1823.] Memoir of the late Mr. Robert Bloomfield. MEMOIR OF THE LATE MR. ROBERT BLOOMFIELD. 497 ed. His mother, liking the proposal, brought Robert to London by the coach, June 29th, 1781, declaring that she should never have been happy, had she not herself seen Robert delivered safely, and charged me, says his brother George, with the care and guidance of the boy in his moral and religious duties, in such solemn and powerful language as will never be erased from my memory: "No father ever had a son more affec tionately dutiful than he proved to me; but his boyhood is faithfully described in the preface to the first edition of "The Farmer's Boy'." The elder brother of the poet, Mr. George Bloomfield, who lived in LonMr. Robert Bloomfield, the amiable don, in Pitcher's-court, Bell-alley *, Author of "The Farmer's Boy," "Ru- Coleman-street, offered to take him ral Tales," &c. (whose death is record- under his protection, and teach him to ed in page 473), was born at Honing-work at the trade he himself followton, a village between Euston and Troston, co. Suffolk, on December 3, 1766. He was one of the sons of Mr. George Bloomfield, a tailor, in middling circumstances, father of six children, and who died when our Author was but six months old. His mother (whose maiden name was Elizabeth Manby) was born at Bromden in 1736, a very religious member of the Church of England, kept a small day-school in the village of Honington, and, with the other children, took all possible care to implant in his mind virtuous principles. He thus learned to read as soon as he could speak; and was brought up by his mother till he was sent to Mr. Rodworth, senior clerk to the magistrates of the Hundred of Blackbourne, in which Honington is situated. There he learnt to practise his pen for about three months, when he came away, and was never after sent to any other school. When he was about seven years of age, his mother again married, and had another family. On the death of one of his brothers-in-law, Robert wrote some commemorative verses, which are said by Mr. Capel Lofft to have "strongly manifested the affectionate disposition of the writer, and are among the proofs of his early poetic genius." At the age of eleven, the late Mr. W. Austin, of Sapiston, a neighbouring village, took him into his house, as a farmer's boy, to attend his own workmen in the field, and supported him for some time; more especially as he was so small of his age, that he seemed very unlikely to be ever able to get his future living by labour. His mother too, at this period, was so poor as to be able but with the greatest difficulty to find him a few necessary articles of wear, even though the chief burthen of his support fell on Mr. Austin. -This part of his life furnishes the subject of his chief Poem, entitled "The Farmer's Boy." Robert worked in a garret with his brother, where the beds were miserable and coarse, and every thing far from being either clean or comfortable. With them, in the same garret, lodged four other mechanics, all single men, who paid a shilling a week for their lodging. To these the poet used to act as errand-boy, in return for which they assisted and instructed him in his work. Robert used also to read to them the yesterday's newspaper (which was always brought them by the pot-boy), and some other books and tracts which they had; and having procured an English Dictionary, he was enabled by its assistance to read and understand the most difficult passages he met with, and to peruse some of the long speeches of Burke, Fox, and North. He used very frequently to go and hear Mr. Fawcet, a dissenting but eloquent preacher, at a meeting-house in the Old Jewry, and much improved his pronunciation by hearing him. Once or twice he went to Covent Garden Theatre, and now and then to a small debating society at Coach-makers' Hall. In addition to the Newspaper, which very much enlarged his ideas and expanded his mind, he read a History of England, a book called "The British Travel By the kindness of a Correspondent we are enabled to lay before our readers a view of this house, since pulled down (see Plate II). It was in the attic of the centre house that George Bloomfield, the brother of the Poet, carried ou the trade of a shoe-maker. In this garret they had two beds, and five men worked at the shoe-making business. GENT. MAG. December, 1823. ler," 498. Memoir of the late Mr. Robert Bloomfield. ler," and a "Geography," which were taken up in sixpenny numbers by the workmen who lived in the same garret as he and his brother. Besides these, he was very fond of perusing the Old "London Magazine," at his leisure hours -a publication which George Bloomfield regularly took in. His first poetical production of any importance, was composed about this time. It was a song, called "The Village Girl." He composed it unknown to his brother, and did not show it to any one until he had finished and revised it, when it met with so much approbation, that George sent it to the Editor of their Newspaper, who, to their great exultation, inserted it in the "Poet's Corner," and also another poem or song shortly afterwards, named "The Sailor's Return." A person subject to the most dreadful fits having taken a lodging in the garret, so annoyed and distressed Robert and his brother, by the frequent recurrence of that malady, that they were compelled to hire lodgings in another part of the city. Here the young Poet met with a Scotchman, who lent him some Novels, Milton's "Paradise Lost," and Thomson's "Seasons," with which last he was more pleased than with any thing he had ever before read. It was some time in the year 1784 that the