245:
241:
237:
233:
228:
226:
225:Thomas Bewick
222:
218:
214:
213:
208:
207:James Thomson
204:
200:
195:
193:
192:
186:
182:
177:
175:
171:
163:
161:
159:
155:
151:
147:
143:
134:
129:
126:
124:Notable works
122:
118:
114:
110:
106:
102:
98:
94:
90:
77:
73:
69:
57:
53:
49:
44:
37:
34:
27:
26:Leslie Edgley
23:
19:
749:
744:
733:
722:
711:
699:
687:
676:
665:
660:
650:
645:
639:Open Library
634:
622:
612:
607:
597:
593:
582:
540:
491:
482:
461:
457:
449:
447:
424:
361:
345:
341:Bedfordshire
321:
317:
307:
302:
301:(1806); and
298:
291:Good Tidings
290:
282:
272:
239:
235:
231:
229:
210:
198:
196:
189:
178:
167:
154:Mary Collier
150:Stephen Duck
141:
140:
132:
127:
96:Burial place
33:
841:1823 deaths
836:1766 births
727:Schools.net
498:Biggleswade
283:Rural Tales
275:Euston Hall
221:Capel Lofft
212:The Seasons
830:Categories
703:Available
649:Chamber's
505:References
443:John Clare
350:in nearby
217:manuscript
158:John Clare
108:Occupation
82:1823-08-20
62:1766-12-03
754:p. 17 ff.
297:, 1804);
227:in 1800.
170:Honington
70:, Suffolk
68:Honington
815:LibriVox
310:Shefford
209:'s poem
174:smallpox
89:Shefford
785:at the
705:online.
572::
494:Masonic
337:Campton
146:English
130:(1800)
99:Campton
80: (
60: (
693:p.601.
566:
439:Horkey
358:Poetry
185:London
135:(1802)
670:p. 37
454:Byron
116:Genre
611:See
429:and
164:Life
156:and
75:Died
55:Born
813:at
794:at
776:at
581:".
339:in
335:in
832::
551:^
512:^
452:.
354:.
258:.
160:.
152:,
84:)
64:)
28:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