contention between the journeymen shoemakers, as to whether those who had not served their apprenticeship to the trade was entitled to follow it, was to be decided. As great disturbances were created by the controversy, and as many of the trade were entirely suspended from working, Robert obtained permission of his brother to return home until all differences should be settled. He was again indebted to the kindness of Mr. Austin, who permitted him to remain under his roof for two months, at the termination of which period, to secure our Poet from any consequences of litigation, he was bound an apprentice to Mr. Dudbridge, a freeman of the City of London, in whose house his brother George also lodged. Mr. Dudbridge acted in an honourable way, by taking no advantage of the power which the indentures gave him. George Bloomfield staid with Robert until he found the latter could work as expertly as himself. When he left him, however, the poet was turned of twenty, [Dec. and was a good player on the violin.— Nathaniel Bloomfield (another brother) had married a Woolwich woman, and it happened that Robert having likewise formed an attachment with a comely young woman of the same place, named Mary Ann Church, whose father was a boat-builder in the Government-yard there, married her on December 12, 1790. Soon after he again retired to Bell-alley, and pursued his occupation in a garret amid six or seven workmen, where his active mind was employed in composing "The Farmer's Boy, a rural Poem." In November 1798, Mr. George Bloomfield sent the MS. of that poem, accompanied with a modest, sensible, and well-written letter, to Capel Lofft, esq. through whose means it was first presented to the public. On Mr. Lofft revised it, and prepared it for the press, bestowed on the Author his protection, printed it at his own expense, and wrote the preface. its first appearance it was highly approved of, and passed through many editions in a very short time; it fully established the claim of the Author to the title of Poet, and stamped his name with the honour of genius. This poem, which became the basis of his future reputation, was written under circumstances most appalling to genius and taste; it was not to adventitious considerations, but to its own intrinsic merits, that it owed the admiration of the literary world. Its merits were universally acknowledged, and perhaps no author ever possessed higher or more valuable testimonials of esteem, procured through talent, than Robert Bloomfield. Charmed as the world was with other beauties of the poem, they could not but reverence that fervid glow of pensive morality which has been justly said to "pervade and hover over every page," and which was taken by the best judges of the human heart as an earnest that "his blameless life still answered to his song." Of all the modern Poets, poor Giles was Nature's warmest enthusiast and devotee if she did not unlock for him her most magnificent treasures, filling him with high thoughts, she was pleased to admit him to her most familiar converse, giving him the key of her affections, and through him waking our tenderest sympathies in language that needs no teaching to be understood. Many 1823.] Memoir of the late Mr. Robert Bloomfield. Many exalted and great literary characters were among the patrons of the early and astonishing genius of Bloomfield. His R. H. the Duke of York, the Duke of Grafton, Sir C. Bunbury, Dr. Drake, Mrs. Opie, &c. &c. were all charmed with its beauties and various merits, and became benefactors of the Poet. The first edition was published in March, 1800. Twenty-six thousand copies were sold in two years and three quarters, and translations of it were made, and published, in Latin, French, and Italian. But Bloomfield did not meet with universal and general praise. There were many, as usual, whose dissentient or detracting voices were distinguished amid the plaudits of the public. Lord Byron, in particular, noticed him in his celebrated satire of “English Bards, and Scotch Reviewers." As soon as his first publication appeared, the late Duke of Grafton allowed him a pension of a shilling a day, and the present Duke generously continued it. About two years after his appearance as an author, the Duke of Grafton appointed him Under Sealer in the Seal Office; but his health still declining, he was forced to relinquish the situation. He afterwards worked some years at his trade (shoe-making). He also made some Eolian harps, for which many generous friends gave him a good price, which was a great assistance to him. In 1811, we find that he lived in the City-road (having abandoned shoemaking), with a wife and four children. "The Banks of Wye," the most beautiful, and at the same time, the most noble and spirited of all Bloomfield's productions, was published during the course of that year, in 8vo. Two other works had previously made their appearance, "Rural Tales, Ballads, and Songs," 8vo, 1802, and "Good Tidings; or News from the Farm," 8vo, 1804. These were much admired for their sweetness, simplicity, chasteness and poetical picturing, and were only exceeded by a subsequent volume, entitled "Wild Flowers," which he published in 1806, 8vo. His " May-day with the Muses" was brought forward in the spring of 1822, and reached a second edition the same year. It well maintains the reputation he had acquired by his preceding volumes. For a very considerable time before the publication of that work, 499 Mr. Bloomfield had taken up his residence at Shefford, in Bedfordshire, (in the hopes the country air might be beneficial to a constitution naturally weak,) where he spent the evening of his life. To insure a house and home to his aged and revered mother, and her husband, he kindly bought the cottage (his birth-place), gave it a new roof which cost him 50l. and gave the old folks their living in it. His mother died twenty years ago; his good old father-in-law died two years since. He then hoped to assist himself by the sale of his cottage. In this he was fatally disappointed. In this hour of the greatest need he sunk into the grave, nor lived to receive one shilling! A little village drama, entitled "Hazlewood Hall," in three acts, which has nothing but simplicity and the name of Bloomfield to recommend it, appeared a few months ago; and little was it expected that the circumstance of its publication should be so soon followed by the lamentable event of the death of its amiable author. The preface is dated from the place of his dissolution, so recently as the 12th of April last. His works have been published collectively in 2 vols. 18mo. Bloomfield was a modest, unassuming man; indeed, such was his diffidence to those whom he considered his superiors, that his behaviour was what is called " sheepishness," more than any thing else. Every good quality seems to have been united in him, and his private character was truly exemplary and gratifying. In person, he was about the middle size, rather thin, keeping his hair constantly combed down over his forehead; but there was great simplicity and good sense in his conversation.-Religion, practical Religion. enabled him to bear up against the ills of life without a murmur. was this made his life a lesson of morality to those who knew him best. This gave him that placid cheerfulness which attended him through life. He was the kindest, truest friend that ever man was blest with. As a husband, parent, and member of society, few, very few, can compare with him. It Of all Bloomfield's published works, no single volume has so much interest as his "Wild Flowers," which was dedicated to his only son Charles. "There 500 Memoir of the late Mr. Robert Bloomfield. "There can be no harm in telling the world," observes the Poet in his Dedication, "that I hope these Wild Flowers' will be productive of sweets of the worldly kind; for your unfortunate lameness, should it never be removed, may preclude you from the means of procuring comforts and advantages which might otherwise have fallen to your share. What a blessing, what an unspeakable satisfaction, would it be to know that the Ballads, the Ploughman's Stories, and the Broken Crutch of your Father would eventually contribute to lighten your steps in manhood; and make your own crutch, through life, rather a memorial of affection than an object of sorrow!" Speaking of the comparative merits of Bloomfield and Burns, rurally estimated, the Editor of the "Lyre of Love" says " Burns was the Bloomfield of Scotland; Bloomfield is the Burns of England. Both were alike found, by the Muse, at the plough; both delighted to sing the loves and joys of their native plains; and both have obtained the reputation and dignity of Poets." Throughout all his poetry, sweetness and pathos are the prevailing characteristics; and in perusing his tender and beautiful "Rural Tales," the reader frequently feels a witness that he cannot stop, to prove that he never appeals to the heart in vain. His Ballads and Tales are indeed fac-similes (and as such alone are truly valuable) of the manners of a happy English peasantry. Even now, doubtless, in some nooks of our island, some Walters and Janes, some Phoebes, some Peggy Meldrums, may be found to strengthen their hopes by his many examples of virtuous love triumphing over poverty, disappointment, and despair. This was the field where his genius loved to refresh itself, and his reward was never so full as when shedding tears of satisfaction over the young couple he had made happy. Alas! that he who employed himself so often in contriving the ideal happiness of others, should not have participated in his own designs! 'Ah, why should Fate her baleful influence Why pour it on the Bard's devoted head? he takes, And feels the malice dulness never wakes." [Dec His constitution, naturally weak, had of late years become alarmingly impaired; every fresh attack left him still weaker; the last, it was feared, had he survived, would have fixed him in a state of mental aberration, to which himself and dearest friends musthave preferred his death! He was indeed a man of sorrow, but he is gone! "Thank God," exclaims his brother George, " he is released." He has left a widow and four children; two sons and two daughters. The sons are apprenticed in respectable lines of business in London. The eldest daughter is enabled to maintain herself: the youngest is at present residing with her mother at Shefford. We close this Memoir with some pleasing stanzas to his memory, by Bernard Barton, which first appeared. in the Suffolk Chronicle: "On the Death of BLOOMFIELD, the Suffolk Poet. 1. "Thou shouldst not to the grave descend Unmourned, unhonoured, or unsung ;Could harp of mine record thy end, For thee that rude harp should be strung;— Should all its simple notes employ, The Bard who sang THE FARMER'S BOY. 2. "Could Eastern Anglia boast a lyre Like that which gave thee modest fame, Thy minstrel honours loud proclaim : And village-green, and common wild, 3. "The merry Horkey's passing cup Should pause-when that sad note was heard; The Widow turn her hour-glass up, With tenderest feelings newly stirred; And sighs that speak when language fails, 4. "Circling the old oak table round, Whose moral worth thy measure owns, Like Abner aud the Widow Jones ;- In pain and sorrow-plead for thee. "Nor |